West Ashley High School’s Health Occupation Students of America Chapter (HOSA) recently celebrated HOSA Week. Throughout the week HOSA Club members participated in several different activities designed to raise awareness about certain health issues.
On Monday the focus was on mental health awareness. Health Science teachers Melissa Sparks and Julie Bamberg passed out a student survey to all second period classes on Tuesday in order to obtain feedback from students concerning their mental health. It also had questions asking if they’ve ever been a part of bullying whether it was done to them or it was done by others. Wednesday focused on the Compliment Tree which Sparks and her students put up in the hallway outside of her classroom. Students were asked to write positive comments about their classmates, designed to help boost their self-esteem, and post them on the trees.
During all four lunches on Thursday, Sparks and Bamberg set up a table in the cafeteria where they placed pictures of celebrities who have been diagnosed with a mental illness. This exercise was designed to show students that mental illness can affect anyone so they used figures the students would know as examples. On Friday they presented students with the results of their mental health surveys from Tuesday and encouraged them to take the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) pledge to be Stigmafree. The pledge encourages everyone to educate themselves and others about mental health, to see the person and not the illness, and to take action on mental health issues. “One in five Americans has a mental health condition,” said Health Science teacher Melissa Sparks. “We want to support the person and not judge them for their illness.”
Bamberg was pleased with the group’s efforts. “HOSA Week went well,” said Bamberg. “Some students who replied to the survey shared personal stories of their challenges and struggles with mental health illnesses, and many students enjoyed receiving a kind compliment as they transitioned between their classes.”
At West Ashley High School, HOSA’s main goal is to gather students who are interested in the medical field in order to help them build leadership skills, gain knowledge of current healthcare issues, and involve them in community service projects. HOSA stands for Health Occupations Students of America, but it is now known as HOSA-Future Health Professionals. This year West Ashley High School reactivated their chapter and currently has ten members.
Over the course of the last few months, West Ashley’s HOSA Chapter has been doing a lot of work in the community. In September they raised about $300 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In October they took a trip to the HOSA Fall Leadership Conference at Newberry College and had five club members compete in various events.
Currently, West Ashley High’s HOSA members are in the process of deciding which events to compete in at the State Leadership Conference. The conference will have the following events: writing essays, public speaking, performing medical skills, and other written exams. If the members of West Ashley High’s HOSA Chapter earn positions in the top three, they will be able to advance to the International Leadership Conference which will take place during the summer.
