Education
Lehi FCCLA students earn national recognition at National Leadership Conference
Megan Wallgren | Lehi Free Press
Eight Lehi High School FCCLA students earned spots in the top 10 nationally at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference held July 6-8 in Washington, D.C., including a second-place national finish for Lehi’s Hannah Snow.
The conference brought students from across the country together to compete in FCCLA STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events and participate in leadership activities connected to family and consumer sciences. Some events are individual competitions, while others involve teams.
Lehi FCCLA advisor Angela Adams said the national competition lets students take the skills they developed throughout the school year and present their work to professional judges.
“They all have an oral component,” Adams said. “Some have a presentation board, some actually have to create something, but they all have to tell judges about their project.”
Adams, in her third year as Lehi’s FCCLA advisor, said preparation for national competition takes months. Students develop projects, practice presentations, and refine their work before competing at the state level and potentially advancing to nationals.
Utah students performed particularly well at the national conference, earning approximately 10% of the top 10 awards nationally. Lehi students returned from the national conference with eight gold medals and five top 10 national finishes.
Snow earned second place nationally in Teaching Strategies. Molly Hansen and Colby Goodrich placed seventh in Chapter in Review Display. Brooklyn Byrd placed seventh in Say Yes to FCS, while Paige Miller and Lynnlee Lowry placed sixth in Sports Nutrition. Bodey Trane and Mahogany Faye Smith placed 10th in Fashion Design, and Mazie Walters, a student from American Fork who joined the Lehi chapter for nationals, placed seventh in Interior Design.
Nora Jensen, Maylee Baker and Kierra Carpenter earned silver in Focus on Children. Brynlee McCain earned silver in Interior Design, Liam Scott earned silver in Nutrition & Wellness, and Avea Seneca earned bronze in the Red Talks on Education online event.
Junior Nora Jensen competed in Focus on Children with teammates Baker and Carpenter. The team taught third-grade students about growth mindset at Snow Springs Elementary in Lehi and Northridge Elementary in Orem. Jensen said the team chose growth mindset because she wished she had learned about the concept earlier in elementary school.
For the national competition, the students created a display and presented their lesson, planning process, and the steps that they took to judges.
The national conference also allowed Jensen to travel outside Utah for the first time and experience Washington, D.C. “It was my first time, and it was the furthest I’d been from home,” Jensen said. “I got to compete but also got to go and see all kinds of landmarks I’ve seen on TV shows and think ‘I’m actually here now.’”
Jensen said one of the most valuable parts of the experience was learning how to present in front of adults without becoming nervous. “I was so scared to talk to adults for such a long time,” Jensen said. “After competing, I have so much more confidence.”
She also appreciated learning to collaborate with her team. “It’s really valuable learning to work with other people and seeing how you can combine your skills to work the best that you can together,” she said.
Jensen will serve as an FCCLA officer during the upcoming school year.
Adams said the experience is possible in part because of financial support from the Alpine School District, which helps students with expenses such as competition fees, hotel costs and flights. “It’s a great opportunity for these kids who wouldn’t otherwise have it,” Adams said.
The awards and completed projects also give students something tangible to add to college applications and resumes, demonstrating their ability to take on a project and carry it beyond the classroom.
The national conference extends beyond the competitions. Between events, students attend leadership workshops and hear speakers. Participants are expected to attend at least eight leadership events during the conference. Students also have opportunities to meet FCCLA members from other states, exchange pins and build friendships.
Adams said those relationships and leadership experiences are an important part of what FCCLA offers. “It’s about connections, practicing their leadership skills, practicing presenting, and building confidence,” she said.
Lehi’s chapter currently has about 50 active members, although participation varies from year to year. This year’s national delegation included 14 Lehi students, along with Walters from the American Fork chapter.
