Oklahoma HOSA student attends prestigious program at Georgetown University
An Oklahoma middle school student earned a spot at this summer’s Leadership Initiatives Middle School Jumpstart Program at Georgetown University.
Reagan Warner, then a Yukon Middle School student, earned a scholarship for the program during the Oklahoma HOSA State Leadership Conference. Warner will enter Yukon High School as a freshman this fall.
The Jumpstart Program pairs middle school students with professionals in medicine, law, business and national security to help them discover career paths. During the seven-day program, Warner gained hands-on experience, working with professionals on projects that challenged her critical thinking, creativity and leadership skills.
Warner said the program gave her insight into how her interests could shape her future career.
“When I joined HOSA, I had no idea it would lead to something this big,” she said. “The Jumpstart Program helped me realize that I love learning about health and global issues, and I feel more confident now in who I want to be. I’m so thankful to Oklahoma HOSA for opening this door.”
During the program, she helped design a public health poster addressing a global health care challenge, develop a business marketing plan for a real-world application and create a security solution for sub-Saharan African communities.
Participants presented their projects to panels of industry experts, who gave them direct feedback and mentorship.
Students worked with business professionals from Amazon, Wells Fargo, Delta Air Lines and ExxonMobil; medical professionals from Georgetown University Hospital, UNICEF and Howard University Medical School; legal experts from Georgetown law school and Washington, D.C.-based law firms; and national security experts from the FBI, the U.S. Marines, the U.S. State Department and the National Security Agency.
The scholarship Warner received is one example of how HOSA continues to open doors for students across Oklahoma, providing opportunities to explore leadership, career pathways and global impact, said Amy Warner, Oklahoma HOSA state adviser with Oklahoma CareerTech.
“HOSA provides students with opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom,” she said. “Through programs like Leadership Initiatives, students like Reagan are discovering their potential to lead and make a difference, both locally and globally.”
HOSA is one of seven CareerTech student organizations affiliated with CareerTech programs. It is affiliated with health science education. The other six are Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (family and consumer sciences education), FFA (agricultural education), DECA (marketing education), SkillsUSA (trade and industrial education), Business Professionals of America (business and information technology education) and Technology Student Association (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Oklahoma CareerTech: Oklahoma’s Workforce Leader
The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 63 campuses, 395 PK-12 school districts, 16 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 32 adult education and family literacy providers.
The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.
