LeadershipProduction Test

Extemporaneous Writing: Health Policy

Write a persuasive letter to a policymaker in 60 minutes on a secret health policy topic revealed at the event, typed on your own device and uploaded on the spot.

About this event

Extemporaneous Writing: Health Policy is a solo event for the Secondary and Postsecondary/Collegiate divisions. At the start of the event every competitor receives the same secret topic describing a current health policy issue, with the name and address of the policymaker to write to, and has 60 minutes to type a letter of support or opposition on a battery-powered laptop or tablet, followed by 5 minutes to upload it through the HOSA Digital Upload System link emailed before the conference. The internet may only be used for the upload, not for research, and no notes or printed materials are allowed; facts are not checked for accuracy, so the evidence comes from memory, personal experience and the details in the prompt. The 120-point rubric checks that the letter has the addressee's name, address and salutation, a subject line, the writer's own mailing and email address, and HOSA identifying information, and then scores the statement of position, three supporting points, a personal story about why the issue matters to you or your community, a conclusion that restates the position and asks for a reply, and grammar, spelling and punctuation. Time warnings come at 30, 5 and 1 minutes. Ties are broken by the highest-value rubric sections.

What judges score

A. Adherence to Guidelines: Name, Address, and appropriate salutation of addressee (5), Subject Line of the letter (5), Identification of Constituent (5), Competitor Identifying Information (5)B. Content: Statement of Support or Opposition to Given Bill / Health Policy (15), Supporting Point #1 (15), Supporting Point #2 (15), Supporting Point #3 (15), Personal Story (15)C. Conclusion: Conclusion (10), Indication of Request for Response (5)D. Organization: Grammar (5), Spelling and Punctuation (5); total 120

What's on the test

Name, address and appropriate salutation of addresseeSubject line of the letterIdentification of constituent with mailing address and emailCompetitor identifying information (name, HOSA division, chapter number, school, chartered association)Statement of support or opposition to the given bill or health policyThree supporting points with evidencePersonal story of why the issue matters to the competitor, family or communityConclusion restating the position and requesting a responseGrammar, spelling and punctuation

Study resources

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