Area high school students from Huron, Wolsey-Wessington and Iroquois recently attended the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) State Leadership conference in Sioux Falls on March 30.  

HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for a variety of ages who have interests in pursuing careers in health professions.

The students participated in a variety of health care related competitions throughout the one-day event. In addition, the conference included a number of breakout sessions for the students to learn more about health care roles. Some breakout topics included human trafficking, delivering a baby, exploring the human body with an anatomage table and much more.    

Several students within our region qualified for the HOSA International Leadership Conference by placing in the top three of their special events. The leadership conference is to be held June 21-25 in Dallas Texas.  

Wolsey-Wessington HOSA team

Qualifiers and their events include:

Huron:
Day Lu Paw, Medical Assisting, first place; Paw Ler Moo, Clinical Nursing, third place; MacKenzie Hershma, Family Medicine, third place; and Hser Da Say, Medical Assisting, third place.

Iroquois:
Madi Burma-Foundations of Medical Reading (Middle School), first place; Madi Burma & Emma Eckmann, Health Education (Middle School), first place; Zoei Schmidt Ellman, Life Support Skills, first place; Kasey Burmeister, Extemporaneous Writing, first place; Airabella Deysel, Tabitha Rose, Mona Nickoli-Health Education (Middle School), second place; Lexi Burma, Medical Reading, second place; Lexi Burma and Kaylee Vincent, Community Awareness, third place; Kaylee Vincent, Clinical Specialty, third place; and Natalie Cundy and Skyla Harris-Health Education, third place.

Wolsey Wessington:
Modesty Health-Research Persuasive Writing & Speaking, first place; Kendal Uttecht, Healthy Style, first place; and Irelyn Salisbury, Carson Walters, Amanah Woodruff, Jett Kleinsasser, Kendal Uttecht, Mental Health Promotion, second place; and Kaitlyn Kahre, Physical Therapy, third place.

Iroquois HOSA

Additional students placing in the Top 10:

Huron:
Erianna DeVries-Clinical Laboratory Science, fifth place; Win Ni, Clinical Laboratory Science, ninth place; Josie Ptak, Clinical Nursing, fourth place; Paw Kyi, Clinical Nursing, seventh place; Dah Christ Moo, Dental Science, fifth place; Adisyn Zavesky, Nursing Assistant, fourth place; Paw Kye and Brianna Cronin, CPR/First Aid, ninth place; and Paw Kler Moo and Win Ni, CPR/First Aid,  10th place.

Iroquois:
Sarah Nelson, Extemporaneous Writing fourth place; and Rebecca Bich, Chenoa Harris, Rosalie Wehlander, Kera Dubro, Public Service Announcement, fifth place.

Wolsey:  
Mya Boomsma, Dental Science; Emree White, Extemporaneous Writing; Leah Williams, Lainey Uttecht and Mya Boomsma, Health Education; and Colin Hughes, Health Career Photography.

Recognition Awards:
• Kaylee Vincent, $1,000 Health Professions Scholarship  
• Lexi Burma received first place and $750 from the South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians essay contest
• Kali Burma, first place HOSA Happenings and National Qualifier
• Barbara James Service Award recipients and National Qualifiers, which required volunteering at least 100 hours during the school year: Kaylee Vincent, Lexi Burma, Kali Burma, Madi Burma, Airabella Deysel and Emma Eckmann
 • Rosalie Wehlander, first place Outstanding HOSA chapter and certificate of recognition for the anti-vaping challenge.
• Healthcare Issues Exam National Qualifiers: Kasey Burmeister-third place, and Lexi Burma- second place
• The Iroquois Chapter was awarded first place for “Be the Match” and as well as the HOSA Blood Drive Award.