As is the case with the entire senior class of 2020, Kyda Gossen’s senior year of high school has been turned upside-down by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gossen, who attends both Cordell High School and Western Technology Center, started her senior year with a mission and vision. She ran for, and was elected as, president of the Future Health Professionals (HOSA, formerly Health Occupations Students of America) student organization.
Each HOSA leadership team undertakes a community service project as part of their lasting legacy in the organization. Gossen was inspired by the previous year’s leadership team, which organized a large-scale hair donation event at the group’s state leadership conference. She wanted to continue that tradition and build on it by creating “Leaves For A Life,” an organization dedicated to obtaining and planting 1,000 seedlings across Oklahoma in support of those who have fought, or are still fighting, battles with cancer.
And then everything changed.
The COVID-19 virus spread across the globe, causing ripple effects that society has yet to fully realize. In Oklahoma, schools have been closed for the remainder of the year, including all extracurricular activities. The HOSA state leadership conference, where Gossen was to deliver the seedlings to her fellow students, was canceled.
But Gossen was not to be stopped.
She got her state leadership team together for a virtual meeting and continue pushing her projects. The team agreed to continue the work and donate hair to the organization “Children With Hair Loss.” Gossen started the ball rolling by donating her own hair, in total eight inches.
“I not only did this because of the cancellation of state leadership conference, but also to honor my sister, who has cancer,” she said. “I wanted to encourage everyone out there in this difficult time that there is still good going around, and when it is possible, I want as many people to donate their hair and send it to the organization ‘Children With Hair Loss.’”
She then turned her focus back to “Leaves For A Life,” a project she has dedicated to her sister.
“I want the leaves to grow back every year for the people who have fought their fight. I want the roots to grow for the people where their fight made them a survivior. I want the people who are fighting right now to be the branches to expand and strengthen the tree,” Gossen said.
Although the pandemic has slowed the program, Gossen is committed to delivering the seedlings to all the technology centers once the restrictions are lifted.
Gossen said she hopes to make this project a success to remind people that good things happen, even in trying times. She hopes the trees and the organization grow, not from pity, but as something that will stand strong and fight, like her sister.