For many, spring break means exotic vacations and tanning on the beach.

But for 29 Cal High students, it meant only one thing: the HOSA State Conference.

HOSA, which stands for Health Occupations Students of America, is an international organization that “provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition,” according to the HOSA website.

There are many different categories and subcategories within the club, including health science, health professions, emergency preparedness, leadership, teamwork, and recognition.

Students can either compete in groups or go solo, depending on the specific division, and prepare to compete at the State Leadership Conference (SLC), which was April 7-10 this year in Anaheim.

The top contestants from each division advanced to the national conference in Nashville from June 22-25.

This year, nine Cal students advanced by placing first, second, or third in their category.

Junior Jiayi Dong placed first in Biomedical Laboratory Science, while sophomores Heidi Kwong, Isha Patel, Martina Pangiligan, and Noorain Patel placed second in Medical Innovation. Placing third were junior Nellie Chen in Transcultural Health, junior Sanika Kulkarni in Pharmacology, and club presidents senior Kaddie Chen and junior Ji Won Kim in CERT (Community Emergency Response Team).

In addition, nine other students were named finalists, and have a chance to join their classmates in Tennessee if any of the students ranked above them in their category cannot attend.

Under the care of club advisers and biology teachers Andrew White, Kusy Espinoza, and Dina Anderson, Cal students have prepared for the state conference since the beginning of the school year.

“SLC went really well,” said White, who teaches Medical Interventions, AP Biology, and Forensic Science. “We didn’t place as many students as we have in previous years, but that’s largely reflective of the increased level of competition.”

The club advisers coordinate hotels and busses for the club, and act as the school’s representative for the largely student-run club.

“I really see the club as having two prongs,” White said. “The students receive many opportunities not available to the general population, such as scholarships, mentorships, and internships, and they also receive real recognition for going above and beyond.”

Many successful HOSA alumni can receive scholarships to help them continue along their career path in the medical field. HOSA is nationally recognized as one of the top organizations in promoting youth involvement and interest in this field.

The work to prepare for SLC was far from easy. But for junior Karolin Velliste, it was well worth it.

“At first, I joined simply because I like science, and I wanted a challenge,” Velliste said. “Overall, it was a great experience. It wasn’t just the SLC – the whole experience of preparing for the events was really rewarding.”

Velliste’s group, comprised of herself and juniors Eeshan Sharma, Sara Safari, and Balaji Rajan, competed in the biomedical debate category. They spent months researching and preparing their speeches for this year’s debate topic of GMOs.

Each group had to first pass a written exam before moving on to the debate round. Once at the debate, it was randomly chosen which stance the group would have to take on the matter.

“I really enjoyed HOSA,” said Velliste. “It was an opportunity to learn about things I had never encountered before, and the competition pushed me out of my comfort zone. It taught me what it means to work as a team.”

Senior Xinge Ren’s life has been changed by the club.

“I started out in HOSA my freshman year,” said Ren. “I was always interested in biology, and it seemed like a great opportunity, so I decided to give it a shot.”

Since then, Ren has been in the club all four years. This year, as a club officer, she partnered with sophomore Chearim Park for the CERT event.

The two studied and practiced safety and preparation for the written and  hands-on skills tests at SLC. The pair were finalists, placing in the top 10 for the event.

“My four years in HOSA have definitely driven those decisions and helped shape my future,” said Ren, who plans to major in biology as an undergraduate before going to medical school. “Through HOSA I learned that if you truly like and desire something, you can do it.”

White has high hopes for the club in the future.

“We continue to get better because of our mentorship,” he said. “Kaddie and Xinge are graduating, but they’ve really helped the juniors and sophomores understand and prepare for what’s going on, since they’ve been there.”

HOSA is more than just the events. It’s also a great time.

“My weekend at HOSA was amazing,” said junior Ashwin Bhumbla, “from debating the pros and cons of GMOs with my awesome team, to playing Frisbee till the sun set, to singing ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ with none other than Mr. White himself.”