On February 14, the JP Stevens Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) club held a charity dinner event to raise donations for the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association. The evening featured a sequence of events, including a dance, game stations, dinner, and a movie.

The dance session lasted for an hour and featured Bachata, a dance style that originated in the Dominican Republic. Students danced with the professional Bachata instructors, friends, or their valentine. The dance created a lively atmosphere and set the tone for the rest of the evening.

After the dance, students moved on to the game stations, where they enjoyed various Valentine’s Day-themed games. The games included Valentine’s Day Matching Cards, Valentine’s Day Ring Toss with colored bottles, Pin the Heart on the Cupid, and Candy Stacking Game with Chopsticks. The game stations lasted for 45 minutes and proved to be a popular activity for students. Many students such as sophomore Bill Tang expressed their excitement about winning prizes such as a teddy bear from the chopstick candy game.

For many students, the highlight of the event was the dinner and a movie. The food options were diverse, ranging from pasta and vegetable rice to plantains and pizza. The organizers received food from several restaurants including Mirchi’s Restaurant, Havana Central, Carmen’s Trattoria, Edison Pizza and Italian Restaurant, True Food Kitchen, Jade Dynasty, and Dominic’s Italian Restaurant. The dinner provided an opportunity for students to socialize and enjoy each other’s company.

“I had a lot of fun playing all these games and having a fun time together with my girlfriend on Valentine’s Day,” said junior Vamsi Murali Krishna. “It was a great experience!”

In order to organize the event, the HOSA board spent a lot of time preparing all of the different aspects such as coordinating with the Bachata dancers and restaurants. They are very proud of the turnout and how the event ran.

 “Planning was a lot of hard work, but I’m glad to see that it really paid off,” said junior Krish Patel. “Everyone was able to have an amazing time, and we were able to raise donations for both the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association.”

Overall, the HOSA charity dinner proved to be an enjoyable experience for students. While the event provided a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, it also raised awareness and funds for two important causes. The charity dinner proved to be a successful event for the JP community.