Carver HS&R Debate Team wins state HOSA title

Carver’s School of Health Sciences & Research mixes real-world experience and classroom instruction to prepare students for college and career. Sometimes the training also causes butterflies, sweaty palms and a bit of nausea. But the results are worth the effort.

On March 4-6 members of the Carver Health Occupation Student Association (HOSA) competed in 12 events during the organization’s State Leadership Conference in Athens, Ga. Students Dasjah Bledsoe, Orane Douglas, Toyia Gray and Julia Davis won first place as part of Carver’s Biomedical Debate Team One.

Team One debated whether high school students should undergo random drug tests. Students sacrificed countless hours of sleep preparing for the competition. They studied both sides of the issue, and learned their position on the big day. Students had to sweat it out for another day before receiving the verdict. It was like anticipating the arrival of a newborn baby. When the winners were announced, Carver’s team cheered until they were exhausted.

Twin brothers Bryan and Keith Jones also earned second place in CPR during the conference. Both teams have the chance to compete in the national competition June 23-26 in Orlando, Fl.

Carver will be raising money to send both teams to Florida. For more information about the team, email Melanie Smith, Carver’s HOSA advisor, at mksmith@atlanta.k12.ga.us.