The HOSA Journey

With the new year starting and everyone gearing up for the State Leadership Conference in a few months, the HOSA year is in full swing. Its times like these that it’s nice to take a step back and look at the great things that HOSA has done for you throughout the years. HOSA is such a great experience for everyone who joins. It gives students confidence, skills, and empowers them to do phenomenal things. In the years I have been in HOSA I have learned so many wonderful skills and met so many fantastic people. When I first started HOSA I had just switched to a new school and I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. I felt like a complete outsider. I walked up to a teacher and told them I wanted to go into the medical field and they told me to join Medical Pathways and join HOSA. Making the choice to join was the best decision I ever made. When I first started out I was just another student. I had ideas to share and things to say, but I refused to stand up and speak out. I knew what I wanted to be but no idea how to get there.

When I first started I was completely out of place in a new environment with no idea what to do or how to get to where I wanted to be. Now that I’ve been in HOSA my entire life has changed.  Now that I’m here my perspectives have changed. I don’t just try to meet new people throughout my school but from all of California and the rest of the nation. The girl that once refused to speak up is a state officer.  I share ideas constantly and talk to large groups without batting an eye. I may not know the exact path I’m going to take, but I have the resources to get to my destination. I’m not just another student, I’m a HOSA member and I have never felt better about who I am. I’m not going to lie and say the path here was easy. It was challenging and I stumbled throughout it but it’s the stumbles and conquering the challenges that make the experience memorable. So tell me, what's your HOSA experience and what has it done for you?