Delaware Students Shine At National HOSA Conference

121 Delaware students participated in this year’s HOSA Leadership Conference.

A group of 121 Delaware high school students showcased their skills on the national stage this month at the 48th Annual Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) International Leadership Conference, held under the theme “Powered By the People.”

Competing alongside more than 13,000 future health professionals from around the globe, students from 15 Delaware HOSA chapters earned top honors in several competitive events.

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Delaware participants secured Top 10 finishes in five events at the conference, which brought together students from 54 HOSA associations for 97 competitions:

Dental Terminology – 2nd Place: Sudipa Chowdhury (Newark Charter High School)
Emergency Medical Technician – 4th Place: Gabrielle Shubert and Thai Wells (St. Georges Technical High School)
Epidemiology – 4th Place: Akshaj Bais (Newark Charter)
Biotechnology – 6th Place: Ella Miller (Newark Charter)
Occupational Therapy – 6th Place: Carter Kraiss (St. Georges Technical High School)

Beyond the competitions, the conference featured several notable moments for the Delaware delegation.

A state officer proudly carried the Delaware flag during the Parade of Flags.

Kimberly Hines of Odessa High School received recognition for her outstanding leadership as a HOSA advisor.

Conrad Schools of Science earned national honors for its HOSA Service Project, and both Indian River High School and Newark Charter School were awarded the Bronze Level Barbara James Service Award for logging over 100 hours of community service.

Delaware’s strong performance reflects the state’s emphasis on career and technical education (CTE), which integrates classroom learning with hands-on experience and industry certifications.

Programs like HOSA—Future Health Professionals are a key part of this approach, giving students real-world opportunities to develop the technical and leadership skills needed in the healthcare field.