Bearden’s HOSA team competed in one of its two yearly competitions earlier this month at Carson Newman, and proved yet again why Bearden has a tradition of excellence.

At these competitions, more than 56 events are offered for students to compete in, with diverse categories such as teamwork, emergency preparedness, and leadership.

“The range of subjects covered insures that HOSA members will find an event that they find interesting,” HOSA Board Member junior Ismail Ouddi said.

Members generally choose which event they’d like to compete in during September or October and take a qualification test that decides whether or not they can proceed onto regionals. Once at regionals, they usually have to place in the top three to advance to state.

The entire event is hosted and organized by HOSA, allowing these students to get a chance to prove what they know to a larger audience and compete against each other in a healthy and supportive environment.

“The journey to a medical career is a hard and demanding one,” Ouddi said. “We become more aware of what is involved in health care – the extensive medical knowledge and people skills incorporated in providing the best health care we can.”

Ouddi and his team of Brooke Stillson, Nesma Abdelnabi, and Hiba Jahangir competed in the HOSA bowl and placed first in their category.

The top three finalists in each category get to continue their journey in Orlando, where they get to attend the National HOSA Leadership conference.

Despite the time and effort put into getting ready for these competitions, the members really enjoy working together and with other HOSA members from other schools.

“I enjoy being able to work with my friends and learn about what I am passionate about,” said Stillson, who is a Bearden junior and HOSA’s secretary.

Added Ouddi: “I enjoyed meeting HOSA members from other schools and being in a place where everyone shares your interests and ambitions.”

Other than Ouddi’s group placing first, Bearden also placed second in Community Awareness, second in Law and Ethics, third in Medical Math, third in Transcultural Health, and fifth in Physical Therapy.

Juniors Elizabeth Baker, Anna Jouline, Linus Cho, and Lucas Biggerstaff also competed in the competition and placed second in Community Awareness.

“After months of preparation, all of our work really paid off,” Baker said.