The format was different, but the outcome was the same: Kamiah High School students continue to place at the statewide competition, with sophomores Maya Engledow and Bridget Breeding bringing home silver second-place medals.
According to HOSA advisor Darra Snyder, the accomplishment is remarkable considering the quality of competition from throughout the state. “The vast majority of competitors are from larger schools, some of which are in the business of training future health professionals exclusively,” she explained.
Engledow competed in the Prepared Speaking category which had a theme “Towards Tomorrow!.” In the recorded speech, Engledow described the challenges of being a “…big fish with big dreams in a small pond with limited opportunities.” She described how traveling, 4-H and extracurricular activities such as HOSA have allowed her to broaden her perspective. Her speech concluded, “I feel like everything happens for a reason and right now I am trying to find myself, so let the journey begin.”
Breeding won her medal in Veterinary Science, a test-based competition designed to measure the competitor’s knowledge of veterinary science. The competition consisted of a written, multiple-choice test that covered a range of topics for both large and small animals and included questions about anatomy and physiology, basic nutrients, animal behavior, diseases and disease prevention, zoonoses, clinical practice, first aid and emergency care, principles of surgery and veterinary careers.