Bowie is home to a large community and there are many clubs to help students find friends with common interests. One such club is Healthcare Occupations Students of America.

“ We strive to get people passionate about the health field and get them involved in related activities,” senior Clarisse Burns said.

The club held a hygiene drive earlier this year to donate to the homeless and raise awareness for their club and its goals.

“ Honestly, we were pretty worried about people donating but we had a pretty good turnout,” Burns said.

The club has had a rocky start this year and hit many obstacles.

“Well, we don’t really have a protocol to follow, so we’re basically trying to build the club from the ground up,” Burns said.

The current members are also few in numbers.

“Hopefully we’ll have an increase in membership and interest,” senior Hana Dole said. “And establish ourselves as a club people want to join so that it’ll be a more fun, meaningful and a lasting club.”

Although all the members plan to have careers in healthcare professions, there are many different ways the students became involved with the club.

“I saw the table at club day freshman year and since I was interested in a career as a pediatrician I joined,” Dole said.

Others found the club through previous members.

“One of my friends last year, Michelle David, was the president of HOSA,” Burns said. “She was the one who got me interested in the club.”

After joining the club the students found reasons to stay even with the many obstacles they faced as an organization.

“Everyone who is part of it is able to contribute ideas to better the club so everyone in the club is really involved and able to share their ideas,” Dole said.

The members continue to work through their difficulties and have high hopes for the future.

“I hope we set in place a lasting foundation that helps to continue the club for many years to come,” Burns said.