Suffolk News-Herald

Eleven Suffolk students returned home recently from the &uot;Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) State Leadership Conference&uot; held in Hampton, each returning with a great deal of pride in their accomplishments.

Jeff Brittingham, health occupations teacher at the Pruden Center for Industry and Technology, said the students took part in health occupation classes at the center, a career and technical school owned jointly by Suffolk and Isle of Wight County Public Schools.

&uot;Camden Zemp and his Smithfield partner left the conference with two state titles; one for CPR/First Aid, and the other for their health education project on diabetic emergencies,&uot; said Brittingham. &uot;Morgan Anderson, amber Stuart and Shernida Holley brought back the gold for their community service project involving the blood shortage at the American Red Cross.&uot;

Brittingham added that Kellan Ray was awarded the gold for his chapter news letter, and Middailia Daughtrey won fourth place in job seeking skills. Tim Tarafas and Lauren Ordonio took fifth place in medical reading and Paris Youell and Lauren Ordonion took a fourth place prize for the EMT event.

Hillary Rapier won first place and Christy Sedwell won second in the veterinary assisting event. Kellan Ray, Paris Youell, Lauren Ordonio and Shernida Holley won first place in the talent show performing a dramatization of an emergency call.

&uot;That performance brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience,&uot; said Brittingham. &uot;They watched the team of medical providers perform heroic measures in an effort to save a woman and her injured baby.&uot;

Students participating in these events are now eligible to represent Virginia in the June HOSA National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fl.