Western High School was one of three Broward schools honored at the HOSA conference for its outstanding chapter.

FORT LAUDERDALE - The names of several Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) students were called when winners were announced at the award ceremony at the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) State Leadership Conference held recently in Jacksonville.  The mission of HOSA is to promote career opportunities in health care and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.

One hundred fifty-five students from one Broward middle school, nine high schools and one technical center were among the approximately 2,200 from across the state who took part in various competitions held during the conference.  Participating schools included William Dandy Middle School, Atlantic Technical Center and Coral Glades, Cypress Bay, Flanagan, Plantation, Piper, South Plantation, JP Taravella, West Broward and Western high schools.

Students competed in six categories: health science; health professional; emergency preparedness; leadership; teamwork and recognition.  Events within those categories ranged from Medical Math, Pharmacology, Nursing Assisting CPR/First Aid and Emergency Medical Technician to Researched Persuasive Speaking, Forensic Medicine, Medical Photography and Health Education.

Broward’s first place finishers, their schools and categories included:

Naomi Pierre, Plantation High School – Dental Spelling

Marija Venskauskaite, J.P. Taravella High School – Medical Math

Maria Lopez, Cypress Bay High School – Personal Care

Jamesa Jackson, South Plantation High School – Job Seeking Skills

Shannon Hineline, Djane Antoine and Chanise Point Du Jour, Flanagan High School – Community Awareness

Chad Thaler, Simon Riley and Zak Gilbert, Coral Glades High School – Creative Problem Solving

Chelsey Perez, who attends Flanagan High School, took home the Health Occupations Educators Association of Florida Scholarship. In addition, Perez received the Florida HOSA Foundation Scholarship as did Priscila Peinero who also attends Flanagan and Chad Thaller who attends Coral Glades High School.

Three Broward schools were singled out as having Outstanding HOSA Chapters and their historians recognized: Cypress Bay High School, Libby Tepper; Flanagan High School, Shannon Hineline and Western High School, Maria Villanueva.

Two schools were honored for their outstanding chapter newsletter.  The schools and the editors include: Western High School, Sara Gallant and Coral Glades High School, Patrycia Tomaszewicz.

Students recognized as part of the National Recognition Program for their contributions to the future of health care included Western High School students Samantha Boulger, Alex Medoff, Alberto Alvarez, Christella Joseph, Daniel Caballero, Stephanie Swindling, Sara Gallant, Stephanie Tavarez, Maria Villanueva, Alexa Shirinian and Mariana Velasquez.  Plantation High School students recognized included Shevaughn Vernon and Keandra Brown-Davis.  Flanagan students recognized included Astrid Leonardo, Lauren Arguelles, Ashley Palacios and Shannon Hineline.

Receiving the Barbara James Service Presidential Gold Award for 250 hours of service to their chapters included Ashley Wise, Coral Glades High School; and Alex Medoff, Western High School.

Those students honored for designing and participating in HOSA Week at their schools included Zared Schwartz, Cypress Bay High School; Ashley Wise, Coral Glades High School; Alexa Shirinian and Ashley Costales, Western High School and Ashley Placios, Flanagan High School.

Honored for their fundraising National Service Projects for charity included Madison Kneale and Stephanie Tavarez, Western High School; Kaillee Fernandez, Cypress Bay High School; Marishtania Saintine, Flanagan High School and Ilyssa McKenna, Plantation High School.

Western, Cypress Bay and Flanagan high schools received the Centum Award for having over 100 members in their HOSA chapters.

For more information about HOSA, go to ( www.hosa.org).

ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), the nation's sixth largest public school system, is an “A” rated School District. BCPS is the largest fully accredited district in the nation, with over 258,000 students and approximately 150,000 adult students in 234 schools and education centers and 76 charter schools. For more information about BCPS, visit (www.browardschools.com). Follow BCPS on Twitter (@Browardschools). Find us on Facebook at (www.facebook.com/browardschools).