(Secaucus, NJ––February 15, 2022) Under the tutelage of award-winning educator Dr. Arun Srivastava, five students from High Tech’s chapter of the HOSA—Future Health Professionals club were awarded medals for their performance at the 2022 HOSA Northern Regional conference in January and are now automatically qualified to compete in the upcoming State Conference in March, announced Ms. Kathy Young, principal of High Tech High School.
The HTHS chapter of HOSA includes thirty-one student members who were invited to join by their science teachers, based on their demonstrated leadership skills, motivation, and commitment. Of the thirty-one members, sixteen demonstrated the willingness and commitment to represent HTHS at the Northern Regional Conference. The Regional Conference is a one-day event where secondary and post-secondary students compete in a range of settings to showcase their skills and knowledge in fields related to the health profession.
The five award-winners were seniors Caitlyn Ramdat, who took home 5th place in the Human Growth and Development category, and Hager Khalifa, who earned 7th place in Medical Terminology. Juniors Ayushi Patel, Saloni Singh, and Cydney Rampersad respectively earned 3rd, 4th, and 8th place medals in the fields of Medical Terminology, Medical Math, and Nutrition. Because they placed in the top 9 of all participants, these five students were awarded medals for their efforts. Additionally, because they placed so highly in their respective fields, Caitlyn, Saloni, and Ayushi are automatically qualified to compete in that same content area at the upcoming State Conference in March. All other members will participate in open categories.
Dr. Srivastava has advised the HTHS HOSA chapter for the past four years. He is supported in his efforts this year by Kimberly Braun who teaches courses in Anatomy and Physiology as well as Medical Terminology which bolster members’ knowledge for the competition. To further support students’ chances of success, Dr. Srivastava’s chapter utilizes a mentorship model to pair students who previously competed at regional or state levels with new members who prepare together for a specific competition category.
The HTHS chapter is one of seventy-five HOSA—Future Health Professionals chapters throughout the state of NJ. The mission of HOSA, which has a global reach of over 245,000 members around the world, is to prepare students for the rigors of the healthcare field while also developing their leadership capacities. You can learn more about the NJ HOSA chapter by visiting hosaofnj.org.