Community’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) chapter set multiple school records at the State Leadership Conference held March 20-22 in Springfield, including the chapter’s highest number of state officer candidates and International Leadership Conference qualifiers.

Three Community students—Hamsika Thota, Sahana Garapati and Lalitha Neti—were elected to serve on the 11-member state board next year, giving the school its largest representation in hisory.  

“It was a highly successful competition,” chapter president Anushi Kiribamune said, with six events finishing top-three or above to advance to the International Leadership Conference (ILC). 

Eight students will represent Community at June’s ILC in Nashville, Tennessee, among them, Krishna Nair, who took first place in Medical Law and Ethics.

Despite the success, Kiribamune said that the club’s goals extended beyond competition. 

“There’s more to HOSA than just the competition aspect,” she said. 

The organization, she said, aims to help students see “that healthcare is more than just diagnosing”—it’s about building real human connections between healthcare professionals and patients.

To reinforce that message, the chapter expanded its volunteering efforts throughout the year, Kiribamune said, including participation in the Carle BroMenn summer program and support of an Illinois foster care organization that collects items such as bedding and hygiene products.