HOSA competitors have completed their projects for their competitions. Among the outstanding projects were our own Elissa Rosario, a junior at Freedom HS, Neci Fiore, a senior at Freedom HS, and Geraldin Jimenez Hernandez, a senior at Liberty HS. These leaders competed in the “Community Awareness” category which challenges participants to educate their local community about a significant health or safety issue by developing and implementing a comprehensive awareness campaign.

With a project about pediatric cancer and a focus on promoting positive health behaviors through various outreach activities, such as informational booths, presentations and social media campaigns, it’s no surprise all three competitors are interested in a career path involving pediatrics. They are interested in pediatric oncology nursing and pediatric therapy positions and want to attend secondary education schools such as UMASS, Moravian and Cedar Crest. They went above and beyond to inform the community about their cause.

Pediatric cancer is the term used to refer to cancer in young children under age 20. This can range from leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, spinal cord tumors, and all kinds of cancers in childhood development. Pediatric cancers are treated with all kinds of options, such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery and stem cell transplants. While a patient’s prognosis depends on the type of cancer and many other factors, advancements in technology have greatly improved survival rates in recent years.

Organizations such as the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley and The American Cancer Society are always looking for help to advance technology to help eradicate cancer. Those organizations have worked to provide the community with plenty of information regarding pediatric cancer and secured sponsors such as Giant, Bethlehem AVTS, Longhorn Steakhouse, Freedom and Liberty high schools.

Our students organized a school-wide event, “Bead Wars,” to encourage classmates to buy a necklace for a $1. Then, when a student saw another with the same necklace, the student could challenge that person to a rock paper scissors fight. The winner of the rock paper scissors fight took the other student’s necklace. When a student lost, the defeated student could buy a set of necklaces for $2. The ultimate prize is a $25 VISA gift card.

Students, teachers, and guidance counselors were all encouraged to participate. At the end, the winner was Nadim Dayoub, who had collected 62 necklaces. The fundraiser earned over $700 which was donated to the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley. It was a huge hit among our student body, and many hope for its return in the coming years.

The HOSA State Leadership Conference runs from March 26 to March 28. To see the results of that conference, please visit their the HOSA social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, with the username @Hopes_and_Hearts.

Internships

Bethlehem AVTS sydents are participating in some unique internships/job shadows at Tobyhanna Army Depot and the Lehigh Valley International Airport. As with many of the companies in the Lehigh Valley, there’s a shortage of skilled labor. Thus, employers are looking for ways to fill the void created by their retiring staff members. One way of recruitment, especially in areas atypical of traditional companies, is to provide internships to students to assimilate them into a culture and prepare them for the future workforce.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support to see C5ISr systems across the Department of Defense. C5ISR is a technology that enables networked soldiers to gain information dominance and decisive lethality. It is the ability to direct, coordinate and control the assets necessary for accomplishing the mission and reporting battlefield situations and activities. C5ISR technologies can range from radios, computer workstations and smartphones, to night vision and threat-sensing radars sensors.

Tobyhanna is the largest industrial employer in the Northeast Pocono region of Pennsylvania. Its total employment includes on-site personnel, tenant activities contractors, and forward operating locations in about 3,500, drawing from a wide array of counties.

Twenty-four students have experience being on a base and learning specific technical skills. Chris Quinones, FR-12, HVAC, was impressed by the willingness to share knowledge regarding working on the lab equipment, seeing different gauge manifolds and how the teams cohesively worked together.

Two Precision Machining students, William Vega, SV-12, and Shane Compognola, NO-12, operated a Toyota CNC milling machine and several Haas machines while machining parts for a Sea Sparrow missile launcher used on battleships. They commented on the size of the parts and machines and the setup that went into making the parts.

Another exciting opportunity for students in the Protective Services, HVAC, and Electrical Construction programs has involved job shadowing at the Lehigh Valley International Airport. The Protective Service students had the opportunity to take part in airplane evacuations training. Students in the following pictures were taught how to climb onto an airplane wing using the simulator. Protective Service student Sam VanNorman, SV-11, and his classmates entered the emergency exit and performed a primary search and rescue, remaining low in smoky conditions, searching the seats and aisles for mannequins, and then extricating them from the exit onto the wing. Student participants included: Kristina Bosques, FR-12; Ty Anthony Lehr, SV-11; Eniel Martinez, LI-12; Sam VanNorman, SV-11; Tess Wenger, SV-11 and Daniela Arroyo-Mojica, LI-11.

Students from the HVAC and electrical construction programs have had the chance to view units on conveyors within the airport facility. The size and structure of the units impressed the students. First round HVAC and Electrical Construction students included Dylan Croll, NO-11, Liam McGlynn, NO-12 and Thomas DeAngelis, LI-12. Second round: Chase Srogi, NO-11 and Brody Mcelroy, FR-11.

We provide education and workforce development opportunities following BAVTS’s motto, “Navigate Your Future.”

Fun for all May 4

Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School is hosting a bingo fundraiser supporting BAVTS SkillsUSA and the World Travelers Club May 4, and yes, it is Star Wars-themed. All are welcome, but an adult must accompany anyone under 18. There is plenty of fun to be had on this wonderful afternoon

The bingo event will be held at Nancy Run Fire Co on Easton Avenue and will have five stations: a Tricky tray raffle; the 50/50 Raffle; a Lottery tree bingo cards and supplies; and a concession stand. Advanced tickets can be purchased by contacting Angela Thom at thoma@bavts.org. Seats are limited, so we recommend buying tickets ahead of time, but any remaining tickets will be sold at the door.

Upon entering the venue, participants can purchase additional bingo cards, assorted raffle tickets, and concessions. There will be lightning rounds, traditional bingo, specialty games, and trivia! In the spirit of “May the 4th be with you,” the SkillsUSA Board has created an intermission where Star Wars trivia will be played and hosted by the Executive Director Adam Lazarchak. Doors open at 11 a.m., with the first game beginning at noon. The BAVTS Culinary Event Coordinator will work with the BAVTS culinary students to provide delicious concessions.

Our SkillsUSA & World Travelers Bingo Event currently has plenty of spots for sponsors. Donations of gift cards, raffle baskets and game sponsorships ca be made by contacting Angela Thom at thoma@bavts.org.

But before you go, here is a little history of bingo. The idea of bingo came from the Italian Nation lottery, which has existed since 1530. The game eventually spread to France and was known as “Le Lotto.” But it was Edwin S. Lowe, New York salesman, who popularized bingo in 1929 after he came across people playing “Beano” at a fair in Atlanta, Ga. Lowe went home to New York and recreated the game at a party he held. The game was a hit. He decided to box it and began producing it. Lowe’s boxed version had small numbered discs instead of the numbered balls we are used to, and instead of chips or markers, he used small beans that the players would use to cover the number called. The name eventually changed after an excited winner accidentally shouted “Bingo” instead of “Beano.”