Students are preparing for the HOSA State Leadership Conference, which begins on April 15. The Mental Health Promotion and Community Health Awareness competitions both require social media pages to promote the chosen health related issue. Junior Cameron Linder, along with his teammates seniors Owen Kalmas, Bryson Limeberry and Baylor Winkelmann, use their Instagram page, Act.Now.Act.Fast, to spread awareness about the dangers of strokes as part of the competition. 

“We chose stroke awareness as our focus because of how many people suffer from strokes every day,” Linder said. “Our message hopes to bring closer attention to the signs of a potential stroke.”

On their social media page, Linder and his group have made several posts, including a digital diagram explaining the details of a stroke, such as the symptoms and causes, as well as 

“Its important for people to learn about strokes because it can save a life and get the person who is having a stroke the help they need faster,” Linder said. “Knowing simple things like the signs of a stroke can benefit the health of the community as a whole.”

The use of social media is emphasized in the competitions rubric, but Linder also believes it has a bigger impact beyond the scoring along with some challenges

“The use of social media allows us to reach a younger generation easier and get across our message,” Linder said. “Social media usage has its issues in areas like figuring out and coordinating the correct thing to post at a certain point in the week or getting time in our busy schedules to get together and film videos about strokes.”

Social media is also home to another HOSA group working for a chance to qualify for 

Internationals, with Break the Burnout and seniors Avery Osborn, Sophia LaRocca, Nova Hunter, Braden Komlanc, Owen Sowers and William McCrea are using social media to spread motivation and positivity in the Mental Health Promotion event.

“Our team was inspired by the idea that healthcare extends beyond hospitals and clinics,” Osborn said. “We noticed that many students struggle with stress, mental health and unhealthy habits, so we felt it was important to educate others and encourage healthier lifestyles through outreach and education.”

Like Linder, Osborn’s group for Break the Burnout acknowledges the importance of social media in their campaign to provide students with certain lifestyle choices. 

“We mix our content, switching between informative content with data and statistics and fun social media trends, allowing us to keep our target demographic engaged,” Osborn said. “Social media allows us to spread information on the topic in a space that students engage with every day, helping us reach a larger audience more efficiently.”

The group’s social media campaign provides ways students can manage their stress and avoid academic burnout.

“Healthy ways to manage stress include maintaining a balanced schedule, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and taking breaks when needed,” Osborn said. “Talking to friends, teachers, or counselors can also help students feel supported. Practicing mindfulness, hobbies, and relaxation techniques can also help students recharge and prevent burnout.”

The two social media groups faced similar problems while taking part in this HOSA competition, and Osborn emphasizes what they are posting and why they are posting.

“Coming up with new topics to discuss and share with the community was one main problem with this campaign, since we wanted people to be interested and engaged in the content we were putting out,” Osborn said. “It can sometimes be difficult to find fresh ideas or new ways to talk about important health issues while still keeping the information meaningful and relevant.”.

Osborn and her teammates recognizes the importance of community health when facing these obstacles in their competition. 

“Community health education is important because it helps people understand how their choices affect their health,” Osborn said. “When individuals are informed about topics like stress management and mental health, they are better able to make decisions that improve their well being.” 

The community health education competition is an opportunity for HOSA students to explore their creativity and expand their community reach to social media. 

“Connecting with the community is a major part of HOSA, and is super fun and fulfilling,” Linder said. “The community health awareness events allow us to explore all the possibilities possible for the jobs related to the medical field.”