Senior Ella Rhuems has been elected Kansas Future Health Professionals (HOSA) President for 2022-2023.

Rhuems was interested in joining the Pittsburg High School HOSA chapter her freshman year, but didn’t actually get involved until her sophomore year. 

“Getting to be involved in HOSA over the past two years has made me realize what a great organization this is,” Rhuems said. “Through our conferences and events I found myself wanting to become more involved in HOSA.”

Rhuems has a lot of different mentors in HOSA at the state level.

“Luckily, I’ve had great upperclassmen like Joy Lee and Mikayla Kitchen,” Rhuems said. “They have really shown me the ropes of HOSA and how great it is to be involved at the state level.”

According to Rhuems, the application and election process for becoming Kansas HOSA President is a very tedious undertaking.

“There’s an application that includes short answer and essay questions and then you write and record a 2 minute speech about why you want to be a state officer and what you will bring to the program,” Rhuems said. “Next, all of the HOSA programs across the state vote to elect the 9 officers and once you have been elected, there is a lengthy interview process with the Kansas HOSA board to elect the President and Vice President.”

Rhuems has gained a lot of responsibilities, such as leading a team of nine state officers, planning state conferences, serving on the board of directors for Kansas HOSA, and representing Kansas at the Washington Leadership Academy and the international conference in Houston, Texas.

“I am incredibly honored to serve as the President,” Rhuems said. “Ever since I joined HOSA, I have wanted to be a state officer, but I never thought I would become the President.”

In the future, Rhuems plans on going to medical school at the University of Kansas. She hopes to become either an Emergency or Trauma Surgeon with an emphasis in Cardiology.

“I am so excited for all the wonderful opportunities I have already been given for this year,” Rhuems said. “Like every senior, I am extremely excited to go to college, but I am also excited to enjoy senior year and have many wonderful experiences, like being the Kansas HOSA President.”