The HOSA chapter at Westborough High School just finished its yearly Community Awareness projects, which push teams to raise awareness of critical health concerns in local communities. Students are encouraged to conduct research on health or safety issues, and develop a public awareness of critical health concerns in local communities. Students are encouraged to conduct research on a health or safety issue, develop a public awareness campaign, and showcase their findings through a presentation and portfolio that details their impact.

Teams organized outreach initiatives to educate the public and promote healthy behaviors during the academic year. These initiatives frequently featured partnerships with neighborhood organizations, social media campaigns, educational materials, and fundraising events.

One project this year focused on raising awareness about anemia, a condition that occurs when the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry out the oxygen needed. Common symptoms that are caused by this include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

This particular project, which encouraged the community to grow their understanding about Anemia and learn how they can help, was an Instagram campaign built around the Rise For Red slogan. Students emphasized the condition’s worldwide impact, pointing out that anemia affects around two billion people globally.

Students raised funds for the Cooley’s Foundation for Thalassemia by organizing a bake sale before and after school as part of their outreach. Additionally, the campaign urged community members to participate in blood drives, maintain diets high in iron, and learn more about prevention for this.

Projects similar to these exemplify HOSA’s mission, which is to enable students to tackle real world public health issues. Westborough students used their projects to promote healthier communities and increase awareness through research and community engagement.

To learn more about this Anemia Awareness project, follow the Rise for Red campaign @anemiaawareness.hosa on Instagram!