FCCLA State Leadership Conference 1977-2012

Since 1977 I have taken FCCLA students to state leadership conferences.  Now, I’ve had the opportunity to experience state leadership conferences with student in three states; Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado.  This year I took ten FCCLA members from Canon City High school.  At the beginning of the school year attending FCCLA SLC (state leadership conference) is the motivation to be a member and a goal of 10 members to compete for.  So, it’s always a pleasure to see them attain the goal and help them achieve it. 

This year five of the members competed in STAR events.  It’s always interesting after all these years how the students, no matter how many times you tell them not to procrastinate, they are always working until the last minute on their presentations.  Three of my members have competed the last three years and “knew the drill” and they did well at competition.  Another member in which this was her first year in FCCLA and she was a senior was very confident in her preparation as she has had some 4-H experience.  This experience paid off in the end as she did fairly well during her competitive event.   Next, after all my years as an advisor I think the most joy is the junior division student during competition as they take everything seriously.  My freshman student worked diligently on her project and at 6:15 a.m. on the morning of competition she call me to ask if she can come to my hotel room to practice her speech before she has to set up.  I said to her – “wait a few minutes as I just go out of the shower”.  These are memorable experience as an advisor.  She, in the end, received a top gold in her event and that 6:15 a.m. practice session proved to be the “winning ticket” to success. 

The other five FCCLA members who attended the conference experienced the workshops and presentations which proved to be a very educating experience for them.  They were making the connections of what I was trying to integrate in the classroom and teach them at the FCCLA meetings.  On the bus ride home it was great to hear them discuss ideas for membership recruitment for next year and what competitive events they want to be involved in.  I sat in the driver’s seat with a satisfying smile on my face with the thoughts “mission accomplished” as that was the whole reason for these students to attend. 

My hopes are I will be taking students to SLC for the next five years and never tire of the adventures of the annual conference.