HOSA on the Hill is a pinnacle event in the HOSA leadership experience. Every year during the annual Washington Leadership Academy, HOSA members meet with their state representatives on Capitol Hill to advocate for career and technical student organizations (CTSOs) and demonstrate the power of their voice. This year we followed the Oregon officer team to advocate for Perkins funding, federal dollars that support career and technical education (CTE) programs in high schools and postsecondary schools.

“My story is that I grew up in an area where education felt very separated,” noted Sophie Wang, Oregon HOSA State President. “There were the gifted students, and then there were the rest of the students who did not really have the same opportunities. I think CTSOs bring awareness that can tie you towards a career you are passionate about without the barrier of academics alongside it.”

 

Wang was accompanied by her state officer team: Upasya Swarna, Vice President of Leadership, Shaira Hassan, Vice President of Communication, Samyata Sharma, President-Elect, and Aravind Sivanesan, Vice President of Membership.

While it was Swarna’s and Wang’s second time on the Hill, Hassan, Sharma and Sivanesan were newcomers. Nonetheless, the opportunity to meet with their state representatives brought a mix of emotions to the entire team. Excitement, nervousness, and joy radiated through “the corridors of power,” but the team was prepared and ready to deliver.

 

“I think we sometimes sort of idealize or idolize people in Congress. We think of them as separate from us, but this process has shown [me] they are a lot more accessible and willing to help than expected,” Sivanesan said.

One by one, the team entered the doors of Congresswoman Bonamici’s office. What started as a daunting task quickly became an empowering experience.

 

Allie Pearce, Legislative Assistant to Bonamici, met the Oregon State officer team with openness. Her familiarity with Perkins funding allowed the team to really hone in on the why funding for CTE matters to HOSA members and beyond. CTSO participation in state and local efforts can help to improve CTE programs and, in turn, better serve students, better prepare teachers and counselors, and better address the priorities of business and industry (CTSO Guide To Accessing Federal Perkins Funds, 2023, p. 3).

 

“Talking with her was really conversational. She was engaging, and I felt like we were actually productive,” Sharma recalled. Hasan chimed in,”We were able to acquire business cards from Miss Allie Pearce, and invited her and Congresswoman Bonamici to our State Leadership Conference this February.”

 

 

Leaving the office, the team were all smiles and pumped for their next appointment. Demystifying advocacy reminded them of the importance of their voice and the unique perspective they brought to the table. 

 

HOSA on the Hill empowers members with essential skills in civic engagement and advocacy, preparing them to become proactive leaders and future healthcare professionals. For the Oregon state officer team, advocating for Perkins funding illuminated the power of their perspectives and the significance of their roles and voice in shaping the future of CTE and CTSOs like HOSA – Future Health Professionals. As they left Capitol Hill, they did so not just as students but as emerging leaders ready to champion the causes that will shape tomorrow’s future health professionals.

Sources:

CTSO Guide To Accessing Federal Perkins Funds. (2023). Retrieved from https://fcclainc.org/sites/default/files/Perkins%20Guide-2023%20PDFversion%20-%20FINAL.pdf