Sen. Larry Edgell presents the 2012 Outstanding Regional HSTA Student award to Sidney Hipp during an awards ceremony at the state capitol
Health Science Technology Academy [HSTA] celebrated their Day at the Legislature Tuesday, January 31st with events that included an awards ceremony at the capitol in Charleston and a special meeting with Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. Gov. Tomblin signed a proclamation on Jan. 27th officially declaring February as HSTA Month.
 The noon-time awards ceremony honored one outstanding student from each of the 14 HSTA regions. Chosen for her outstanding leadership in the HSTA program from the Roane-Calhoun region was Sidney G. Hipp (left) senior at Calhoun County High School. Sidney is the daughter of Brian K. and Michele D. Hipp of Grantsville, WV.
HSTA was recognized as national "model created in West Virginia by West Virginians that networks globally to provide 21th century skills necessary for success while ensuring the well-being of future
generations of West Virginians, our economic stability and our quality of life, making West Virginia a great place to live and work."
Since 1994 HSTA has reached out to 9th ‐12th grade under‐represented students to support them through high school and college and follow them to professional school to ultimately help prepare them for a career in the health sciences.
The goals of the program continue to be to increase the college going rate among under-represented students in the West Virginia; to improve science and math education; to empower communities through leadership development of their youth; and ultimately, to increase the number of health care providers in West Virginia's currently under served rural communities. Ninety-seven percent of HSTA students attend college and ninety-four percent graduate from college.
Presenting a Legislative Citation of Achievement to Ms. Hipp are (L-R) Senate President Jeffrey Kessler, Sidney Hipp, and Senator Larry Edgell
| 
