The Kingwood High School’s HOSA team, yet again, has made a significant impact at the area competition, leading the district with 31 top-10 placements. Among these, five ended up clinching 1st place. In a substantial accomplishment, Sydney Baur was appointed as an Area Officer for next year’s conference, with this year’s competition being led by Katie Brubaker, who served as the president of this year’s convention. Kingwood HOSA director Pam Lard contributed immensely, serving her first year as an Area Officer Coordinator, further solidifying Kingwood High School’s prominent role in this year’s area competition!
Starting with the competitions, Kingwood High School produced a combined 31 teams and individuals who placed in the top 10, with five teams in the top 5 who were not only recognized with a ribbon at the closing ceremony but also set the stage for even more significant achievements. Advancing beyond this milestone, an elite set of individuals and teams placed in the top 3, earning their opportunity to compete at the state level. These members include Desha Weeratunge (3), Norah Martin & Parker Brown (3), Collin Ford, Anna Webster, & Oscar Rios (3), Toye Ajelabi (3), Olu Aghedo (3), Aleeza Mazhar (3), Sebastian Wang (3), Melissa Diaz (3), Adam Soto (3), Tarini Wewage & Scarlet Chapman (2), Grace Chan (2), Brinda Sunki (2), and Avery Handin (2). Six members reached the pinnacle of success, claiming first place in their events, including Sakhawat Haider, Leah Inman, Anh Vo, Jett Smith & London Davis, and Matthew Peak. These achievements reflect the immense commitment and skill of the team, setting a high standard for future HOSA participants.
I had the unique chance to talk to one of our seniors, Katie Brubaker, exploring her tenure as the president of Texas HOSA Area 6, which was marked by challenges, learning, and unexpected outcomes. After reflecting on her experiences, Katie shared,
“This was my first time attending LDI. I was extremely stressed about it since it is when you plan your conferences. My team went in prepared, which made it so much more enjoyable. Even in the stressful moments, I still had a great time meeting officers from across the state. I learned that sometimes you must let the stress go and enjoy the event you attend!” Carrying forward the lessons from LDI, Katie approached the Leadership Conference with a seasoned perspective, sharing, “This was my second SLC at HOSA. The officer election process was changed for this year. To summarize, each officer got their position at the state level instead of the area conference. In addition, the State Officer Team would also comprise the 7 Area Presidents and Postsecondary Vice President. Since I was Area President the year before, I would like to be president again, allowing me to also serve on the state team. When the time came to announce positions, all the officers were placed at tables according to their positions. I was worried because I was the only returning officer at my table. There were about five returning officers, which made me even more stressed. The trainers revealed each table’s positions, and I discovered I was on the state team! This experience taught me that you cannot predict the future and it is best to trust the process.”
Through her own words, Katie’s journey emphasizes the importance of leadership within HOSA, embracing challenges and learning to trust the journey.
I also had the pleasure of talking to Pam Lard, head of the health science department at Kingwood High School and a veteran leader for the Kingwood HOSA team. She reflected on her first year as an area officer coordinator. Her words offer a window into the multifaceted nature of HOSA’s leadership experiences:
“I have worked in various capacities with HOSA—I was on the Texas board of directors for six years, but this was my first year as an area officer coordinator. Working with students from different schools and coming together as a team was fun. We had great experiences at LDI (Leadership Development Institute) and Washington Leadership Academy. It is much more work than you would think, as we had to plan and run conference sessions, get guest speakers, work with NMDP (Formerly Be the Match), and provide the stage show and scripts. But I had an awesome team of officers, which made my part very easy.” – Pam Lard
Mrs. Lard’s guidance enabled the activities to proceed smoothly and promoted a feeling of solidarity for the officers and students. Her position is an excellent example of the commitment that comes with HOSA’s success!
If you see any of these HOSA members around Kingwood High School this week, congratulate them for advancing to one of the most challenging state HOSA competitions. Their hard work has indeed paid off and look for our next edition on how they are performing at STATE this weekend!
