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Wayne Hills students urge board to allow joint HOSA chapter with Wayne Valley to restore access to healthcare career activities
Summary
Wayne Hills HOSA co-president Pernel Kumar and co-president-elect Nia Fernandez told the board their chapter drew 50 members but remained inactive this year without an adviser and proposed a shared Wayne Hills/Wayne Valley chapter to secure adviser pay and transportation for conferences.
Two Wayne Hills student leaders asked the Wayne Township Board of Education on May 21 to back a joint HOSA chapter with Wayne Valley High School to restore extracurricular opportunities for Hill students.
"HOSA truly means a great deal to the current members and is a great opportunity for future members to be a part of as well," said Pernel Kumar, who identified himself as Wayne Hills HOSA co-president. Kumar said the chapter grew to more than 50 members but remained inactive this year because the school could not secure an adviser.
"We are proposing the creation of a joint HOSA chapter between Wayne Hills and Wayne Valley High School," said Nia Fernandez, co-president-elect, urging the board to provide access to the payment portal for adviser stipends and transportation support for conferences. Fernandez said several teachers initially expressed interest in advising but ultimately declined after discussing the role with administration.
Board members responded supportively. One member called the joint-chapter idea "a great solution" and said the administration is aware and will follow up; another said the board will look into options including union or community support for adviser capacity.
Students asked for two concrete steps: permission for Hill students to use the district payment portal for a paid adviser position and logistical support for travel to conferences. The transcript shows no formal motion or vote on the proposal; board members said they would investigate and follow up with administration.
The request highlighted equity concerns between the district's two high schools: students said Wayne Valley currently has active HOSA programming and Hill students want comparable access to career-development opportunities in healthcare, science and leadership.
