A group photo of all of the State Officers for HOSA. To learn more, check out the following link: Minnesota State Officer Team.
LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA - Five high school seniors from Lakeville represented Minnesota at the 20th annual HOSA Washington Leadership Academy (WLA), held September 19–22, 2026, in Washington, D.C., where they participated in four days of leadership development, civic engagement and healthcare advocacy.
The students, representing Lakeville North and Lakeville South high schools, joined HOSA student leaders from across the country for the national conference, which included leadership workshops, networking opportunities, community service activities and meetings with congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.
The five students were:
Jack Trygstad, Lakeville South High School senior and Minnesota HOSA State President.
Shawn Nierenhausen, Lakeville South High School senior and Minnesota HOSA Vice President of Outreach.
Arianna Gocool, Lakeville South High School senior and Minnesota HOSA Vice President of Growth.
Dharinya Ayyappan, Lakeville North High School senior and Minnesota HOSA Industry Liaison.
Gabby Janovik, Lakeville North High School senior and Minnesota HOSA HOST Senior Intern.
According to Bryan Phan, Minnesota HOSA's State Public Relations Officer, the students were selected to represent Minnesota and its growing community of aspiring healthcare professionals at the national leadership event. In responses provided to Limitless Media News following the academy, all five students reflected on their experiences, sharing how the opportunity strengthened their leadership abilities, expanded their understanding of healthcare advocacy, and influenced their goals for the future.
For two of the students, Trygstad and Nierenhausen, the trip also marked their second consecutive year attending the Washington Leadership Academy, offering a unique perspective on their development as student leaders.
Lakeville Students Advocate for Healthcare Education on Capitol Hill
One of the most significant experiences for several Lakeville students was meeting with congressional representatives and advocating for HOSA and healthcare education. The Washington Leadership Academy emphasizes civic engagement and encourages students to understand how government decisions can influence healthcare, education, and professional opportunities.
For Arianna Gocool, Minnesota HOSA's Vice President of Growth, advocating alongside fellow student leaders was especially meaningful after months of preparation.
"My most impactful memory was getting to advocate for HOSA alongside my state and local officer team," Gocool said. "We spent so many months talking together on the phone about how excited we were to be able to represent MN HOSA at Capitol Hill; it was so completely gratifying to finally be able to attend our appointments and talk alongside one another to various state representatives."
Gocool, a senior at Lakeville South, said the experience represented a significant personal milestone. When she first joined HOSA as a sophomore three years ago, she described herself as extremely shy and afraid of public speaking. Now, as a statewide student leader, she has had the opportunity to represent Minnesota and advocate for an organization that has helped her develop confidence.
"Being able to represent both Minnesota and Lakeville on the international level is both unreal and an honor I never thought I'd have," Gocool said.
She hopes her experience will encourage other young women across Minnesota to pursue leadership opportunities, challenge themselves and overcome fears that might otherwise prevent them from getting involved. Gabby Janovik, a senior at Lakeville North and Minnesota HOSA HOST Senior Intern, also said the meetings with lawmakers were one of the academy's highlights.
"The most memorable experience I had was talking to our states representatives and informing them about HOSA," Janovik said. "It's nice to know we could have made an impact to how HOSA is seen nationally and it was an opportunity to spread awareness of how important the organization is."
The meetings gave students a chance to explain HOSA's mission and discuss the importance of supporting young people interested in pursuing healthcare careers. For the Lakeville students, the experience demonstrated how student organizations can give young people a voice in conversations about education, workforce development, and the future of healthcare.
Returning Student Leaders Reflect on Their Growth
For Jack Trygstad and Shawn Nierenhausen, attending the Washington Leadership Academy for a second consecutive year gave them the chance to build on lessons learned during their first experience. Both Lakeville South seniors returned to Washington with additional leadership experience and a clearer understanding of how they could use the academy's programs to benefit Minnesota HOSA.
Trygstad, who currently serves as Minnesota HOSA State President, said his perspective changed significantly between his first and second visits.
"The first time I attended WLA, I was really focused on learning as much as I could and meeting new people," Trygstad said. "Coming back with more leadership experience, I had a better understanding of how I could actually apply what I was learning to Minnesota HOSA."
He said returning to the academy also allowed him to place greater value on connections with other student leaders from across the country. By learning how HOSA organizations operate in other states, Trygstad said he could identify ideas and approaches that might benefit Minnesota's chapters and members. The experience also helped strengthen his confidence in communication and advocacy.
"WLA has definitely helped me become a more confident leader, especially when it comes to communicating with people and advocating for things I care about," Trygstad said.
Through HOSA, he has also developed a broader understanding of the healthcare industry and the different ways individuals can contribute to improving healthcare.
"One of the biggest things I've learned through HOSA is that healthcare goes way beyond just working in a hospital," Trygstad said. "There are so many different ways to make an impact, whether that's through patient care, policy, or advocacy."
As State President, Trygstad said much of his focus has been on helping HOSA chapters grow and ensuring students have access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. He hopes to continue advocating for others and making a difference in healthcare after graduating from high school. Returning to Washington as Minnesota HOSA's president was also personally meaningful.
"Being able to represent Minnesota HOSA again, especially as State President, means a lot to me," Trygstad said. "I've spent a huge part of my high school experience involved in HOSA, and it's given me opportunities I never would've imagined when I first joined."
From Building Confidence to Advocating for Others
Nierenhausen, Minnesota HOSA's Vice President of Outreach, described her second visit as both familiar and entirely different from her first experience. During her initial trip, she was relatively new to HOSA and did not know many of the other participants. Returning with more experience let her focus on networking, collaboration, and building relationships with other student leaders.
"This year I knew what to expect and used that knowledge to network and get to know my peers around me way better than before," Nierenhausen said.
She also noticed a greater emphasis on collaboration during the 2026 academy, which she said helped participants strengthen their teamwork skills. Looking back at both years, Nierenhausen said the academy helped her grow in different ways. During her first year, she focused on becoming more comfortable communicating and working with people from different states and programs. This year, her attention shifted toward advocacy and learning how students can speak up about issues important to them.
"Last year I considered the possibility of rerunning for officer but I wasn't sure, so to me that could have been my last year at WLA," Nierenhausen said. "But I ended up running again and getting elected!"
She said the connections developed through the academy have been particularly valuable because participants share similar responsibilities and experiences as HOSA leaders. Nierenhausen has already applied some of those skills in Minnesota, including speaking with representatives at the Minnesota Capitol and advocating within her school.
She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continue serving as a state officer, describing HOSA as an organization that has significantly impacted her life.
Community Service Reinforces the Importance of Healthcare Leadership
While several students highlighted their experiences meeting with lawmakers, Dharinya Ayyappan, a Lakeville North senior and Minnesota HOSA Industry Liaison, pointed to a community service activity as one of her most memorable experiences. Ayyappan participated in an NMDP service project during the academy, which brought together students interested in making a difference through service.
NMDP, formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Program, is a nonprofit organization focused on helping patients with blood cancers and other serious blood disorders access potentially lifesaving cell therapies.
"Being able to serve others alongside people who share the same passion for making a difference was incredibly meaningful," Ayyappan said.
She said the project reinforced an important lesson about leadership responsibilities.
"It reminded me that leadership extends beyond the positions we hold; it's about how we show up for others and give back to the communities that have given us so much."
Ayyappan also serves as president of Lakeville North HOSA, where she hopes to apply another important lesson from the academy: understanding the strengths and weaknesses of individual team members. She said successful leadership requires recognizing what each person brings to a group and learning how to work together toward common goals.
As she continues her presidency, Ayyappan hopes to use those lessons to strengthen Lakeville North's HOSA chapter and help its members have a successful year. She also believes collaboration and self-awareness will remain valuable throughout her future educational and professional experiences. Representing Lakeville and Minnesota at the national event was another source of pride.
"It's meaningful to see the work I've put into leadership and HOSA translate into an experience like this, and I'm grateful to represent a community that has helped shape me," Ayyappan said.
She said the experience has motivated her to keep challenging herself, pursue new opportunities, and find ways to make an impact beyond her community.
Learning to Lead Through Communication and Conflict Resolution
Beyond healthcare advocacy and community service, the academy gave students opportunities to build interpersonal skills they can apply in schools, workplaces, and future healthcare careers.
For Janovik, one of the most valuable lessons came from leadership sessions focused on resolving conflicts within student chapters. The sessions emphasized the importance of ensuring that all participants feel heard and respected when disagreements arise.
"One of the most important lessons I learned during the local officer leadership sessions was the correct way to handle conflict between members in our chapters," Janovik said.
Janovik explained that learning to manage disagreements constructively is particularly important in environments where individuals must work together toward shared goals. The lesson is one Janovik expects to carry into a future career, where teamwork and effective communication will be essential.
Gocool shared a similar perspective, emphasizing that effective leadership does not necessarily mean being the most outspoken person in a group.
"Something memorable I learned about leadership at Washington Leadership Academy was most definitely that strong leadership isn't about being the loudest, most eye-catching person in the room," Gocool said.
Instead, she believes strong leaders must observe carefully, listen to others, and adapt when circumstances change. Those skills, she said, are especially important when navigating high-pressure situations and maintaining cooperation among team members.
Together, the students' experiences show how the Washington Leadership Academy extends beyond traditional classroom education by emphasizing practical leadership skills they can use in healthcare and other professional settings.
What Is HOSA – Future Health Professionals?
HOSA – Future Health Professionals is an international, student-led organization that prepares young people for careers in healthcare through education, leadership development, competitive events, and community service. According to Minnesota HOSA, the organization serves more than 375,000 members worldwide, including more than 3,000 student members in Minnesota.
HOSA is recognized as a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO), operating alongside organizations such as DECA and FFA. While DECA focuses primarily on business, marketing, and entrepreneurship, and FFA emphasizes agricultural education, HOSA focuses specifically on healthcare and health-related career pathways.
The organization provides students with opportunities to explore careers in medicine, nursing, emergency medical services, biomedical sciences, public health, and healthcare administration, among other fields. Students can participate in competitive events, attend leadership conferences, develop professional networks, and engage in community service activities.
Minnesota HOSA has also grown significantly in recent years. According to Minnesota state budget documents, membership increased from 1,595 students in fiscal year 2024 to 3,353 in fiscal year 2026, while the number of chapters statewide grew from 87 to 134.
Both Lakeville North and Lakeville South high schools were recognized among Minnesota HOSA's 2025–2026 Honor Chapters, highlighting local students' involvement in the organization's programs. The participation of five Lakeville seniors at the Washington Leadership Academy further reflects the opportunities available to students through HOSA at the local, state, and national levels.
Encouraging the Next Generation of Healthcare Professionals
As the five Lakeville seniors prepare for their futures beyond high school, each hopes other students will consider exploring the opportunities available through HOSA. Their advice centers on getting involved, stepping outside their comfort zones, and recognizing that students do not need to have their entire futures planned before pursuing new experiences.
For Gocool, who once struggled with public speaking, overcoming uncertainty has been an important part of her personal development.
"Don't be afraid to pursue things that feel foreign to you," Gocool said. "Whether it be in the realm of healthcare or in HOSA or anywhere else, don't let the fear of the unknown hold you back from becoming the best version of yourself."
Ayyappan offered similar encouragement, particularly for younger students who may be uncertain about their career interests.
"My biggest advice is to start exploring early and never let the pressure to have everything figured out stop you from getting involved," Ayyappan said. "You don't have to be certain about your future to start building it."
She encouraged students to explore internships, ask questions, and take advantage of educational resources and opportunities available to them.
Janovik emphasized the importance of becoming actively involved in HOSA through conferences, competitive events, and networking. Janovik said students who demonstrate enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and a positive attitude can open doors to leadership opportunities.
For Trygstad, the most important lesson from his HOSA experience has been the value of creating opportunities for others. As State President, he has focused on helping chapters grow and supporting students who want to become involved in healthcare education and leadership. Even after graduation, he hopes to continue using those experiences to advocate for others and contribute to improvements in healthcare.
Five Students, One Shared Commitment to Leadership
Although the five Lakeville seniors participated in the same national conference, their reflections highlight different aspects of the experience. For Gocool and Janovik, advocating for HOSA on Capitol Hill demonstrated the importance of student voices in public policy. For Ayyappan, participating in a service project reinforced the responsibility leaders have to support their communities. For Trygstad and Nierenhausen, returning to the academy for a second year provided an opportunity to recognize their personal growth and apply their leadership experience in new ways.
Their experiences also demonstrate how involvement in student organizations can help young people develop confidence, build professional connections and discover opportunities they may not have previously considered.
As Minnesota HOSA continues to expand, the Washington Leadership Academy remains one of the organization's opportunities for student leaders to gain national-level experience in leadership development, civic engagement and healthcare advocacy.
For the five Lakeville seniors, the four-day experience in Washington, D.C., represented more than an opportunity to attend a national conference. It provided practical lessons and connections they hope to carry into their schools, communities and future careers.
Additional information about Minnesota HOSA is available at minnesotahosa.org, while information about the Washington Leadership Academy can be found at hosa.org/wla.
Written by: Will Wight
