April 16, 2026
By EMILY MARSHALL
Rutherford County Schools
Students from Rutherford County Schools demonstrated exceptional skill, leadership, and dedication at the Tennessee HOSA State Leadership Conference, held March 30-April 1 at the Chattanooga Convention Center.
The State Leadership Conference is the premier event for HOSA – Future Health Professionals members across Tennessee, bringing together future healthcare leaders for competitive events, leadership development, and career exploration. Students had the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and skills, participate in leadership academy sessions, and connect with colleges, universities and industry partners.
Rutherford County Schools was proudly represented by students from Blackman, Central Magnet, LaVergne, Oakland, Siegel, Smyrna, and Stewarts Creek high school. District students earned top honors across a wide range of competitive events, with many advancing to the international level:
State Winner
- Personal Care – Chuk Obi (Central Magnet)
- Biotechnology – Rhucha Chawathe (Central Magnet)
- Health Career Photography – Palin Strawser (Siegel)
- Dental Terminology – Sara Taklaa (Stewarts Creek)
- Medical Terminology – Rusha Bhandari (Stewarts Creek)
State Runner Up
- Medical Terminology – Elly Lu (Central Magnet)
- World Health and Disparities – Sabrina Hoja (Central Magnet)
- Biotechnology – Tifany Orellana (Oakland)
- Phlebotomy – Alicia Allen (Siegel)
- Surgical Technologist – Scarlett Houck (Siegel)
- Healthy Living – Alexis Jones (Siegel)
- Dental Science – Mateo Gutierrez (Stewarts Creek)
Second Runner Up
- Respiratory Therapy – Beatrice Mace (Oakland)
- Mental Health Promotions – Morgan Alston, Avery Cothron, Brya Sweeney (Siegel)
- Public Health – Elizabeth Dodd, Abbas Al Khdhairi, Arushi Patel, Vishwa Patel, Abril Ruiz, Danna Segura (Siegel)
- Biomedical Equipment Technician – Logy Tadros (Stewarts Creek)
State Finalists
- Nutrition – Jordan Bentley (Central Magnet)
- Medical Math – Chinedu Obi (LaVergne)
- Research Poster – Eva Polk (Siegel)
- Surgical Technologist – Camilla Villegas (Stewarts Creek)
- Extemporaneous Writing (Health Policy) – Olivia Ward (Stewarts Creek)
- Dental Terminology – Elaine Li (Central Magnet)
- Pharmacy Science – Mira “Polly Grace” Viswanathan (Central Magnet)
Smyrna’s Jasmine Jackson elected state Reporter/Historian
RCS also celebrated student leadership at the state level, as Smyrna High School student Jasmine Jackson was elected as a Tennessee HOSA State Officer, serving as Reporter/Historian. In this role, Jasmine will represent Tennessee HOSA across the state, lead member engagement efforts, and contribute to the continued growth of the organization.
Advancing to HOSA International Leadership Conference
Students placing in the top three of their events have qualified to compete at the HOSA International Leadership Conference, which will take place June 17–20 at the Indiana Convention Center. Participation in HOSA provides students with real-world experiences that prepare them for careers in the healthcare industry. Through competitive events, leadership development, and networking opportunities, students gain critical technical knowledge and professional skills that will serve them in postsecondary education and future careers.
Rutherford County Schools continues to demonstrate its commitment to developing career-ready students through strong Career and Technical Education programs and its student leadership organizations.
For more information about HOSA–Future Health Professionals, visit https://hosa.org.