The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) national convention gave a half-dozen students from Umatilla High School the chance to compete in the nation’s capitol.
For junior Eduardo Cruz, FCCLA is something he believes other students should consider for themselves. “It’s a really fun experience,” he said. “I think everyone should give it a shot.”
One week in Washington, D.C. held a lot of new experiences for six Umatilla High School students. They presented their work on a national level, figured out how to navigate the metro, traded pins with students from across the country, and spent time exploring the city.
In July, The students traveled with UHS Teacher Clint Hill after qualifying for the FCCLA National Leadership Conference. Their performances at Oregon’s Leadership Conference earned them the trip, but it was only one part of the experience.
Senior Cindy Oseguera was amazed by the size of the conference and the number of people. “It was a big place. You could get lost,” Cindy said. “There were so many people, and we had lots of opportunities to meet them.”
One of the ways students connected was through pin trading. Each state has its own pin, which students bring to exchange with others during the conference. Cindy met students from as far away as Puerto Rico and Hawaii, and Oregon’s pin was considered a rare find. “There aren’t as many FCCLA members in Oregon as other states, so people really wanted to trade pins with us,” Cindy said. “They offered us a lot of good trade offers.”
Along with meeting other members, students competed in the events that qualified them for nationals. FCCLA offers events in areas such as career exploration, fashion design, culinary arts, and early childhood education. Many require students to research a topic, develop a project, and present their work to judges.
Although the students had already presented their projects at the state level, competing at nationals brought a different level of pressure.
“It was very scary,” senior Joana Gallegos said. “You’re competing at a national level. It’s not just Oregon. You’re competing against students from everywhere in the country.”
Joana also serves as a state officer for FCCLA. While at nationals she participated in state officer training, networked with other student leaders, helped represent Oregon during the conference and took part in voting for FCCLA’s national officers. The role gave her more opportunity to do something she already enjoys–connecting with others.
“My favorite thing was hearing different people’s accents and trying to guess where they were from,” Joana said. “I love talking to new people and meeting new people.”
Cindy also enjoyed the opening sessions and the workshops offered during the conference. She said serving as a state officer gives students an opportunity to take on more responsibilities while developing their leadership skills.
When they were not attending conference events, the students explored Washington, D.C. The group visited the National Air and Space Museum, and the Washington Monument, attended a baseball game sponsored by FCCLA, and tried several local restaurants.
Making this trip possible required support before the students ever boarded their flight. They held a fundraiser to help cover airfare and received sponsorship from different local businesses including Columbia Harvest Foods and the Umatilla Police Department.
“We’re very grateful for the support we have received,” said Cindy. “Without it, this experience wouldn’t have been possible.”
Three of the six UHS students who attended have since graduated, but Cindy, Eduardo, and Joana are looking ahead to another year of FCCLA activities and the possibility of qualifying for the next National Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas.