More than 100 Alabama students and teachers traveled to Dallas, Texas, earlier this month for three days of intense leadership workshops and exciting student competitions at the 2008 Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) National Leadership Conference, June 18-21.

HOSA, a national non-profit organization founded in 1976, is devoted to preparing students for careers in health and medical related occupations.

Alabama HOSA chapters and students also won the following special recognitions:

National Certificate of Excellence (for Chapter Newsletter) – Escambia-Brewton Area Vocational School

Barbara James Award for Volunteer Hours – Tiffany Patterson (W.A. “Bing” LeCroy Career/Technical Center) and Jonathan Hill (Red Bay High School)

HOSA National Recognition Program – Allison Morrow ( Red Bay High School)

Outstanding HOSA Chapter Certificate – Earnest Pruett Center of Technology

National Service Project Recognition – Russell County High School

Also, Jonathan Campbell, a student from the Franklin County School System and Alabama’s 2007-08 HOSA State President, was elected National Vice President of HOSA’s Region II District.

This year’s national award winners from Alabama are:

Lindsey Crider, Janice Cambell, and Valerie Vanstone; 1st Place/Medical Reading (team event) – Arab High School

Devanshu Kauskik; 4th Place/Medical Assisting Clinical – Arab High School

Luke Ellenburg, Kevin Gilbert, Ragan Haymon, and Evan Henegar; 4th Place/HOSA Bowl (team event) – Arab High School

Goniea Womack; 6th Place/Forensics – DeKalb County Technology Center

Lakesha Richardson; 9th Place/Dental Assisting – Central High School (Phenix City)

– from staff reports