The Saint Paul’s HOSA club hosted its first-ever HOSA Day on January 13, in the Briggs Assembly Center on the campus.

HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) provides a unique program of leadership and motivation to help students proceed into the medical field. HOSA is not only a club but an inspirational tool. HOSA’s mission is to promote opportunities in the healthcare industry and enhance quality healthcare delivery to all people.

The HOSA club provided many different experiences for students to participate in. Tiffany Thieme, a physical therapist, showed students how simulating their nerves can cause cramps and force their hands and forearms to become uncontrollable. Saint Paul’s seniors Dominic Roy, Jonah Revere, and Ashton Martin ran the fetal pig booth. This booth allowed kids to help dissect a fetal pig, hold the parts, and see where each body part is located. Ashton Martin believes that “HOSA Day is an extraordinary way for students to gather with a common interest in the medical field.”

Saint Paul’s senior Davis Peltier was in charge of dissecting cow eyes and sheep brains to show students how their eyes work and what parts of their brains control certain aspects of their everyday functions. Senior Will Reagan and junior Jack Theriot were helping students with grip strength. If someone was to squeeze a sensor as tight as possible, Will and Jack could then record his data and compare it with other people and animals.

Saint Paul’s senior Johnny Palmer was showing kids how to wrap a tourniquet around an arm and patch a wound while “blood” was gushing out.

Students could also engage in activities like putting X-rays together, stitching up a patient, drawing “blood,” and feeling cow livers and kidneys.

Throughout the day, the science department would take their students into the Briggs Assembly Center to partake in the events. Mr. Eric Orphys, who teaches physical science at Saint Paul’s said, “It’s a great opportunity to get underclassmen interested in our science program and to see what it is all about. Other schools don’t get what’s offered here, and it shows. I think it’s nice for students to see the options they have.”

Of course, HOSA Day wouldn’t have been possible without the moderator Ms. Tammy Freeman. “Today is a biomedical science day. It had three purposes: the first is to allow some of the older students to show pride in some of the labs they have done. The second is to allow the younger students to see what the HOSA program offers. The third purpose was to have a career panel to come and speak to some students on what decisions they will be making and decisions that they have made to get where they are today. It also gave them the opportunity for students to ask any questions that they may have had. In terms of success, the students have been excited to do certain things. I guess I’ll truly know when it comes time for course selection.”

Because HOSA Day was such a success, Saint Paul’s plans to offer this unique opportunity next year.