For the first-time since Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) was founded in 1945, members competed in Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events on the national level virtually this past June. Three Ste. Genevieve High School students earned the opportunity to participate in this national event by first competing at the region and state level, and all three students went on to earn a gold medal at the national competition! Congratulations to Emily Abt, Maria Kemper and Drew Newman for their outstanding accomplishments!
STAR Events are Competitive Events in which members are recognized for their proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparation. STAR Events allow students to compete individually or as a team. There are more than 30 STAR Events students can choose to compete in, all which recognize participants who demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities to actively identify an issue concerning families, careers, or communities, research the topic, and develop and implement a project to advocate for positive change.
Emily Abt, a 2020 graduate of Ste. Genevieve High School, competed in Event Management and was awarded a gold medal, placing 11th in the nation in her STAR Event category at the 2020 Virtual National Leadership Conference. Maria Kemper and Drew Newman, both sophomores at Ste. Genevieve High School, competed in Digital Stories for Change and were awarded gold medals, placing 4th in the nation in their STAR Event category at the 2020 Virtual National Leadership Conference.
Both youth and adults work together in managing the events and serving as evaluators of the participants. STAR Events aim to support student development of knowledge and skills by enhancing the classroom experience and Career Pathway initiatives by equipping students with employable skills and industry insights needed to thrive in the 21st century.
About FCCLA
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a dynamic and effective national student organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. FCCLA has more than 182,000 members and 5,253 chapters from 48 state associations, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.