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Powers, was appointed to supervise the field. As programs expanded, needs for a student organization for health occupations students began to emerge for students enrolled in these programs. In 1960, early student organizational needs were met through Future Nurses Clubs and Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA). The demand grew for a group that would provide the specialized programs of Health Occupations students. An organization called the Health Careers Clubs gained national strength, especially in states such as Texas, New Jersey, North Carolina, Alabama, New York, New Mexico and others. These clubs focused especially on health career oriented programs operating in academic high schools. Health programming continued to grow and diversify. Health occupations programs were established in vocational and technical schools in many states. Health occupations educators began to see a need for an organized and united effort to consider common and unique concerns of health occupations. The American Vocational Association (AVA) emerged as a logical locus for such a group. The need for a leadership organization to serve students enrolled in vocational Health Occupations Education programs was recognized at the time of the first meeting of the Health Occupations Education Division of the American Vocational Association (AVA-HOE) in December 1971. This group heard reports from several states of activities leading to the organization of health occupations students associations. The AVA-HOE Division addressed this need when the newly elected Vice President, Dale Peterson, appointed a Task Force to: (1) study student clubs; (2) determine how they might better serve HOE students; and (3) examine whether a new organization was needed. State