The Student News Site of Mililani High School

Trojan Times

The Student News Site of Mililani High School

Trojan Times

The Student News Site of Mililani High School

Trojan Times

The Cost of Paradise
Dannika Pila and Arie YamasakiFebruary 7, 2024
Left to right: Trumpets Rylan Akau-Morgan, Peyton Kahiapo and Skylar Hamasu stand in first position during the City of Lights Parade on Dec. 2.
Great Minds Think Alike: Collaborations Between Mililani Schools
Gianna Brown and Arie YamasakiFebruary 7, 2024
Senior Marcus Morifuji faces off against senior Ava Mayfield in a game of chess. The Tabletop Gaming Club
hosted its first chess tournament on Nov. 30, any student was welcome to participate.
Checkmate! Tabletop Gaming Club Hosts Chess Tournament
Marcus Morifuji, Sports Editor • February 6, 2024

HOSA members take on new challenges and top awards at national conference

By Risa Askerooth
[email protected]
(Photo courtesy of HOSA adviser Shirlen Tanaka) Front row (L-R): Alumni Shane Nguyen, Trent Furuta, Preston Baumgardner (11), HOSA adviser Shirlen Tanaka. Back row (L-R): Marissa Chung (12), Kayla Kashima (12), alumna Nikki Chinen, Bethany Castro (12).
(Photo courtesy of HOSA adviser Shirlen Tanaka) Front row (L-R): Alumni Shane Nguyen, Trent Furuta, Preston Baumgardner (11), HOSA adviser Shirlen Tanaka. Back row (L-R): Marissa Chung (12), Kayla Kashima (12), alumna Nikki Chinen, Bethany Castro (12).

MHS’ Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) – Future Health Professionals put their knowledge and projects to the test at the 38th annual National Leadership Conference (NLC), held in Anaheim, Calif. from June 24 to 27. The seven MHS students who travelled to the NLC included the team of MHS alumna Nikki Chinen and Seniors Bethany Castro, Kayla Kashima and Marissa Chung, who took home gold in the Health Education Category.

“We didn’t think that we would place top 10. So when they called us up for being top 10, we were already crying and we were so happy, like we didn’t expect even to place. We were just happy with that top 10,” said Castro.

Hawaii HOSA was represented by 184 students at the NLC, which included the Health Education team, MHS alumni Trent Furuta, who competed in Pharmacology, Shane Nguyen, who competed in Medical Law and Ethics and Junior Preston Baumgardner, who did not place at states but was still offered the opportunity to experience nationals. Out of all of these students, 69 of them were recognized as top 10 finalists, medallion winners or scholarship recipients.

The competition is structured differently according to the category and whether or not it is a team or individual competition. Some competitors compete in multiple rounds, while others, like the four who competed in Health Education, presented for six minutes in front of a panel of judges. “We had to go to an opening session to learn about it and then learn about how it’s going to go down and then we were called in,” said Kashima. The presence of former HOSA adviser Candace Chun also helped the team to calm their nerves. “Before we were called in, we were running it down with (Chun) and drilling like over and over again to make sure we got it all down so we were pretty confident but still nervous,” Kashima added.

The team’s project began in first quarter of last year and involved creating a lesson plan to educate three MHS classes about the harmful effects of aspartame. “We didn’t have much time in class to work on our project, so a lot of the times we were meeting every week on Sundays for four, five hours as a group and we would just keep on revising our project, keep adding and taking out things that we don’t need. Very time-consuming,” said Castro. After placing third at states, the additional revisions they made helped propel them to first at nationals.

Besides the competitive aspect of the NLC, the attendees were able to take part in symposiums, which were sessions that communicated different topics or ideas. “I know a lot of (members), it inspired them to really see what is out there in the career because not only do we go there for competition, but there are breakout sessions that I told the students that they have to go to at least two. And they have these guest speakers talking about maybe different fields,” said HOSA adviser Shirlen Tanaka, who went to sessions about memory tips and jazz yoga.

MHS students were also able to experience some of California, as they journeyed to the outlets at Orange County, Disneyland and Universal studios. It was both the fun and hard work of the trip that caused the formation of closer friendships. “My group and I were already close but I feel like we got closer because of all the being together for a week and then we also got close with other members of Mililani,” said Kashima. Tanaka added, “When we went to Disneyland, I would think they would be like, ‘You’re on your own, don’t cruise with us.’ But they were like, ‘Oh, you’re going to come with us, right?’”

While the Health Education team will not be competing again as a group, HOSA members are already anticipating next year’s state competition and NLC, which will be held in Nashville, Tenn. from June 22 to 25.

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