<p>For background, I’m talking about HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), the largest secondary student career oriented organization. (90,000 members) There are chapters nationwide, and the route to national competition is (generally):</p>
<p>Top 3 at Area -> Top 3 at State -> Nationals.</p>
<p>I’m a Texas high school junior and have been VERY involved in it since 9th grade. If it helps, Texas has the largest HOSA membership (about 15,000 members), so it’s very competitive to get to Nationals. I’m planning on being a pediatric oncologist, so I absolutely love this organization. I can’t stress it enough - this is what made me want to be a doctor.</p>
<p>Kind of an “upward trend”, haha.</p>
<p>Freshman year: 4th at Area. Eh. Lots of community service, but nothing too noteworthy</p>
<p>10th Grade:
Leadership: Chapter Vice-President : community service</p>
<p>Competed in 2 events (Current Events / Knowledge Test)</p>
<p>Skip the Area details, let’s go straight to State:</p>
<p>-Top 10% of Scores for Current Events Test at State (I <em>THINK</em> that’s how that pass you on to Nationals, it would explain the 81590825 people who made it.) Qualified me for Nationals.</p>
<p>-3rd at State Competition - Knowledge Test (qualified me for nationals)</p>
<p>-2nd (YES!) at National Competition - Knowledge Test. </p>
<p>(funny story about this, they butchered my last name so I didn’t think I placed, and my health teacher ran across the room to tell me and fell over a chair, making me stand up and rush over and see if he was OK, when a student from another school near mine recognized me and said “THEY CALLED YOUR NAME” and my teacher lay gasping on the ground nodding his head and pointing at the stage. i was crying and laughing. heh.)</p>
<p>Now, the good part…</p>
<p>Junior Year</p>
<p>-Chapter President : LOTS of community service.
-ALSO running for State Office</p>
<p>Competitive Events:
-Still taking Knowledge Test and Current Events test, hoping to place again…>.<</p>
<p>I just realized, after having spent all my Thanksgiving break studying for the 3 tests next week (Knowledge/Current Events/State Qualifying) that I have put A LOT of time and effort into this organization. </p>
<p>Regardless of how weighty/meaningless this is, I’m gonna keep doing it because I love it. :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the input!</p>