Silver Medalists
By Donnie A. Lucas
Several members of the local FCCLA chapter competed at the national conference in Denver, Colorado last week, bringing home silver medals for their efforts.
The Level 2 Parliamentary Procedure team which can include freshmen and sophomore students, earned the silver medal; however, they did not place in the top 10 in the nation. Last year five of seven members competed in the Level I (junior high) division and won first place at the national conference.
“They did a great job again this year,” FCCLA sponsor Jennifer Marshall said. “There was just much more competition at Level 2 than they had last year.”
The group won first at the state conference in March to qualify for the national competition, with only the top two teams from each state advancing.
Members of the team included Mimi Ivy – president, Caroline Chapman – secretary, Tristan Howe – treasurer, and members Madison Parrott and Woods Peterson. New to the group this year were Cade Fairchild, and Jaxson Street.
Two other FCCLA members, Luke Marshall and Houston Heatly, both juniors this last year, competed in the Level 3 division for juniors and seniors in the Digital Stories for Change category. Their video about the effects of too much screen time finished in the top 10 and also earned a silver medal.
“Only 15 videos were selected nationwide for presentation at the national conference,” Marshall said. “Their entry this year addressed the amount of screen time people spend on electronic devices and the possible negative effects.”
Last year as sophomores Marshall and Houston won second place at the national convention with a Digital Story for Change entry about mental health among students.
The sponsor said that local individuals and businesses have again been generous in their support of the FCCLA qualifiers, with donations exceeding $25,000 in order to finance the trip.
“We couldn’t go to the national conference without the support of the community,” she said.
Marshall said the group toured the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, celebrated the 4th of July at Elitch Gardens, and toured Denver.
She added that commentary from the judges will be sent soon with feedback about the projects so they can continue to improve their skills for next year’s competition.
Teacher Elizabeth Howe also accompanied the group as a school sponsor.
Over 8,000 FCCLA members from across the nation attended the conference held July 1-7. Over 4,300 of those competed in events there.
