For those who dream of working in medicine and saving lives, HOSA provides an excellent opportunity to develop skills and insight. HOSA, the Health Occupations Students of America, is specialized for a group of future nurses, doctors, veterinarians, medical professionals, and other professional healthcare fields. HOSA gives students the ability to explore these subjects of healthcare and learn new skills, without committing to a major. Members work very hard and are dedicated to expanding their knowledge and teaching others about medical work in healthcare environments.

HOSA consists of not only an afterschool club, but also a competitive team. Members have the option to practice specialized medical procedures including CPR, seizure services, and other practical skills to face off in competitions, demonstrating their performance. This helps members of the club put new skills under their belt and participate in leadership roles. Sophia Itzkowitz serves as the President of HOSA club, along with three other sub-presidents. The moderator, Rochelle Stephens, can be found in the Large Conference Room at STA, and is happy to answer any questions about the fees and requirements.

STA HOSA hosted a Bingo Fundraiser that brought members and students together for a fun event of prizes and helping out HOSA. It was a great success in raising money for the club for the activities, competitions, and projects that we will have throughout the year. Thanks to the participation and turn out of everyone, the fundraiser helped HOSA grow as a club.

HOSA members were able to receive epilepsy training from Luis Moreno. He is from the Epilepsy Florida alliance and we were honored to have him present to our members. He taught the members how to respond in the case of a seizure, the different types of seizures, and a background on what seizures are. The HOSA members were able to receive a certificate that they completed the Epilepsy training in the end.

On October 21st, 2025, HOSA members had a spooky good time! The HOSA Fall Festival was an amazing success, raising over $1,000 for the NMDP Foundation to help patients with blood cancer and blood diseases. Students enjoyed a variety of festive activities, from making dirt and worms desserts to showing off their Halloween spirit in the costume contest. Victoria Schneider won as Tanjiro from Demon Hunter. One of the highlights of the festival was the Fear Factor Game where brave students were blindfolded and had to guess what they touched- slime, spiders, and real earthworms! There was plenty of fun to go around with pumpkin decorating, carnival games, a Halloween scavenger hunt, and tables full of sweet treats. The event brought students together for an unforgettable celebration in order to help HOSA’s mission!

Some other recent service projects that HOSA has hosted include the Walkathon for National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and the Blood Drive, which raised money for the cause. The blood drive was for the organization My One Blood. This was a school-wide donation opportunity. In exchange for a blood donation, donors were rewarded 6 service hours and a Oneblood sweatshirt. One of the best parts of the service events that HOSA offers is that they align both with the Catholic values of service that students of Saint Thomas Aquinas High School as well as student interests in the healthcare fields.