A new club was recently established by Fitch High School students with the purpose of bringing students together to pursue healthcare careers. 

Last fall, Fitch High School sophomores Amaiya Fongemie and Rose Rampal joined together to create a new chapter of the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club. The goal of HOSA is to bring like-minded students together and empower them to become members of the global health community. 

“Being a part of HOSA makes you feel involved in the community while also having a good time learning about what your future may look like and gaining insight to the path ahead,” said Fongemie, who was appointed as the club’s president at a recent meeting. “It gives a sense of achievement and confidence.” 

Most members of HOSA join with the intention of strengthening their skills and gaining new experiences to better help them enter medical fields in the future. Chrissa Campos wants to pursue a veterinary career, and HOSA will help her gain knowledge, experience, and leadership skills to do so. 

“I thought that getting medical experiences and knowledge would help me down that path [of veterinary medicine], as well as exposing myself to a club that is more medical-related and competitive,” Fongemie adds. “It’s really nice to be a part of this club, especially when I know the people who also want to get a career in the same field as me. Everybody is very understanding and willing.” 

While the club has no definite plans for the future, they plan on hosting fundraisers to enable them to participate in national competitions, share opportunities with others, and give back to the community. 

Fongemie encourages anyone interested in joining to take advantage of the opportunities the club can provide. 

If interested in joining HOSA, contact Fongemie or the club’s advisors, Ms. Manzione and Ms. Vanderburgh, for the meeting schedule.