Vice President of HOSA; Leadership experience

At my high school, I am Vice President of HOSA. Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA)'s mission is to promote career opportunities in the health care industry. Every year, HOSA participates in a range of activities which are: competitions, service projects, medical debates, food drives, donations, monthly walks and disease awareness, and medical terminology events.

Last year, HOSA at my school donated $100 worth of Yoplait Yogurt Breast Cancer Lids to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in October 2011. We attended 10 monthly disease and awareness walks and donated over 50 toys to the Toys for Tots Foundation. This year, HOSA wanted to take things to a higher level.

Our first project started in October - Breast Cancer Month. During this month, we sold 144 Breast Cancer wristbands and hosted a Breast Cancer screening at a local clinic. Before we started this fundraiser, I did not think we'd sell much because I felt that my school would be unsupportive. To my surprise, we sold all 144 wristbands even before it was lunch time. It was a success!! In addition to the successful fundraiser, HOSA donated $100 worth of Yoplait Yogurt Breast Cancer Lids to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Initially, I felt that 100 bucks was miniscule, but later I came to realize that even if we donated $10, it was for a good cause.

After our Breast Cancer project, we started working on the AIDS Fundraiser for December. This project was pretty big. For this fundraiser, HOSA paired up with Ban-Aids (another organization at my school). Ban-Aids is a peer-to-peer organization that aims at reducing the prevalence of AIDS in youth and the community. During the month of December, HOSA and Ban-AIDS sold 1000 Red AIDS ribbons and button pins all spreading the word about AIDS. When a student or teacher bought an item, they received a sticker that would give them a fact about AIDS. After the big fundraiser, we raised $2000 that went to the AIDS United Fund and a local AIDS foundation.

Because I planned and carried out both projects, I was honored at the HOSA & Ban-AIDS Banquet towards the end of December. This experience has influenced me to find a cure for AIDS after I have succeeded in my career prospects. Until then, I will continue to use fundraisers as a stepping stone to achieve my goal.

Can someone please help?? ;( I'm sorry for procrastinating but this is due in two days.

I think you made a big mistake. The prompt required you to tell in detail what are your leaderships skills to deal with problems. So you should create situations and YOUR solutions. For example: how you organize a timeline for a project, how you arrange people in each positions, when troubles occur, how did you deal?

Your essay just advertise the two projects but not your personality. It won't work. Though they are big, they can not tell who you are. But don't worry, just spend time to think about your real experience and write it sincerely. Good luck :)

I see a great validity of this comment. The selection committee needs to analyse your leadership skills. So what is important to them is not the titles or series of work , but situations that you displayed such leadership qualities. Think of situations or events that you led your team to success. Tell them about it with emphasis on to your leadership role; how you managed the situation? what sort of direction you provided to your team members? How you inspired them? How you planned for success? etc.

Definitely think that you should talk more about how you have affected your school's HOSA club rather than discuss what your club has done.