THOMASVILLE — A handful of Thomas County Central High School students have used their learned health care knowledge to advance to the state leg of a national competition.

TCCHS HOSA-Future Health Professionals students recently contended in the first round (region) event testing for the HOSA Georgia Leadership Conference. Two individuals scored highly enough to earn state slots.

“I am always excited for students to move forward to compete on the state and international levels,” TCCHS HOSA sponsor Cindy Griner said.

Formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America, HOSA-Future Health Professionals is a national career and technical student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Health Science Technology Education Division of ACTE, Griner said. 

Students choose from a variety of health care events and topics. To advance to state competition, students must score in the top 40 in the first round of event testing. TCCHS proctored testing took place in the school’s media center. Emmaline Crocker and Abigail Witcher each placed in the top 40 state competitors in their events.

Emmaline Crocker’s testing area is transcultural health knowledge. It spans topics such as cultural foundations, cultural competence, various ethnic heritages, religion, rituals, family traditions and healing.

“…You need to know about people’s culture and what they do to help their health,” Crocker said. “My favorite part of this category is that I get to learn about different cultures.”

Senior Abigail Witcher, 18,chose the human growth and development category. 

“Of all the testing events, this one interested me most,” Witcher said. “I enjoyed the research on human growth from birth until death. Learning about the difference between each of the age groups and each challenge that comes with them is interesting.”

This is not Witcher’s first trip to the state level.

“I am very excited that I placed well and that I will be able to compete at the state level again,” she said. “Last year, I believe I was only a few places away from qualifying for nationals. This year, I hope to go all the way.”

The HOSA Georgia Leadership Conference is March 14-16 in Atlanta. In addition to Crocker and Witcher, freshman Loxley Slocumb will compete in extemporaneous writing, and the team of Katelin Croft, Alex Flores and Marissa Cato will participate in the public service announcement teamwork event. This year’s theme is “Taking Down Tobacco.” 

“My group and I are preparing for the upcoming competition by researching tobacco, and we made a 30-second video about how bad cigarettes are for you,” junior Alex Flores, 16, said. “I feel nervous and excited about it. This is my first time going to state leadership conference, and I really don’t know what to expect.”

Crocker anticipates competing at the state level.

“It feels very exciting because I never did this before,” she said. “It’s all new to me.”

Each competitor has been preparing in her unique way.

“I have been researching, reading and taking notes on human growth and development,” Witcher said. “I am looking forward to seeing how well I do and whether or not I place well. I want to see all my hard work and efforts pay off.”