Students in the Veterinary Assistant Program are encouraged to participate in HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America).  The program has had numerous participants in state and national leadership conferences.  Numbers in recent years have been in decline, with some students already participating in CTSO organizations through the feeder schools.  Many students cite financial reasons for having to be more selective in participation in school activities.

The first lesson incorporating the CTSO is taught during the first few weeks of school each year.  Although not specifically medical in scope, leadership and teamwork are essential for success in the veterinary clinic.  By teaching parliamentary procedure, students learn how to discuss issues in a professional manner, and how to “respectfully disagree”. 

The second lesson plan is also taught during the first few weeks of school, and also serves as a recruitment activity by getting the veterinary assistant students together with the nurse aide and EMT students.  HOSA students also prepared “client education sheets” for events such as rabies awareness week, bite prevention week, or other health issues.  The AVMA has a list of health issues they address by month, such as diabetes awareness month.  Students designed the sheets in the classroom, and printed copies to hand out to students in other classes.  (see example attached).

Each year, the EMT, Nurse Aide, and Veterinary Assistant students meet with the instructor-advisors together to promote the benefits of HOSA membership.  Students have been taken to local restaurants for meetings and induction ceremonies to make the events special for the students.  During these group meetings, the accomplishments of former students are highlighted as an example of what they may strive to achieve as participants in the CTSO.  These students often become our ambassadors to represent the health occupation programs when visiting middle and elementary schools.   Our first-place medalist in veterinary skills at the National Leadership Conference in 2008 demonstrated canine CPR to elementary school students during visits.  Medals and trophies awarded to former students are kept on display in the classroom.

Community service is stressed to all students in the Veterinary Assistant Program, regardless of CTSO membership.  Students have been encouraged to participate in a variety of service initiatives since the program began.  In 2001, students raised $500.00 for Greater Atlantic Rescue Dogs, who responded to the Pentagon on 9/11/01.  They also purchased a goat through Heifer international, a charity organization working to end hunger and poverty around the world by providing livestock and training to struggling communities.

 As the years have gone by, students have participated in clean up after hurricane Isabel, donated funds to a horse retirement center, worked with Obici hospitals Kanine Kandystriper program (one HOSA student and her dog Gizmo won the 2004 Planetree National Spirit of Caring Animal Therapy Award), and participated in our local Relay for Life in support of a classmate with Hodgkins lymphoma.  Students also designed a coloring book for children about pet care and pet safety, which they printed and bound.  The coloring books were distributed to Mt. Zion Elementary School.  A page from the coloring book is attached as an artifact.

Throughout the years students have worked with Suffolk Animal control to provide basic grooming to animals that otherwise might not have had a chance at adoption due to their appearance.  Officers bring those animals here to improve their odds.  With very few exceptions, the animals groomed by the students were all adopted.  

In the past three years, students have participated in fostering kittens, and donating money and supplies to a local no-kill shelter.  To make the financial donation, students recycled scrap metal and aluminum cans.  This year, some students knit or crocheted nests for the Virginia Beach SPCAs wildlife rehabilitation program.  Students are recycling number 5 plastics through TerraCycle in order to make another donation to Heifer International.  In the fall, students collected over 1600 candy wrappers that would otherwise have ended up in the landfill.  Wrappers were donated to Girl Scout troop #558.  Combined with wrappers collected by the scouts, the wrappers were also recycled through TerraCycle and a donation was made to the Virginia Aquarium.  These initiatives have been good for the community as well as the environment.

The veterinary assistant teacher has worked with students preparing for participation in HOSA events, and traveled with the students across the state and nation to leadership conferences.  A list of students who competed in HOSA events is included as an artifact under criterion 36.  Newspaper coverage about our students is included as artifact.  Also included are two HOSA service/participation awards for the instructor serving as an event manager/word pronouncer for the medical spelling bee.