Four local students along with their advisor represented the W. A. “Bing” LeCroy Career Technical Center at the Alabama’s 2016 HOSA: Future Health Professionals Leadership State Conference on Feb. 25-26 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center.

More than 2,500 students and teachers from 86 different schools across Alabama traveled to Montgomery to participate in the two-day event.

On Feb. 25, the students and advisors had the opportunity to hear from Noah Galloway, a former United States Army soldier, and a model and motivational speaker. He was injured during the Iraq War, losing his left arm above the elbow and left leg above the knee. He was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Students attending the conference had the opportunity to participate in more than 45 different competitive event and workshops. Students and teacher/advisor representing the LeCroy Career Tech HOSA chapter were (pictured, left to right) Savannah Swindle (Jemison High School), who competed in the Job Seeking event; Brandon Craig (Verbena High School), who competed in the Medical Photography event; Ashley Wilkerson (Chilton County High School), who competed in the Physical Assistant event; and Jonathon Scalf (Thorsby High School), who competed in the Pathophysiology Knowledge event.

Also attending was Debra Sosa, teacher/advisor.

Swindle was a top six finalist in the Job Seeking event.

HOSA’s primary mission is to promote career opportunities in health care fields and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary of health service and medical managers has grown to more than $84,000 per year. Students participating in HOSA have an opportunity to prepare for careers in the health care industry.

The theme for National HOSA for the school year 2015-2016 has been “HOSA: Innovate, Inspire, Ignite!”