In 1957 the then United States Office of Education realized that educational programs in health occupations were growing throughout the nation at such a pace that the first Health Occupations Program Specialist, Helen K. As programs expanded, needs for a student organization for health occupations students began to emerge for students enrolled in these programs. In 1960, early student organization
al needs were met through Future Nurses Clubs and Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA). An organization called the Health Careers Clubs gained national strength, especially in states such as Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, New York, New Mexico and others. These clubs focused especially on health career oriented programs operating in academic high schools. Health programming continued to grow and diversify. Health occupations programs were established in vocational and technical schools in many states. Health occupations educators began to see a need for an organized and united effort to consider common and unique concerns of health occupations. The American Vocational Association (AVA) emerged as a logical locus for such a group. The need for a leadership organization to serve students enrolled in vocational Health Occupations Education programs was recognized at the time of the first meeting of the Health Occupations Education Division of the American Vocational Association (AVA-HOE) in December 1971. This group heard reports from several states of activities leading to the organization of health occupations students associations. The AVA-HOE Division addressed this need when the newly elected Vice President, Dale Peterson, appointed a Task Force to: (1) study student clubs; (2) determine how they might better serve HOE students; and (3) examine whether a new organization was needed. State associations were established in Texas (Texas Association of Health Occupations Students) in April, 1972; in New Jersey (Health Careers Clubs of New Jersey) in October 1972; Health Careers Clubs of North Carolina was organized in 1973; OHOSO (Oklahoma Health Occupations Student Organization) in 1974. The Seventh Report (published in 1972) of the National Advisory Council for Vocational Education was devoted to a description of the expanding visibility and support of vocational student organizations. This report stated that a new organization, designed to serve students in health occupations, "has been organized at the state level and will shortly seek a national charter. And there will be others." Further action was taken by the HOE Division during the AVA Convention in Chicago in December 1972. Joan Stoddard submitted the Task Force report presented by James L. Navara, Oregon Board of Education, "A Feasibility Study for a Vocational Youth Organization for the Health Occupations Curriculum." During the HOE Division business meeting, the members adopted a "Position Paper on Student Organizations in the Field of Health Occupations Education." This paper stated that the HOE Division of AVA should "serve a facilitating role in assisting the various states and/or local groups to develop the type of organization each deems most appropriate to their settings." Members of the HOE Division took further action during the 1973 AVA Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. The HOE Vice President was directed to "inform by letter the AVA Board of Directors and the National Advisory Council on Vocational Education of action taken by the HOE Division at this meeting -- namely, to endorse the creation of a leadership organization for health occupations students and work with the staff of AVA to develop procedures for implementing the above action." Vice President Wilma Gillespie presented a report, "A Statement of Need," to the AVA Board of Directors during the July Board Meeting, 1974.
