Umatilla High School students in Mrs. Fritz’s (formerly Ms. Nygren) Family, Career, and Community Leaders (FCCLA) class competed at the State FCCLA Leadership Conference in Portland, OR, March 14th through 16th. While at the conference, several students earned awards and also qualified for Nationals this summer in Seattle, WA.
FCCLA is a career-focused club that prepares students for future educational and career opportunities. They prepare for career pathways in Human Services, Hospitality & Tourism, Education & Training, and Visual Arts & Design. They also develop real-world skills that are transferable to any career path. According to the FCCLA website, “FCCLA members explore career opportunities and build their real-world skills by developing projects, engaging and participating in events, and competing regionally and nationally for scholarships and awards.”
For the competition, students selected one event from a pool of over 50 options and developed presentations to deliver to a panel of judges. Some examples of what students competed in include “Food Innovation,” where they created nutritious snacks meeting strict nutrition criteria. In “Entrepreneurship,” they brainstormed business ideas and put together detailed portfolios. In another category, “Career Investigation,” students researched a career they were interested in and shared their findings.
Students put in a lot of work to prepare and practice for the conference and had a lot of success. They showed excellent leadership skills and were recognized for their performances.
Students who competed at the conference, their event, and results:
Abigail Daniel - Career Investigation - Gold
Ethan Robertson - Job Interview - Bronze
Israel Leonor Ortega - Career Investigation - Bronze
Mischa Hill - Food Innovations - Gold
Sydney Kissler - Nutrition & Wellness - Bronze
Valeria Leon - Chapter in Review Display - Bronze
Yaretzi Solis - Career Investigation - Silver
Yasmin Martinez - Entrepreneurship - Gold
Seniors Abigail Daniel, Mischa Hill, and Yasmin Martinez placed first in their event, which qualified them for the National FCCLA Leadership Conference from June 29th through July 3rd. While at the conference, students will not only compete in their event but will also have the opportunity to network with other FCCLA members from across the nation, attend leadership workshops, and develop their skills further.