Four years ago, students in Nyssa’s newly formed HOSA-Future Health Professionals club were introduced to service opportunities through partnerships with organizations, including the American Red Cross, where they build health care skills through competitions and hands-on learning.

Students’ interest in community-based health projects deepened after a local hospital tour, when they saw how limited the local blood supply was after noticing the facility’s blood board.

“They said, ‘Wait, that's all the blood they have in the hospital? If we got in a wreck going home, they wouldn't even be able to help us.’,” HOSA Adviser Aundra De Witt said. “That was where the kids really were like, ‘let's help, let's do something’.”

She says that moment became a turning point, motivating students to transform awareness into action through projects that highlighted the need for blood in communities like theirs with a wide range of health needs and cultural backgrounds. Each year, students have produced videos that feature local donors and their reasons for giving blood.

“What we honestly didn't know until the kids got out and started asking was how much diversity there is as far as languages went. I mean, we have like nine different languages represented just on our campus,” she said. “But we've also been touched in our small population of folks with cancer. We have people who need blood transfusions on a regular basis.”

The club’s work bleeds into other lines of service, like addressing the toll that local disasters such as wildfires take on a small community.“So, we have really big fires out here. The kids did express interest in wanting to go out and help with the Red Cross shelters. And they told us that the best way that we could help is to do a blood drive,” she said. “And so, we actually did two blood drives during that time frame.”

Their efforts have also strengthened connections across generations. This spring, the club will host a blood drive in partnership with a local American Legion chapter, supporting veterans in their community.

“Seeing that they could help with veterans is a very big deal in our area,” she said. “The kids really wanted to give back to the community in that respect.”

Beyond blood drives, HOSA members are committed to education and prevention. Members participate in training sessions with state officers and Red Cross volunteers that teach skills like CPR and first aid, fire safety and introduce Red Cross opportunities in their area.

The club also mentors middle school HOSA members and incorporates safety outreach into community events year-round, like distributing flyers and bracelets at their annual haunted house.

“So, they utilize that time where people are waiting to go into the haunted house to educate them about fire safety in your house,” she said. “And what was so cute is this year when the kids lined up, they were like ‘are we going to get our fire safety stuff this year?'"

In just four years, the chapter has earned recognition at both the Idaho State and International Leadership Conferences, including multiple honors as “Red Cross Chapter of the Year” and Gold Recognition Awards for hundreds of service hours.

“Their commitment to preparedness, service and uplifting their community reflects the very best of
what the Red Cross stands for,” said Katie Adams, a former HOSA club member who continues serving local communities as the Red Cross community disaster program manager for Central Idaho and East Oregon. “Seeing young people lead with such heart, initiative and excellence gives me tremendous confidence in the future of our mission.”