Bainbridge High School’s Health Occupation Students of America/Biomedical Engineering Club competed in the Washington State Leadership Conference in Spokane’s EWU/WSU extension campus on March 15-17.

The Spartan team earned several first-place finishes out of a field of approximately 1,400 competitors.

The big winners are: Jesse Thiele, first place, Medical Photography; Samantha Gerlach, second place, Dental Science; Maddy Vogl, first place, Clinical Specialties; Marianne Milander, first place, Veterinarian Medicine, and fourth place, Medical Math.

The four students have earned a spot to the National Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas on June 27-30.

The club gives special thanks to the Rotary Club of Bainbridge Island and the Bainbridge Schools Foundation for supporting the club and its students for STEM-related careers in the future.

The club is now fundraising and accepting donations to help support the Spartan students so they can attend the competition in Texas.