Left to Right: Mirella Hernandez, Pedro Sanchez, Isabel Hernandez
July 2019–More than 9,500 Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members, advisers, alumni, and guests from across the country gathered in Anaheim, California, for the 2019 National Leadership Conference. The meeting provided three De Queen Junior High members with the opportunity to attend leadership and program training, hear national speakers, meet the National Executive Council, and explore colleges and careers with FCCLA. Pedro Sanchez, Mirella Hernandez, and Isabel Hernandez also took part in STAR Event competitions at the conference.
FCCLA’s STAR Events (Students Taking Action with Recognition) are competitive events in which members are recognized for proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparation. Youth and adults work together to manage the events and serve as evaluators of the participants. Throughout the year, FCCLA members tackle issues such as teen violence prevention, traffic safety, family issues, career exploration, and much more. FCCLA programs and competitions support students’ development of knowledge and skills by enhancing the classroom experience and career pathway initiatives while participating in work-based learning and developing college and career-ready skills.
FCCLA offers over 30 STAR Events. These events represent college and career readiness skills taught in Family and Consumer Sciences classrooms. Members compete at the District, State and National level. This year, Pedro Sanchez was among over 4,500 STAR Event participants who competed in Anaheim, California. Pedro competed in the Focus on Children STAR Event. His project focused on promoting creativity in today’s youth for a better tomorrow. Pedro received a bronze medal in the event. Mirella Hernandez and Isabel Hernandez competed in the Entrepreneurship STAR Event. Their project consisted of creating and presenting a business plan for establishing a company called “Books N’ Pie.” Mirella and Isabel received silver medals in their event.