Iroquois HOSA Chapter places first in International conference

IROQUOIS — Members of the Iroquois HOSA Chapter made a big splash at the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Dallas June 26-30.
The Chapter took first place in the Health Education category, beating out 60 other competing teams from across the United States and several other countries.
“This is huge for us because we come from such a small school,” said HOSA adviser Daphne Moeller. “There were over 10,000 kids and advisers there.”
The Chapter also received a Certificate of Merit for raising more than $500 for the local Huron NAMI organization. The national HOSA focus for the past two years was on mental health awareness.
For the next two years, the focus will be on pediatric cancer awareness.

Eight HOSA students attended the conference, including Addison Reed, Hayley Geyer, Kaitlyn Maas, Adam Keating, Gavin Machtemes,  Caleb Waldner, Sean McManus and Trysten Zavesky.
Students on the team which took first place in Health Education were Addison Reed, Sean McManus, Hayley Geyer, Kaitlyn Maas
While in Texas they toured the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, visited the Dallas Holocaust Museum and 6 Flags Over Texas.
“We flew back on the day of the awards ceremony, so we still need to get the medals the team won,” Moeller said.
The HOSA Chapter team that competed in the Health Education category consisted of Addison Reed, Sean McManus, Hayley Geyer and Kaitlyn Maas.
“Their presentation was actually a dental health presentation to the kindergarten class in Iroquois,” Moeller said. “They put together a powerpoint and had hands-on activities for them to do.”
This is the fourth year that the HOSA Chapter has been active in Iroquois. Moeller helped organize the group to help students who were interested in health careers, including her daughter, who was a senior that first year. Moeller works in special education at Iroquois School.
They’ve had teams qualify for the International competitions each year, traveling to Anaheim, Calif., Nashville, Tenn., Orlando, Fla., and now to Dallas. “Our chapter has been recognized and received awards for various things,” Moeller added proudly. “But this is the first time I’ve had a team place.”

COURTESY PHOTO
Iroquois School HOSA members taking part in the HOSA International Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas, June 27-30 are, back row, from left, Adam Keating and Gavin Machtemes; middle row, Caleb Waldner, Addison Reed and Sean McManus; and in front, Trysten Zavesky, Hayley Geyer and Kaitlyn Maas.