Representing the recently formed club, HOSA, sophomore Kiersten Preuss was MN’s very first student to be elected as a HOSA state officer.
“I felt like I was meant to be there and that I got this, but I was also nervous because I was going up against seniors and technically college kids too. I wasn’t sure if I would get it because of my age, but when I really think about stuff like that, it shouldn’t matter. If you’re qualified, you should get it. So, while I was nervous because of my age, I still felt pretty confident,” Preuss said.
HOSA, Health Occupation Student Association, is a club for students interested in any health or medical career. With monthly meetings, the club focuses on teaching medical related skills with hands-on workshops and guest speakers. MN HOSA was started by science department head Tyler Pearson three years ago and is currently run by science teachers Christina Preuss and Stephen Lerner.
“HOSA has connected me with health professionals and given me an abundance of opportunities not available to me otherwise. On top of those reasons, HOSA has let me meet incredible people and has helped me to further my leadership abilities,” Preuss said.
Preuss started off as vice-president of MN HOSA during her freshman year and later became president her sophomore year. She’s also a two-time State Champion and an international qualifier in Nutrition.
“I knew I wanted to be in HOSA when I was in middle school, and I started coming in and thinking it could be better so this year I’ve been trying to make our school’s chapter bigger and better,” Preuss said.
During her HOSA career at MN, Preuss has accomplished a large amount of things. One of her many goals was to make HOSA as big and popular as it is in other states.
“She single handedly planned the entire events for this school year, arranged for guest speakers, developed a design for our t-shirts, came up with activities, fundraisers and more. To say that she was fired up, was an understatement,” C. Preuss said.
Officers involved in their school HOSA are allowed to apply for state officer positions. Students are required to fill out an application where they answer various questions about leadership and their goals as a potential state officer, interview with a current state officer, and perform their very own speech in front of a panel of voting delegates. If students are able to successfully pass these steps, state officers and chapter delegates then vote.
“I was proud of Kiersten. It’s awesome to have someone on State board when it’s only a three year old club. She has worked hard to get there and is fully deserving of it,” Lerner said.
HOSA state officers are in charge of organizing state competitions, the leadership academy for local officers, and other events for Nebraska HOSA clubs. State officers also go on to compete in international competitions.
“I felt so proud and motivated to begin my officer duties. I went home and filled a white board with all of my goals and plans for the year. I hope to expand membership in chapters and competition and create a foundation for meetings,” Preuss said.
From organizing blood drives and arranging for successful individuals to speak at MN, to aiding other HOSA clubs around the state through her state officer position, Preuss continues to spread her passion and dedication for the medical field throughout the school and state.