HOSA - Health Occupations Students of America

HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality healthcare to all people.

In October 2008 the Hayward Adult School (HAS) students formed the Hayward Chapter of HOSA. This chapter continues to fulfill HOSA’s mission by reaching out to the community of Hayward.

On 10-4-09 our chapter had a booth at the annual St. Rose Health Fair. This booth was manned by HOSA members who explained the purpose of HOSA and distributed hand sanitizers and health recipes for three meals for seven days. A First-Aid Basket was also raffled off.

On 10-10-09 the HOSA advisor and all officers attended a six- hour HOSA Regional Leadership Conference at John Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, California

In mid-October this chapter answered a request for Thanksgiving food bags for a San Francisco Church. 31 bags were collected.

At the October HOSA meeting it was decided that our chapter would supply the popcorn bags for the Disabled Adults Program on campus. A HOSA table was also set up with the popcorn sales during HOSA week. During this event the Disabled Program earned $75. The following (without the HOSA table) week the Disabled Program earned $7.

A HOSA member also created the HOSA Display window in “D” hall next to D-6. This display features what HOSA is, recent pictures of HOSA activities and pictures of HOSA Chapter officers and advisor.

The HOSA advisor (Allie Gibson) has completed her instructor’s credential in order to offer the BLS-CPR to HOSA members.

On 11-3-09 at the CTE staff meeting, administration requested HOSA to serve cake and refreshments at our quarterly graduations.

Students rose over $600 in a bicycle raffle to purchase CPR equipment and are currently involved in a fund raiser at Panda Express. They routinely have guest speakers and a monthly job board is maintained.

The HOSA chapter meets weekly for 30 minutes in D-6 at noon. The officers meet each Wednesday to prepare for the weekly meeting.

Students keep abreast with HOSA by visiting the national and Cal-HOSA websites.

HOSA is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Education Division of ACTE. HOSA's two-fold mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people. HOSA's goal is to encourage all health occupations instructors and students to join and be actively involved in the HSE-HOSA Partnership.
HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for secondary, postsecondary, adult, and collegiate students enrolled in HSE programs. HOSA is 100% health care!
Since its inception in 1976, HOSA has grown steadily reaching nearly 107,000 members through 47 chartered HOSA State Associations and approximately 3,000 secondary and postsecondary/collegiate chapters in 2008-2009.

HOSA is not a club to which a few students in school join. Rather, HOSA is a powerful instructional tool that works best when it is integrated into the HSE curriculum and classroom. HSE instructors are committed to the development of the total person. Those who join the HSE-HOSA Partnership recognize the importance of providing students with training far beyond the basic technical skills needed for entry into the health care field. The rapidly changing health care system needs dedicated workers who, in addition to their technical skills, are people-oriented and capable of playing a leadership or followership role as a member of a health care team.

HOSA's mission is especially critical when considering the acute shortage of qualified workers for the health care industry. It is essential that the HSE-HOSA Partnership maintain its momentum and encourage all HSE instructors to integrate HOSA into their curriculum and classrooms.

Allie Gibson 2/19/10