Conference equips FCCLA
November 9, 2015
A grown-up science fair. Trifolds on little tables, laptops propped up so the screens are clearly visible, only a few small props allowed. This is what the upcoming Family, Career and Community Leaders of America competition next semester will include.
To prepare, Manhattan High’s FCCLA went to the District D Fall Conference on Wednesday.. The conference was located at Mission Valley High School in Eskridge, and was attended by about 300 students, 10 from MHS.
The purpose of the event was to encourage and inform members.
That’s what the whole thing was: leadership training and an overview of what the club was about,” Kaitlin Tyler, sophomore, said.
“We talked about the accomplishments of each group of FCCLA,” sophomore MaKenna Eilert said.
Vernon King Jr. was featured as the event’s keynote speaker. King travels from place to place with the goal of sparking FCCLA members’ enthusiasm.
“He really taught us how to lead the club, and that we’re all leaders,” Eilert said.
More specifically, King commended students for previous accomplishments.
“He went over things people had done, for instance if they’d won the previous year, and congratulated people, Tyler said.”
King also explained the club’s STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) events, which require members to investigate and present a topic of their choice.
“You pick what you want to do,” Tyler said. “You simplify your topic down to, like, all of your project’s steps, and then you present it …The judges base you on how well you did presenting it and how well you simplified your project.”
After listening to King, FCCLA members clustered into smaller divisions.
“We broke out into little like small groups,” Tyler said, “and basically talked about … how to better communicate with your family.”
Club members enjoyed the conference.
“It was actually pretty awesome,” sophomore Raige Krumm said.