Billings Central Catholic High School’s HOSA—a club for future health professionals—leadership team joined chapters from across Montana in Butte on October 14th for the annual HOSA State Leadership Conference.
(From L to R) Seniors’ Ella Fairbanks and Olivia Guenthner, and sophomore Vanessa Sheridan posing for a photo together at FLC. (Ella Fairbanks )
HOSA, which stands for Health Occupation Students of America, is a national organization designed to prepare students for future careers in healthcare and other medical fields. The State Leadership Conference-also known as SLC- brings together student officers and advisors from different chapters to share ideas, learn new leadership methods, and meet the newly elected state officer team.
Billings Central participants consisted of senior and president of Central’s HOSA club, Ella Fairbanks, junior and event coordinator, Matteo Harris, senior and secretary, Olivia Guenthner, junior and treasurer, Caleb Kay, and sophomore, Vanessa Sheridan, who filled in as an intern for junior and vice president, Josh Strydom.
Members from Billings Central HOSA, Career Center HOSA, and Bozeman HOSA, posing for a photo together for a .5 at FLC. (Ella Fairbanks )
“The HOSA SLC is where different chapters leadership from around the state come together,” explained Fairbanks. “It’s a chance for us to talk about what’s coming up this year, learn from other chapters, and meet the new Montana HOSA leadership team.”
The conference offered many different sessions that were designed to strengthen students’s leadership skills and encourage collaboration among the different chapters. Many of those sessions focused on how HOSA members can create change in their communities through volunteer and service projects.
“My favorite part was coming up with new opportunities for our club,” Fairbanks shared. HOSA is a chance to do more for your community while learning about medicine and careers in healthcare.
