Seven Sequim Middle School students; Eleanor Jones, Bee Mao, Terra Stratford, Kara Hamilton, Emma Miller, Grace Dormer, and Ahrya Klinger, represented Sequim with pride at the International Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) competition held in Nashville, Tennessee. The students attended the event with Sequim Middle School science teacher and HOSA advisor Renee Colwill.
The international conference brought together more than 14,000 students from around the world for competitions, workshops, and leadership experiences focused on health education and career development.
Among Sequim’s competitors, Eleanor Jones earned second place for Healthy Living in the Middle School Division. For her project, Jones kept a daily gratitude journal for nine months and created a portfolio highlighting both its positive impact on her life and current research on the benefits of practicing gratitude.
Bee Mao and Terra Stratford also achieved notable recognition, qualifying in the top ten for their team event, Dynamic Decisions.
Mrs. Colwill’s guidance and encouragement helped prepare the students for success, and the team’s accomplishments reflect the strength of Sequim’s growing Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which provide students opportunities to explore future careers in health and medical fields.
These students may just be starting their journey into health sciences, but their curiosity, compassion, and commitment to learning show that Sequim’s future is in very good hands.