Harrisburg 41-2
Harrisburg 41-2
Celebrating CTE Month with HOSA
Every February, the CTE community celebrates CTE Month® to raise awareness of the role that CTE has in readying learners for college and career success. CTE Month is also a time to recognize and celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of our CTE partners at the local, state and national level.
This month, we turn the reins over to Mrs. Breanne Lynch, CTE Coordinator for the District, who will interview our CTSO advisors and student leaders. This week we recognize HOSA, the Health Occupations Students of America. Representing HOSA are two Seniors and Co-Presidents Sierra Stiff and Ali Dierks, along with Mr. Andrew Koch, HOSA Advisor.
Career & Technical Education at HHS
Summary
February is national CTE month. CTE stands for career and technical education. This week's episode focuses on the health occupations Students of America (HOSA) HOSA is a health occupations organization at Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, South Dakota. The podcast is produced by the Harrisburg 412 podcast.
Transcript
00:00:03 JoAnne
We're giving you more than just the 411. This is the Harrisburg 412 podcast coming to you from Southern Sioux Falls and Harrisburg, SD.
00:00:19 JoAnne
It is February and that means it's national CTE month.
00:00:24 JoAnne
CTE stands for career and technical education and throughout the month we'll be highlighting some of our CSOS or career and technical student organizations and who better to conduct an interview about CTS O's than our own missus Brianne Lynch.
00:00:44 JoAnne
CTE coordinator for the Harrisburg School District, Mrs. Lynch is going to introduce our first CTSO for the month.
00:00:53 JoAnne
HOSA is the health occupations Students of America organization here at Harrisburg High School.
00:01:03 Breanne
well welcome host, that's Nice to have you today.
00:01:06 Breanne
We're going to focus on different career and technical student organizations as a way to celebrate CTE month at Harrisburg High School.
00:01:13 Breanne
So, thanks for being here today.
00:01:15 Andrew
Thank you very much.
00:01:17 Breanne
All right, so we're going to just start with the students and your offices.
00:01:21 Breanne
So, just again briefly, your name your office and maybe what your favorite part of HOSA is.
00:01:28 Ali
I'm Ali, I am a Co president of HOSA.
00:01:31 Ali
I'm a senior.
00:01:32 Ali
I really like the science Saturdays for HOSA.
00:01:35 Ali
You get to interact with the community and mostly elementary school students, and you can plan a lab experiment and we mostly relate it to the holidays or the time of year.
00:01:45 Ali
So, in December we did a Christmas theme.
00:01:48 Ali
And we just plan experiments and we're able to teach the kids.
00:01:51 Ali
And it's really fun to see them learn and be excited about science.
00:01:55 Breanne
Yeah, I was super lucky.
00:01:56 Breanne
My daughter is in the age group that gets to come on Saturday, so she got to come with her little friend for the Halloween themed science Saturday, which was awesome.
00:02:04 JoAnne
So, can I ask what a project is that you might do on a science Saturday?
00:02:09 Ali
Yeah, so for Christmas theme this year my group we did I was actually with Sierra.
00:02:14 Ali
She's in my group.
00:02:15 Ali
And we did Snow globes in a jar, so we took paint and Sparkles and some - I don't remember what else it was.
00:02:28 Ali
Yeah, Alka seltzer paint and baby oil.
00:02:31 Ali
Then we mix them in a jar and put like paint and sparkles and made it look like a snow globe.
00:02:37 Breanne
And the science part of that, Mr. Koch is...
00:02:40 Andrew
So you're creating gas from the Alka Seltzer, and those bubbles rise, and they displace the paint because the paint doesn't mix with the oil.
00:02:48 Andrew
And so, as a result, you kind of get a lava lamp effect.
00:02:52 Breanne
Lava lamps are really cool for elementary kids.
00:02:55 JoAnne
Or adults.
00:02:57 Breanne
or adults? Yeah, whichever one.
00:02:58 Breanne
I'm Sierra, can you tell us your Name office and then maybe your favorite part of HOSA.
00:03:01 Sierra
Yeah, so my name is Sierra Stiff.
00:03:03 Sierra
I'm the other Co president.
00:03:05 Sierra
I'm a 12th grader here at Harrisburg and my favorite part of HOSA in general would probably be the state conference.
00:03:11 Sierra
I just love being able to compete try different events.
00:03:14 Sierra
A lot of kids really, really enjoy it.
00:03:16 Breanne
What is the best event you've been a part of at state HOSA.
00:03:19 Sierra
I've really enjoyed the medical innovation.
00:03:23 Sierra
So essentially you create something that would be useful in the medical field, and it actually gets like recognized and noticed.
00:03:29 Sierra
And like there's been some people that have proposed ideas just all around the country for the same event that have actually gone and like helped and been like.
00:03:37 Sierra
Dated and like in established into like the medical.
00:03:40 Breanne
Field, that's awesome, so giving you a real-life outlet to solve some current medical issues.
00:03:45 Sierra
Yeah, yeah.
00:03:48 Breanne
What would you say would be the greatest benefit?
00:03:51 Breanne
To being a member.
00:03:52 Breanne
Of HOSA and then what would you say to students that maybe are interested but haven't joined yet.
00:03:58 Ali
I'd say anyone interested in healthcare.
00:04:00 Ali
Hosa is a really good option for them.
00:04:02 Ali
It's not a big-time commitment, it's just about one meeting a month in the morning for any members that are non-officers, and we have speakers come in that are actually in healthcare and it's just really cool to be able to see and experience different parts of health.
00:04:16 Ali
There, and it's really helped me in narrowing down what I want to do when I'm older and just being able to meet new friends and learn new things about healthcare and medicine.
00:04:28 Sierra
Yeah, I'd say one of the biggest like biggest parts about HOSA is that, like even though you might not know what you want to do, like it does help you narrow down your options because you are listening to all these different health professions, we get to hear about a bunch of different things that we don't even know would be in the medical field.
00:04:43 Sierra
It's crazy to see how much we learn in the year, but it really helps us narrow down our decisions.
00:04:48 Sierra
And it helps people build friends.
00:04:50 Sierra
A lot of great friendships come.
00:04:52 Sierra
Hosa just being able to work on a team and start projects, and it's a really good opportunity, yeah.
00:04:57 Breanne
Sounds like a really good place for learners that are interested in coming in.
00:05:00 Breanne
Just maybe have that healthcare interest or bug or maybe really like science but haven't really found out where they fit yet.
00:05:07 Ali
Yeah, even if you don't necessarily want to go into healthcare very big into it.
00:05:13 Ali
If it's something that you're interested in also still a great way to learn more about it and you don't need to be that serious about it.
00:05:20 Ali
You can just meet new friends and new.
00:05:21 Breanne
People Mr.
00:05:23 Breanne
Koch, what do you think the benefits are as you see it?
00:05:27 Andrew
Looking at, you know, we have about 120 students in HOSA, probably about 110 of those will compete at our state conference this year.
00:05:37 Andrew
So really, I shouldn't be called the advisor.
00:05:39 Andrew
I should be the cat Wrangler because it's a lot of kids but looking at kids kind of going through - students going through the process of being in HOSA.
00:05:50 Andrew
They do explore a lot of health careers and we have a lot of kids come in thinking they want to do something in healthcare and a lot of them actually decide.
00:05:59 Andrew
You know patient care maybe is actually not what I want to do, or some decide they really do enjoy, and they really do enjoy working with people.
00:06:07 Andrew
So, a big part I think is helping students to discern whether they enjoy Health careers and that's you know our science.
00:06:15 Andrew
Saturdays are a great example of what interacting with different populations looks like and building those leadership and critical thinking skills and having to plan to give students the opportunity to do that either through the State conference or through volunteer work, I think has been big helping students again discern whether they want to be in a health career.
00:06:34 Andrew
I think it has been a really positive thing we see for lots of students and just building confidence and those.
00:06:43 Andrew
Those skills you know in CTE we try to build soft skills which are relevant not only to a specific career field, but to anything a student might do.
00:06:52 Andrew
And I think that's like any CTS.
00:06:55 Andrew
So, what we do best is help students develop those leadership skills and those communication skills that are going to benefit them no matter what they decide to do in life.
00:07:03 Breanne
You talked a little bit about like workplace and employability skills and soft skills, which I agree. And in my world, that's a huge part of what we do through the internship program and our K12 career development.
00:07:12 Breanne
You talk a little bit about possible.
00:07:13 Breanne
Certifications a student may.
00:07:14 Breanne
Earn through the healthcare pathway in Harrisburg and maybe.
00:07:17 Breanne
How that extends into HOSA.
00:07:19 Andrew
Yeah, so we've kind of got a couple of different things we offer in terms of health careers.
00:07:25 Andrew
Here we have the project lead the way biomedical sciences pathway, which is a series of classes where students can actually gain college credit through Augustana as they learn about you know, and adding Physiology, forensic science, medical technology and things like that.
00:07:40 Andrew
And that doesn't result necessarily in an industry certification, but does provide students with a picture of that upper-level learning and a.
00:07:50 Andrew
An idea of what they would learn in college as they go into a field like that.
00:07:55 Andrew
In addition to that, students who are.
00:08:02 Andrew
Typically, after their junior year, or if they qualify for early college earlier than that, students can take a CNA class through SE tech.
00:08:12 Andrew
Here at Harrisburg High School, a trailer comes here.
00:08:15 Andrew
They attend class right here from campus and over the course of a semester can get a CNA certification which would enable them to work in a nursing home on a hospital floor, serving patients and actually getting to do that.
00:08:30 Andrew
Hands on many students.
00:08:32 Andrew
After they are CNA certified will then choose to do an internship through Harrisburg High School.
00:08:37 Andrew
Whether where they complete a number of hours.
00:08:40 Andrew
Actually, at Sanford they go through, they have a resume.
00:08:44 Andrew
They actually have to apply and get to do all.
00:08:46 Andrew
That and then, actually, we'll work with work on a hospital floor at Sanford and actually get some hands-on patient care.
00:08:53 Andrew
Kind of in a more managed, you know, mentorship environment, which is a really, really helpful experience again for discerning.
00:09:01 Andrew
Is healthcare something I want to spend four years of college learning about or should I do something else?
00:09:07 Breanne
It's huge and all the while they can be a.
00:09:09 Breanne
Member of HOSA.
00:09:10 Breanne
While they're doing these things as well.
00:09:11 Andrew
Correct and through host.
00:09:12 Andrew
So, there's all sorts of career exploration we do we this year we've taken kids to USD once to Sanford once and we're actually going back for two others.
00:09:24 Andrew
Two other experiences were through Sanford at UCSD where they we do.
00:09:28 Andrew
Some healthcare exploration students get to learn what a Health Science pathway at a university in South Dakota looks like, and then they get to do some hands-on things.
00:09:36 Andrew
They get to, you know, go to the simulation lab and diagnose some patients we get to tour the cadaver lab.
00:09:43 Andrew
And do some of those things as well, which again for a student looking at healthcare, getting to see those things and know what they're signing.
00:09:50 Andrew
Not for is a huge benefit both for exciting and motivating students.
00:09:55 Andrew
And just to give them a full picture of what it is.
00:09:59 Andrew
A career in healthcare looks like.
00:10:01 Breanne
You've both spoken a little bit about the state conference.
00:10:03 Breanne
Do you want to talk a little bit more about those experiential trips that Mr. Koch just shared?
00:10:07 Ali
Sure, last year I went to USD for one of the tours of the medical school and of USD and then we were also able to learn a few things like we learned how to give shot.
00:10:20 Ali
Not to real people.
00:10:21 Ali
We did like fake skin; thank goodness and we weren't sutures and I remember we went down to the basement level, and we were able to look at their like simulated patients which not every medical school has.
00:10:34 Ali
So, it was really cool to be able to see that as a high school student, and we also there's more to healthcare.
00:10:39 Ali
And just patient interaction.
00:10:41 Ali
We also looked at their labs and we did stuff with blood typing, which was cool, and it was just really cool to see how all the different aspects of healthcare can merge together and they work together to help real life patients.
00:10:56 Ali
After you get your education.
00:10:59 Sierra
Yeah, like at that same USD trip when we did go to the basement, I know I was there a couple of years back and we just tested the germs on our phone and that was huge for me.
00:11:10 Sierra
Like realizing how much you touch your phone and how gross it is, just like being able to find the bacteria off that and that might not necessarily be like exactly healthcare.
00:11:17 Sierra
But just like talking about those germs and seeing like what.
00:11:21 Sierra
Comes off of your body, it's just its eye opening just for every day.
00:11:24 Breanne
Life yeah, this is a podcast so you can't see our face.
00:11:27 Breanne
But I am.
00:11:28 Breanne
A little gross right?
00:11:29 Breanne
Germs on your phone and I have smaller kids still and so.
00:11:32 Breanne
It is healthcare because little kids put everything in their mouth.
00:11:35 Breanne
It is true and they are sick if you're lucky.
00:11:39 Breanne
October through April and then you get like this sweet spot that they Call summer and they're Not sick, so if we can work.
00:11:45 Breanne
On the germ.
00:11:45 Breanne
Factor anytime.
00:11:46 Breanne
I think that's important for healthcare, especially for people that have children.
00:11:49 Breanne
So that's really cool.
00:11:52 Breanne
You talked a little bit about your science Saturdays and those types of things.
00:11:55 Breanne
And I know HOSA has done some community service and impact projects.
00:11:59 Breanne
Do you have any that you'd like to share with us?
00:12:02 Andrew
I can talk a little bit about those, so yeah, science Saturdays again are a big way we do that.
00:12:07 Andrew
Trying to engage our elementary students in the process of learning about science and then funds that we raised from things like that or will do fundraisers at the school and things like that.
00:12:23 Andrew
We'll use to Support different organizations every year.
00:12:26 Andrew
Hosts that have a national service project for someone that we sponsor, and different hosts of chapters try to raise money towards that.
00:12:34 Andrew
So, we'll donate money to organizations like be the match as our current our current national service pros.
00:12:40 Andrew
Correct and then other things that we'll do. Typically, during CTE month all the CTS L's will put on a service opportunity.
00:12:48 Andrew
So, students from wholesale will go and serve at the banquet and things like that as well.
00:12:53 Andrew
And then you know, trying to think about things more relevant to healthcare.
00:12:56 Andrew
I mean, it is.
00:12:57 Andrew
It's difficult to get in and volunteer in a healthcare setting.
00:13:01 Andrew
There are especially 120 students, so some things that we do. Child's voice is an organization at Sanford that provides medical evaluations to children that are being placed in the foster care system.
00:13:14 Andrew
So have just been removed from their home and so every year during host a week, which is in.
00:13:20 Andrew
Number we hold an event where we actually we make tie blankets that we take to child's voice every student or child that goes to child.
00:13:28 Andrew
's voice gets a tie blanket as something they can have.
00:13:32 Andrew
That's theirs because they're experiencing a lot of difficult transitions and then another thing, we do kind of in that.
00:13:41 Andrew
In that service realm we try, and you know, reach out to elderly populations around the holidays, run things like Valentine's Day.
00:13:50 Andrew
Typically, we'll talk to good Sam and find a hospital that we could send or not.
00:13:55 Andrew
A hospital nursing home that we could send cards to and do something that as well to kind of impact that community.
00:14:02 Andrew
But yeah, that in addition to that, for as far as service goes, Allison Hutchinson, who is our coordinator.
00:14:09 Andrew
Through Sanford at Harrisburg High School when we have students interested in doing more volunteer work related to Healthcare, Sanford has an excellent volunteer office that helps coordinate those sorts of things.
00:14:20 Andrew
So, we've sent many students to Allison to get coordinated with that, which is kind of another thing that we do.
00:14:29 Andrew
Because it can be so difficult.
00:14:31 Andrew
Having a contact with Sanford and being able to set up those experiences for students has been hugely helpful as well, because without somebody on the inside that understands who to talk to, it can be.
00:14:44 Andrew
It can be difficult to contact the right people and make those.
00:14:48 Andrew
Connection, so we've been able to help a lot of students individually as well.
00:14:51 Andrew
I think we Probably have at least ten students currently that are volunteering through Sanford in some capacity and several more that are in the process of signing up.
00:15:02 Breanne
Yeah, so ten student volunteers, probably at this current time.
00:15:05 Breanne
There's probably a good 20 I would say throughout the school year.
00:15:08 Breanne
Would that be accurate, Mr. Koch, if not more, and then I know there's quite a few in the summer as well.
00:15:12 Breanne
Seems like to do that as part of a senior project or those.
00:15:14 Breanne
Those things, and then if you piggyback the internship program onto Harrisburg High School, has the largest student population of healthcare interns in our area.
00:15:22 Breanne
So yeah, shout out to Allison, she's the real MVP.
00:15:25 Breanne
Our connection to Sanford Health.
00:15:26 Breanne
She's amazing, Mr. Koch Can you tell us a little bit about What your meetings Look like when you invite an industry professional?
00:15:35 Andrew
So, the way we invite an industry professional is really depends on sometimes kind of what happens to fall into our lap, but really our goal, whenever we're inviting somebody in is to give students an idea of a career field or a career path that maybe they hadn't really thought of before that they maybe hadn't been exposed to.
00:15:57 Andrew
So, some examples this year of people we've brought in.
00:16:01 Andrew
We were reached out to by project first line, which is a program funded by the CDC, focused on infection control.
00:16:09 Andrew
So, we had three infection control nurses come in and teach students about proper PPE and why it matters and later this year we have an OB nurse who's going to come in and talk about what it's like to live life on a labor and delivery floor, which should be very exciting for students to learn about.
00:16:27 Andrew
We also this year had Lieutenant General Ronald Place, who was also our speaker for NHS for Veterans
Day, but he was an army flight surgeon for several decades and has been deployed to be.
00:16:42 Andrew
I can't even remember how many countries he said it was like 40 or 50 countries he's been to, and he talked about what a career in in the armed forces and healthcare would look like and kind of gave some students information about that.
00:16:55 Andrew
For many of our meetings as well, the process of coordinating that speaker is what is something our host officers do, so they get the experience.
00:17:03 Andrew
How do I find a professional?
00:17:05 Andrew
How do I contact that professional communicate about what I'd want them to present and just another opportunity for our officers to build those skills of communication and doing something that, in my opinion, a lot of adults would really struggle to do so.
00:17:19 Andrew
It's an awesome experience for them as well, just to go through the process of.
00:17:23 Andrew
Communicating and.
00:17:24 Andrew
Coordinating those events on their end.
00:17:28 Breanne
Any other thank Yous or shout outs that you would like to give if there.
00:17:31 Breanne
Was somebody specifically you interacted with?
00:17:33 Breanne
You had a really great experience that expanded on your healthcare knowledge or a business or industry partner that you would like to recognize.
00:17:39 Sierra
I know Brock Wrapps is like the leader of like South Dakota Hosa, and he's been able to like help, just advertise HOSA and get more kids involved.
00:17:48 Sierra
Like right now, Harrisburg is the biggest chapter, and he really appreciates our 120 kids. He really appreciates Harrisburg chapter being so big. So, shout out to him for.
00:17:59 Sierra
Getting this all started, kind of like bringing it from the ground up.
00:18:01 Sierra
I think it's.
00:18:02 Sierra
And over like 9 years now but just HOSA continues to grow and grow and grow.
00:18:06 Sierra
And the state conference gets bigger and bigger and bigger, and students really enjoy the opportunities.
00:18:11 Breanne
That's awesome, so yeah, you're right.
00:18:13 Breanne
Hosting continues to grow just as the healthcare pathway in education continues to grow.
00:18:17 Breanne
The Association of Career and Technical Education.
00:18:19 Breanne
The South Dakota chapter now has a division specifically for healthcare educators which, as Mr.
00:18:25 Breanne
Koch will share, was kind of a struggle when there wasn't a specific division for people.
00:18:28 Breanne
Like you, right?
00:18:29 Andrew
Yeah, it was.
00:18:30 Andrew
There wasn't really a person to go to with those CTE.
00:18:38 Andrew
Those CTE questions and questions about our programs Was kind of ill-defined for several years.
00:18:47 Andrew
But yeah, it's been It's been nice to have a contact and to be to have somebody helping coordinate different events and opportunities for students.
00:18:54 Andrew
That's been huge for the last year.
00:18:56 Breanne
What things would you like to share?
00:18:58 Breanne
You know why you are a member of HOSA?
00:18:59 Breanne
Why would you encourage you know?
00:19:01 Breanne
A freshman that's.
00:19:02 Breanne
Maybe thinking about healthcare pathway or somebody who?
00:19:05 Breanne
Just really loves bio.
00:19:06 Breanne
Why should I?
00:19:07 Breanne
Why should I join?
00:19:09 Ali
I remember when we were in middle school, that is when they had some of the hosts.
00:19:13 Ali
The officers came and talk to us, and I never knew what HOSA was or anything or any of the clubs offered at the high school until they came, and it also was just a club that stood out to me.
00:19:24 Ali
I always was interested in the medical field, but that's all I really knew.
00:19:28 Ali
And I think having those people come and talk to us and get our interest at an early age was really helpful.
00:19:34 Ali
So, when I was a freshman, I was able to join, and I really enjoyed going to the meetings and just experiencing more in healthcare.
00:19:42 Ali
So, I just stuck with it, and I've really enjoyed it.
00:19:45 Sierra
Yeah, I'd say one of the biggest reasons to join HOSA is the breakfast food is really good every morning.
00:19:50 Sierra
No, it's true, but like our meetings are fun, I think Allie and I are both a part of some other clubs, but just also really stands out.
00:19:57 Sierra
Mr. Koch runs it very well. It's very organized. The communications 100% there. You meet some great friends and everyone's just like willing to work together.
00:20:06 Sierra
It's just a totally different environment.
00:20:09 Breanne
You're doing an internship this spring, right?
00:20:11 Ali
Ali, yes not medical related, but that's all right.
00:20:15 Breanne
And I think that's.
00:20:16 Breanne
Yeah, being in the medical field having all this experience and host all these healthcare careers and experiences and courses underneath your belt, do something else for an internship your senior year.
00:20:26 Breanne
I think that's great.
00:20:27 Breanne
Keeping all of your options.
00:20:28 Breanne
Open and we know.
00:20:29 Breanne
There's so many transferable skills amongst the paths.
00:20:32 Ali
Yeah, for sure.
00:20:34 Breanne
Mr. Koch, where are you gonna be when you grow up?
00:20:35 Andrew
I'm having a lot of fun as a horse advisor, so I'm not seeing anything changing too drastically right now.
00:20:41 Breanne
Good to know.
00:20:42 Breanne
Well, thanks for joining us as if you are interested in Harrisburg Wholesale.
00:20:46 Breanne
If you have a learner or if you are a learner that would like to join, you can reach out to Mr.
00:20:50 Breanne
Koch or Sierra or Ally or just find us on the Harrisburg High School website and.
00:20:55 Breanne
There will be a link below this podcast as well.
