News

Contact: Maria Ramirez

A Cascade Health Alliance donation to three Henley High School students will help send them to the Health Occupations Students of America International Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

Cascade Health Alliance, or CHA, which manages Oregon Health Plan benefits for members of the Medicaid insurance in Klamath County, donated $1,500 for the students to travel to the competition.

The donation from CHA is a show of support for high school activities and the Basin's future health care professionals.

"Supporting and exposing the next generations of medical professional leaders is important to us since adequate access to medical services tends to be a big challenge in underserved areas," said CHA President and CEO Tayo Akins. "We wish these students the best in this international competition."

In April, Henley seniors Julianna Donohoe and Hasmita Patel, and junior Dylan Thomas qualified for the international competition during the state Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) competition. HOSA clubs participate in rigorous competitive events related to jobs in the medical field.

The three students, along with their club advisor Paul Rademacher, will travel to Nashville this week.

"It's a great opportunity for these kids to get exposure into the careers they're following. We really thank the Cascade Health Alliance for stepping forward and helping these students go compete in an international event. We look forward to making the Klamath Basin proud," Rademacher said.

A thank you letter from Rademacher and the students said the donation and opportunity to attend the leadership conference "will increase their networking as well as understanding of the different career paths they are headed towards."

Donohoe and Patel both qualified to compete in the medical math competition, and Thomas will compete in the "extemporaneous health poster" competition.

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