The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo will send 12 representatives to compete at the HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) - Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference, February 22-24 in Honolulu, following a strong showing at the 2nd Annual Big Island Regional held recently on the UH Hilo campus. The UH Hilo team will be accompanied by returning chapter advisor Dr. Cecilia Mukai.
Approximately 100 members representing chapters at UH Hilo, Kamehameha Schools-Hawaiʻi, and Ka`u, Kea`au and Waiakea High Schools competed in a wide range of events, including Pharmacology, Nursing Assisting, Veterinary Science, and Public Health. In all, HOSA offers over 50 different competitive events, building attributes of leadership, professionalism, knowledge and experience in the student’s area of interest.
HOSA at UH Hilo members earning top honors included the Public Service Announcement Team of Leslie Arce, Jerold Cabel, and Marjie Retundo, and Shauna Gaylord and Kalalani Ka’aikala of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), who are part of the first CERT to be formed within the HOSA organization in Hawaiʻi.
The individuals who came in first in their respective categories were Kateleen Caye Bio in Pharmacology, Sharrylei Fernandez in Nutrition, Courtney Guirao in Nursing Assisting, Chrisovolandou Gronowski in Behavioral Health, and Justin Allagonez, who led a UH Hilo sweep in the Medical Terminology category, with John Padapat coming in second, and Hazel Faye Sivila placing third.
HOSA-Future Health Professionals is an international organization with more than 175,000 members and 2.4 million alumni. HOSA was established in Hawaiʻi in 2005 and has grown to more than 1,300 members.