Full Press Release below and attached:
Mount Airy High School (MAHS) is accustomed to big crowds and enthusiastic fans and Saturday’s Regional HOSA Competition didn’t disappoint. With an auditorium that seats 716, there was standing room only as the day kicked off with its opening ceremony led by students. The NC HOSA Piedmont Triad Regional (PTR) Officer Team, consisting of five positions, had four Mount Airy High School students at the helm. President Ashton Rierson, Vice-President Tripp Gilley, Treasurer Darius Walker, and Historian Ella Harmon, all MAHS students, and Secretary Shaini Lai, a student at Southwest Guilford High School. These officers and other student leaders started and ended the day with ceremonies and ensured that behind-the-scene measures were in place for a successful day.
President Rierson introduced his officer team which elicited cheers from the crowd who was anxious to begin the day’s competitions. He then welcomed participants, judges, parents, as well as district and hospital staff and leaders. Superintendent Dr. Kim Morrison joined him on the stage along with Career and Technical Education Director Larry Davis, Mount Airy Middle School HOSA advisor and NC HOSA Board of Directors Representative Jennifer Epperson, and Northern Regional Hospital’s (Northern) President and CEO Chris A. Lumsden. President Rierson presented Lumsden with a plaque from HOSA recognizing Northern’s outstanding contributions to the success of the 2019 PTR Leadership Conference.
Lumsden spoke to the packed house and advised students to seize every opportunity to learn and to help people. He noted that being able to communicate well and get along with others was as important as a person's intelligence level.
Northern’s presence allowed student competitors to meet professionals from the medical field and engage with them in a learning environment. MAHS’s gym was packed Saturday, not with fans for the game, but with hospital employees, tables, equipment, and interactive experiences that gave students a peek into various jobs. Over 18 stations were set up and organized in a format that facilitated discussion and discovery by both groups. Hospital employees were able to question students on their future plans, what they knew about different departments, and share insider knowledge that made students think deeper about the opportunities awaiting them.
When asked about his perspective of the event, Lumsden shared, “We are greatly appreciative of the HOSA advisors and coordinators, and the over thirty Northern Regional Hospital leaders who staffed the Expo and provided nearly 600 students with firsthand, real-time experience to a multitude of health care professions. The Conference was a wonderful success to which Northern was honored to sponsor. The Conference presented an outstanding opportunity for future health care leaders from across the region to learn, compete, and have fun. We look forward to continuing to work with HOSA for years to come.”
Working among the health fair booths was Northern’s Director of Marketing Ashly Lancaster, “Our team had an amazing day sharing their knowledge, demonstrations, and passions with students from the region. They were impressed with the interest and engagement of all of the HOSA students. They were highly complementary of the professionalism and politeness showcased by them.”
Mount Airy High School HOSA Advisor, and Immediate Past Chairman of the NC HOSA Board of Directors, Lynn Snow notes that when she came on board in 2004, HOSA had only two MAHS members and has grown to boast an average of 60-80 members per year. The HOSA alumni list of MAHS students who have joined the healthcare profession continues to grow in length. Currently, there are two in medical school, a nurse anesthetist, two nurse practitioners, an athletic trainer, a physical therapist, a speech therapist, and numerous CNAs in addition to registered nurses. The growth that this program has enjoyed has called for an additional health science educator at the high school with one being introduced at MAMS. In three years, the middle school chapter has grown to 30 students and experience national recognition from the beginning.
With the added community contributions to the event, Mount Airy is strengthening its capacity to create a pipeline from K-12 education to its award-winning and nationally recognized regional hospital. Snow added, “HOSA’s competitive event program gives students who participate in it whole-heartedly a multi-faceted experience. It teaches them how to study and properly prepare, how to present themselves professionally, and how to work with others once they leave high school and head to college or the work world. The HOSA competitive events are written and prepared with major input from university program directors and professors as well as industry representatives working together. This team of professionals is essentially creating their “own wish list” of what strengths and qualities they want to see in their future workforce and inserting their wishes in the form of competitive event guidelines. To me, HOSA also gives students the opportunity to “practice what we preach” about leadership and teamwork by teaching them how to plan, execute, and evaluate the outcomes of their chapter activities. This 100% student-led organization makes a difference in a child’s future. “
The day concluded with an awards ceremony that provided students with ample opportunity to cheer on their peers. Shocked faces on stage and cheers of excitement from the crowd capped the ceremony showcasing that students in attendance were invested in their mission of being their best and growing in their knowledge of health science. Mount Airy High School will host the Piedmont Triad Regional Competition again in 2020 which will also be the district’s 125th year in operation.
Epperson added, “It is so exciting to see our future healthcare professionals demonstrate their knowledge and leadership skills. The way HOSA provides them with such incredible opportunities to showcase their talents is amazing. These students have a bright future and I am honored to be able to help them along the way.”
Results from Mount Airy City Schools:
Mount Airy Middle School’s HOSA Chapter:
The following students placed in the top 5 and will progress to State Competition in April 2020.
1st Place
- Abby Epperson 1st place Health Career Preparation
- Jadee Gilley 1st place Nutrition
- Katelyn York 1st place Life-Threatening Situations
- Carrie Marion 1st place Math for Health Careers
- Charlotte Anderson 1st place Medical Terminology
- Jamie Hearl and Danielle Diefendorf 1st place Health Career Display
- Joana Villanueva Extemporaneous Health Poster
2nd Place
- Ellie King 2nd place Life-Threatening Situations
- Freddy Hernandez 2nd place Math for Health Careers
- Neveah Harris 2nd place Medical Terminology
- Isabella Willard 2nd place Extemporaneous Health Poster
3rd Place
- Bill Rierson 3rd place Medical Terminology
- Haley Hudson and Lacey Taylor 3rd place Health Career Display
- Bradyn Durham Extemporaneous Health Poster
4th Place
- Audrey Brown and Emma Rudisill Health Career Display 4th place Health Career Display
- Chris Hernandez 4th place Foundations of Medical Terminology
5th Place
- Noah Moore and Addison Hall 5th place Health Career Display
- Veronica Salazar 5th place Foundations of Medical Terminology
Mount Airy High School’s HOSA Chapter :
1st Place
- Oshyn Bryant – Sports Medicine
- Chloe Cave – Nursing Assistant
- Tripp Gilley – Nutrition
- HOSA Bowl Team 1 – Maggie Glenn, Katie McDuffie, and Ashton Rierson
- Extemporaneous Writing – Audrey Marion
2nd Place
- Nouria Edwards – Extemporaneous Writing
- Abigail “Ivy” Lawson – Medical Spelling
- Ella Harmon – Pharmacology
- Kathlyn Mauck – Human Growth and Development
3rd Place
- Darius Walker – Job Seeking Skills
5th Place
- Meredith Marion – Nutrition
7th Place
- Forensic Science Team - Gabriella Guerrero and Kylie James
- HOSA Bowl Team 2- Brianna Banten, Elizabeth Dorsett, Bailey Sizemore, and Redding Vaughn
- Creative Problem-Solving Team 1 - Mackenzie Hudson, Amelia Radford, and Mackenzie Welch
8th Place
- Ellie Martin- Nutrition
- Charlotte Hauser – Medical Math
9th Place
- Anna Kate Tucker – Nutrition
Top 10 Finalists -Round Two performance-based on-site events-exact place below 1st, 2nd or 3rd not available at this time.
- Riley Hayes – Prepared Speaking
- Health Career Display Team 2 – Hollie James and Calissa Watson
Conference Page and Event Assistant Recognition: Allie Bowers, Jameka Brown, Sarah Callaway, Ericka Escutia, Cheyenne Harris, Emily Hogue, Mara Medina, Natalie Poteat, Kancie Tate, Star Trivette, Anna Kate Tucker, and Reece Watson