By Deemah Pulak
Freshman Clemence Le Mener hurried toward the cafeteria as soon as the 4:10 p.m. bell rang. It was the first after-school Health Science meeting of the year, but something about it seemed strange.
“Usually at meetings, the officers just give us information for upcoming events, but this time we got to bond, get to know people, and have lots of fun,” Le Mener said.
Last Thursday, the meeting started off with a wrap up of HOSA Week. Throughout the week, students participated in poster competitions, donating Germ-X bottles to nearby health care centers and other activities that promote the Health Science Magnet.
“The idea of HOSA week was great because it encourages unity and service amongst us,” freshman Samrah Khan said. “I felt as if all students in the school should participate even if they aren’t in the magnet.”
The annual HOSA week was prepared by the national HOSA board.
“I enjoy the medical field and I want to learn more about the field,” freshman Kidus Dube said. “In anything we get to do in HOSA, we get the opportunity to challenge ourselves and so I thought HOSA week was a great time to demonstrate what we could do.”
At the beginning of the school year, all Health Science Magnet seniors ‘adopted’ two freshmen. Every week during their health science classes, seniors would write to their freshmen in a notebook, then the freshmen would write back. The identities of the seniors were kept anonymous.
“While I would write back to my buddy, I always felt anxious because I really wanted to know who he was,” Khan said.
Freshmen finally found out who their corresponding senior was at the HOSA meeting.
“When I found out who my senior was, I honestly was really excited and so was he,” Le Mener said. “It was a nice moment because I had been writing to him for 4 months without actually meeting him face to face.”
The seniors and their two freshmen were put into a group to play a scavenger hunt. Twenty-five QR Codes were hidden around the cafeteria trash cans, tables and walls, which contained questions about HOSA and some facts about the Health Science teachers.
“I felt like we really connected with each other during the scavenger hunt,” Dube said. “I thought we were all very into it.”
The questions ranged from factual information, such as who the vice president of HOSA was, to personal information like where Health Science teacher Rebecca Saba lived before coming to the US. The three groups who had the most correct answers received a giant candy bar.
“Sometimes when I would look around I thought it was funny how seriously some people took this,” freshman Hisma Salahudeen said. “I guess people would do whatever it took to get that chocolate.”
The meeting was fully organized and run by the officers with some help from the teachers. Students said the meeting was successful.
“The ultimate goal of HOSA is to help engender the next health care leaders into American society,” Khan said. “And I think the magnet program here at school is shaping our way.”
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