The school year is up and running, and new additions of clubs throughout CCHS are starting to meet and plan events for the year. One of the newest additions to the CCHS clubs available for students to get involved, is the CCHS HOSA club. I interviewed Avani Bichkar, who is a secretary for HOSA about what HOSA has to offer to the students of CCHS, and why you should join!

First off, what does HOSA stand for?

Avani: HOSA stands for Health Occupation Students of America.

Tell us about HOSA! What are the goals of the club, and what are some events that HOSA leaders are starting to plan for its members?

Avani: The main goal of HOSA is to educate students about the health and medical fields. We want to create a place where kids who want to go into medicine or study healthcare fields, have a place where they can collaborate with others who are interested in the same things. Some of the events and opportunities we are planning for our members are community service events, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) drive for our local hospitals, and hosting some Q & A’s with medical professionals. We are still in the works of planning more events for the CCHS students involved. HOSA also offers a more competitive side as well. Members can participate in competitions based around the medical/health sciences fields, such as a medical field spelling bee or an EMT response simulation where they test your ability to respond to emergencies. There’s definitely a wide variety of things for our members to participate in!

Who is the adviser for HOSA?

Avani: Mr. Whisler.

Why do you think HOSA is going to be of benefit for the CCHS students and the school in general, and why should students join HOSA?

Avani: CCHS students are going to benefit from HOSA, because HOSA is the kind of club that you can join, even if you don’t want to be in the medical or healthcare field. We’ve got plenty of committees within the HOSA club that are centered on other subjects, such as our treasury and historian committees. Plus, HOSA is a great club to join if you are unsure about what you want to study in college, or if you want to get more information abut healthcare before committing to study in the healthcare field. We are planning on bringing plenty of healthcare professionals for Q & A’s, so if you have any questions, you can always join in and ask them. Plus, all of the service projects we’re planning aren’t just going to help our school, but our entire community. We are planning on making the upcoming flu season much easier on our local doctors with our PPE drive. If CCHS students are looking for a way to combine learning, competition, and community service, HOSA is a really amazing club to join.

When is the first HOSA meeting?

Avani: The first meeting is on September 8th, from 7:30-8:30 in room 304 (which is Mr. Whisler’s room).

Who are some officers that students can contact if they are interested in being a part of HOSA?

Avani: Our officers are listed down below! You can contact any of them through their school email or through remind (The code is cchshosa21)!

HOSA Officers:

Chapter Adviser: Mr. Whisler

President: Gwyn DeFeo

Vice President and Public Relations: Maddie Laflamme

Vice President, Competitive Events: Manvee Vuppula

Vice President, Community Service: Sydney Kessel

Secretary: Avani Bichkar

Treasurer: Jay Sangster