PHLS Day Two

PHLS Day Two: Building Our Future's Community

Public Health Leadership Scholars in the ASPR Conference Center

Day Two of the Public Health Leadership Seminar was centered on more incredible opportunities for HOSA to be integrated with the federal government and Public Health departments. The morning began with several visits on Capitol Hill and the day continued with educational meetings on Emergency Management at the federal level, with a special tour of the Secretary’s Operations Committee (SOC). As we approached the night, we were in for a true surprise, as we were formally invited to the Truman Bowling Alley in the White House and were able to have an experience of a lifetime.

Public Health Leadership Scholars in front of the Russell Senate Building before meetings with senators and house members

On Capitol Hill, we visited with three different offices – the office of Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa, the office of Senator Debbie Stabenow from Michigan, and the office of Congressman David Scott from the 13th District of Georgia. Each of our meetings were unique in the conversations that were held. For example, the meeting with the office of Joni Ernst revolved more on specific technical experiences that HOSA members are able to gain while being in a secondary institution, whether those were certifications in CPR/First Aid, EMT or more. Our conversations in the office of Debbie Stabenow were more concerned with HOSA in the workforce, and how students are truly able to put the skills learned in school to use as a health professional, either immediately after graduating high school or after pursuing a higher education. And in the office of Congressman David Scott, our conversations were centered on the importance of public health and mental health, and the efforts that we as students can make to raise awareness for these fields. Each of these conversations yielded us with immense room for reflection as leaders in the health field and inspiration as aspiring health professionals.

While there were a variety of subjects that were addressed across these meetings, there was certainly a uniform message that we were able to communicate to the legislative assistants we met with. As advocates of this organization, we explained to each of these offices that HOSA-Future Health Professionals is an internationally-recognized, student-led health organization that aims to groom the next generation of quality health leaders by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development. We reiterated that each of our HOSA stories crafts a path for many others just like us, who wish to learn just as much as we do. We told them how important funding through the Perkins Act is to us as students of Career and Technical Education, and how without it, we wouldn’t be able to access the resources we are able to.

Public Health Leadership Scholars on Capitol Hill in David Scott’s (GA) Office discussing CTE, HOSA, and PHLS

We felt privileged to be sitting in meetings on Capitol Hill today, just being able to speak about such relevant topics and issues with people who help first hand in creating legislation. As young as we are, it’s incredible to see the impact that we are able to have in professional settings such as these, and it’s all because of this organization we are blessed to be a part of. HOSA is full of opportunities and allows us to soar high as future health professionals. We are truly able to create our futures through the opportunities presented and the people we work with, and this was certainly shown through this morning’s journey.

After the Congressional visits, we listened to Senior Emergency Management Specialist Ted Kennedy speak about Emergency Management and Disaster Response. Kennedy highlighted the growing importance of social media in communication regarding a disaster. He explained how his team uses software to obtain information about disasters from social media platforms such as Twitter. Kennedy also showed us the Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness page, which was created to educate the public about preparing for any disaster (Zombie Apocalypse, Earthquake, or Hurricane). The use of Twitter and the Zombie Apocalypse Preparedness Page were particularly interesting because it showed the efforts being made by the CDC to adapt to the interests of the current population. The overarching theme that we saw from Kennedy’s presentation was continuous learning. Kennedy was not afraid to admit his mistakes (confusing Charleston, SC and Charleston, WV in one anecdote), and did not look at them as negative experiences. It was evident that he learned from his mistakes, and came forward stronger. This held true for all of the speakers that we met in Washington, and seems to be a crucial factor for success.

Ted Kennedy, Senior Emergency Management Specialist, speaking with PHLS about emergency management and his personal experiences

Following our fascinating lecture from and discussions with Ted Kennedy, we had the opportunity to tour the Secretary’s Operations Center, more affectionately known as the SOC. The SOC serves as the main information and communications pipeline for the secretary, aggregating news, weather, health, and other data from across the nation and the globe 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This state-of-the-art facility features monitors and numerous TVs that give ASPR staff and the secretary a robust, dynamic snapshot of all relevant or potentially rising threats and events, all in real time. This was an incredible opportunity for us to learn how diverse and comprehensive the team is that works at ASPR, and the various backgrounds that staff members come in with. We were all so fascinated by how well organized and simplistic these complicated situations were displayed, and gave us a greater appreciation for all of the data and behind the scenes organization that occurs during emergency events and response.

Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response: Secretary’s Operations Center (SOC)

After we came back from our SOC tour at the HHS building, we met Ms. Natalie Grant, who talked to us about ASPR’s role in Community Disaster Recovery. She used interactive polls, videos, and analogies that not only helped us learn about community recovery, but also allowed us to understand it at a deeper level. She showed us a video of fibroblast recovery, explaining that the fibroblasts represented how a community should be able to come back together following a disaster. Grant further explained the importance of the Social Determinants of Health, a phrase that we have heard more than a few times over the past couple days, in communities and their abilities to recover from a disaster. After talking to Grant, we further understood how interconnected all the aspects of a community are and how important it is for each of these swatches to be able to knit themselves together after a disaster.

Natalie Grant speaking to PHLS about her role in community recovery and the areas that ASPR focuses on after an emergency response

After we finished with our formalized schedule for the day, we were so extremely excited to have the opportunity to bowl in none other than the Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley in THE White House! Our group had an incredible bonding experience in the basement of the building, soaking in the history and fun of it all. From bowling a couple spares and strikes, to the spontaneous photoshoots we had, the PHL scholars are so thankful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We had such a great time getting to know each other, Commander Skip Payne, and Brennan Leddy, both of whom have been working with and teaching us these past couple of days!

Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley in the White House

Public Health Leadership Scholars in the Harry S. Truman Bowling Alley

The White House