Out of more than 2,000 students across the state, multiple local high school students landed spots at the upcoming Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) International Conference.
HOSA Future Health Professionals chapters from over 76 schools across the state competed at the 2025 State Leadership Conference from Feb. 18-20 in Denver. HOSA State Advisor Lee LeSueur said more than 2,000 people attended the event, which included 28 symposium speakers and 45 exhibitors.
The health care industry has become one of the fastest-growing sectors in the nation, according to Weld RE-5J Career and Innovation Director Rebecca Albert Vollrath. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects health care occupations will grow 13% from 2022 to 2032, adding about 2 million new jobs nationwide.
Northern Colorado’s need for health care workers remains high due to “a growing population and aging demographics,” Vollrath said. Compounding the issue, the Colorado Health Institute reports the state will face shortages of health care professionals such as nurses, medical technicians and allied health workers by 2030.
HOSA opportunities inspire and prepare students to pursue the health care field to help meet the increasing demand for qualified workers in the industry.
“Our students continue to rise to the challenge, embracing rigorous learning opportunities and preparing themselves for careers in a growing and essential industry,” Vollrath said in a Weld RE-5J news release. “Their passion, dedication and willingness to go above and beyond are inspiring. The expert guidance from our instructors, paired with strong industry partnerships, provides them with invaluable experiences that will shape their future in health care.”
Roosevelt High School HOSA
Roosevelt High School’s HOSA team earned two state championship titles, one second-place finish and 15 top-10 placements, according to the news release.
Maile Sedey won first place in clinical specialty at the conference. Emma Jex won first place in research, persuasive writing and speaking and second place in clinical specialty.
Both Sedey and Jex qualified for the 2025 HOSA International Conference from June 18-21 in Nashville.
The HOSA program at Roosevelt High School, which has only been around for three years “provides students with hands-on experience in sports medicine, clinical care, public health and emergency response,” the release said. Under the guidance of faculty advisors Kayla Sommers and Brooke Gibbs, these students can earn industry-recognized certifications while still in high school to position them for immediate entry into the workforce or further education in health care fields.
“We are incredibly proud of all 27 Roosevelt High School students who competed at the State Leadership Conference,” Weld RE-5J Superintendent Scott Nielsen said in the release. “Their hard work, perseverance and passion for health care shine through, and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next.”
Greeley HOSA
The Greeley HOSA program, led by Nathan Harvey, allows any student from Greeley-Evans District 6 high schools to participate in the State Leadership Conference. This year, 32 students from the Greeley HOSA organization competed to showcase their “knowledge and hands on experience” in more than 40 events, Harvey said.
Out of 147 participants, Greeley dominated the nursing assisting competition with Sabrina Ruiz-Horsman taking home first place, Darla Velazquez winning second place and Tenley Oreskovich earning third place. This placement secured them a chance to compete at the international conference.
Also earning a spot at the June conference, students Anahi Corral, Alondra Fraire and Aurelia Rubalcava got second-place in the community awareness competition for their blood drive.
Harvey reported three students also finished in the top 10 of their competitions.
The Greeley HOSA organization at the 2025 State Leadership Conference in Denver. (Courtesy/Greeley Central High School)The Health Science Academy Career and Technical Education pathway at Greeley Central High School starts with freshmen and sophomores learning from Harvey, who teaches a foundation of medical terminology and anatomy. Each semester, 20 juniors and seniors then learn about becoming a certified nursing assistant under teacher BethAnne Hawkey.
More than 70% of students who go through the certified nursing assistant course earn their professional license through the Colorado Board of Nursing and can enter the workforce by the time they turn 18, according to Harvey.
“Time, effort, knowledge and compassion are paramount to these students succeeding as they have 7 a.m. class times and work-based learning on top of their other high school classes,” Harvey said. “It truly is inspiring to get to work with these kids every day and see their growth and maturity for the care they strive to administer.”
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