By Kai-Lou Yue
Business Manager

Some students at WA have an interest in going into a medical field, or having a medical related career. Now, there is a club where they can explore those interests and interact with other people with some of the same passions as them. The Health Occupation Students of America, HOSA, is a club that was started by junior Amogh Kare at WA this year.

HOSA’s aim is to allow students to develop knowledge and leadership skills for those who want to go into a health related vocation. Students in the club will be able to interact with others who have similar interests as them. In addition, it exposes students to possible internships in these fields, as well as health related careers.

This club is also based off of the DECA model, and students will be able to attend competitions, such as the statewide competition in April, that has about 20 different events.

“This wasn’t the first time I had been approached for starting a health related club, but in the past it had been a nebulous idea. When Amogh approached me about this club, he already seemed to have a solid idea of becoming affiliated with HOSA,” said Wayne Kotary, a science teacher at WA and the adviser for the club.

However, although HOSA has only been started this year, it has already garnered plenty of student interest. Over the summer, Kare, the founder and president of the club, started a Facebook group about the club.

“Amogh began a Facebook page, and the number of people in the page just grew and grew,” said Kotary.

Approximately fifty students attended the first general information meeting about the club, but according to Kare, the first few months of the school year will be spent with a small group of students from that original large group who want to be part of establishing the structure of the club.

“We are also involving freshmen and sophomores in the planning to help ensure that the club can operate in the future,” said Kare.

Currently, the club does not have a concrete structure to it, so before other students can start participating in the club, this group of students are taking leadership positions in helping the club along by discussing how the club will be run and ways to make it better.

One of these students, sophomore Anupama Balasubramanian said, “I think that a club like this which combines a volunteering and competition aspect is a unique and exciting opportunity that has great potential.”

When the club opens up to new members, it will be meeting in room 223 on Wednesdays.