STOCKTON – Nov. 10, 2015 is a date that Ezekiel Van Staaveren will never forget.
The Manteca High junior was in training for cross country on that fateful day when he was struck by a car.
At last week’s Health Occupations Students of America Area Leadership Conference at the San Joaquin County Office of Education, Van Staaveren recalled being on life support with a major concussion and broken bones.
This life-changing experience was used as part of his ‘Prepared Speech’ in the HOSA competition.
“It took (me) six months of recovery,” said Van Staaveren, who is now inspired to become an orthopedic surgeon.
He spent the previous night working on his speech with his sister. For his hard work and effort, Staaveren, who is also running cross country again, proudly came away with second-place honors.
According to MHS HOSA advisor Cheryl Behler, the one-day mock competition consisted of some 450 students from be.vital Charter High at Weston Ranch High, Mountain House, Kimball, McNair, Weber Institute, and Manteca High, to name a few.
Manteca High had 94 students while Weston Ranch also had 94 students.
The event made possible by Kathy Ruble, MUSD’s director of Career Technical Education / Science Technology Engineering Mathematics, and was held to help prepare students for the HOSA State Leadership Conference at the Anaheim Marriott beginning on April 5.
Van Staaveren wasn’t the only one who came away surprised by his achievement.
Emily Eavenson took third place in Medical Photography.
The MHS freshman enjoys photography but aspires to have a career in the medical field. “I love both so that’s why I got into (Medical Photography),” she said.
Eavenson also became the first-ever MHS HOSA student to earn a medal in that category.
Shannon Le and her sister, Stacy Le, also took home ribbons.
They took second place in the Health Career Display.
Shannon, who is an MHS freshman, is hoping to become a family practitioner while Stacy, who is a junior, is looking to get into a Pharmacy.