Abagail Wessel, Joslin Gaukel, Kaylee Goslar, and Sophia Woodward from West Monona Competed in the National STAR Event Competition at the 2023 FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Denver, CO, July 2-6, 2023. Joslin, Sophia and Kaylee competed on July 3rd with their project titled “Care Closet” This project was a Chapter Service Project Display. These girls earned a silver medal for their project. Abagail Wessel competed on July 5th with her project “She Eats, She Scores. This project was from the STAR Event Sports Nutrition. Abagail earned a Gold medal for her project.
Denver, CO, July 2023 – The 2023 FCCLA National Leadership Conference (NLC) took place in Denver, CO from July 2-6, drawing more than 7,900 students, educators, and guests from across the nation. This gathering provided a valuable platform for attendees to expand their leadership skills, sharpen their talents, explore career pathways, and listen to inspiring speakers. Iowa FCCLA State Officers representing West Monona: Jalyn Struble, State President and Emma Jensen, Parliamentary Law. Jalyn Struble was selected to serve on the National Nominating Committee. Jalyn was one of twelve officers from all over the United States. They spent two days completing interviews and leadership activities with 24 National Officer candidates with the goal of reducing that number to 20. Emma Jensen was a voting delegate. Emma and Jalyn both listened to all of the candidate speeches and then narrowed the number of candidates to 10. Emma and Jalyn also attended State Officer training during the week. Emma also participated as a Youth Room Consultant for STAR Events. Jalyn represented Iowa on stage by carrying the Iowa Flag in the Opening Session. During the Recognition Session Jalyn represented Iowa on stage again when she received the award for Iowa’s increase in membership. Iowa is now ranked 19th in the nation for membership. Iowa will have 4 voting delegates next year at the National Meeting in Seattle, Washington in July 2024.
At the heart of the conference were the highly anticipated Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events. Over 4,300 FCCLA members competed in these events, where they were recognized for their proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparation. The collaboration between youth and adults in managing the events and evaluating participants allowed students to develop real-world skills and gain valuable insights.
STAR Events play a pivotal role in supporting student development by enhancing their classroom experience and guiding them towards successful career pathways. With more than 30 events to choose from, participants have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities by actively addressing important issues concerning families, careers, or communities. By researching the topic and implementing projects to advocate for positive change, students acquire valuable skills and industry insights needed to thrive in the 21st century.
We are thrilled to share that Abagail Wessel (Gold), Joslin Gaukel, Kaylee Goslar, and Sophia Woodward (Silver) proudly represented West Monona at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Denver, CO. They competed in the Chapter Service Project Display and Sports Nutrition STAR Events and achieved a remarkable Silver and Gold medals in recognition of their outstanding performance. Brook Gaukle (Chaperone) and Janet Mann (Adviser) traveled with the West Monona members.
The students' project, exemplifies their dedication, creativity, and commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others. Their accomplishment at the national level is a testament to their hard work, teamwork, and unwavering passion.
About FCCLA
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a dynamic and effective student-led nation-based organization supporting youth on their journey to become the leaders of tomorrow and helping them address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. FCCLA has over 237,000 members and more than 5,100 chapters across the nation.
FCCLA: The Ultimate Leadership Experience is unique among youth organizations because its programs are planned and run by members. It is the only career and technical intracurricular student organization with a central focus on careers that support families. Participation in national FCCLA programs and chapter activities aids members in becoming strong leaders in their families, careers, and communities.
For more information on FCCLA, please contact Janet Mann at 433-1887 or janet.mann@westmonona.org.