EAHS qualified largest Wisconsin group for competition
By Heather Ruenz
Staff Writer
The Elkhorn Area High School health professionals group is coming off yet another successful year, most recently at the international competition, which was held virtually last month.
HOSA – Future Health Professionals, was formerly referred to as Health Occupations Students of America.
In record-breaking fashion, the Elkhorn HOSA had 30 students qualify for the June 22-27 Virtual International Leadership Conference, the largest contingency from the State of Wisconsin.
According to Steph Steinke, a science teacher at Elkhorn Area High School who also serves as the HOSA advisor, the international conference featured more than 8,200 competitors from across the United States and throughout the world.
Steinke said HOSA is a great opportunity for students to hone-in their leadership and public speaking skills. She said a lot of HOSA members are interested in a health occupation field but others just want the leadership experience.
“We don’t turn anyone away. It’s a lot of fun to work with the kids,” Steinke said in a previous interview.
There are many categories that students can compete in, to test their skills in the health occupational field.
The judges, Steinke said, are professionals in the field and her EAHS students take the competition seriously including spending a lot of time practicing.
“The kids are willing to compete and spend a lot of time with it,” Steinke said. “Their dedication is amazing.”
Notable finishes
While Steinke is proud of all her students who qualified for the international conference, she offered a recap on some of the most notable finishes, beginning with Anastasia Grochowski.
She earned first place in Medical Reading, the Barbara James Service Award and Outstanding State Leader for Wisconsin.
“This is Annie’s second year winning this competition at internationals, and her third time placing in the top 10 at ILC,” Steinke said, adding that as a freshman, Grochowski’s team placed 8th in the Public Health event.
“To qualify for internationals is difficult… to qualify three times is something very few have done,” Steinke said.
“And to place in the top 10 all three years is unmatched,” she added.
Grochowski also just completed her service as Wisconsin HOSA Vice President, and is currently serving as the Wisconsin HOSA President.
Other accolades went to the EAHS Public Health Team of Yamila Hernandez, Skylar Harlan, and Olivia Moore, which earned an eighth place finish.
“This is Yamila’s second time placing eighth in the Public Health event,” Steinke said, an accomplishment worth noting.
Local students earning recognition events included the following Barbara Jane Service Award.
“This award seeks to recognize individual HOSA members who have a commitment to community service in health,” Steinke said.
The Silver Level of Recognition requires at least 130 hours of service in the community this year. Grochowski reached the silver level.
The Bronze Level of Recognition requires at least 75 hours of service, which two Elkhorn HOSA students qualified for – Kylee Leahy and Corrina Lueptow.
Elkhorn’s Dylan Klopfer earned a place among HOSA Happenings award recipients.
“This is a multimedia chapter communication event. The goal is to communicate information about the HOSA chapter in a manner that celebrates the chapter members and their achievements, as well as shares health related information with readers,” the description states.
And last but certainly not least the EAHS HOSA was honored in the Service Project category.
The service project award “encourages HOSA members to provide community service through the adoption of goals and implementation of strategies related to the support of a health organization.”
Elkhorn HOSA received the highest recognition in this category, the Certificate of Merit, for its work with the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
For more information on HOSA visit hosa.org or contact Steph Steinke at steist@elkhorn.k12.wi.us.
