Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) competed in state April 4-5 in Dallas. Of the 28 students that competed in Family Consumer Science Assessments (FCSA), 13 brought back gold medals, seven took home silver and three received bronze medals. Aside from competing, the competition was also an opportunity to connect with other schools and learn from the resources around them.

“They had a bunch of workshops that the students that could participate in about business etiquette across the world and understanding your values,” co-sponsor Katherine Carriker said. “There were exhibits, a bunch of colleges and dozens of other schools. They got to meet kids from other places and see some projects [that gave us] good ideas for next year.”

Last year, FCCLA did not qualify to compete in state. This year, they took home 23 medals and had one student compete in a STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) event. Senior Jessica Lopez competed in an interior design STAR event. She was tasked with coming up with a dream house for a fake client with a budget and specifications.

“I think we’ll have more people doing STAR events next year,” Carriker said. “They’re a little bit of a bigger deal and they take more time. We have some sophomores now that are interested in doing it next year.”

Sophomore regional officer Adam Soomoro spoke at the event. He volunteers often with FCCLA and frequently brings in new members. Soomoro was among the 13 students that won gold medals this year.

“I know we took more people to regionals this year than last year,” Carriker said. “We’ve definitely grown a lot and we plan on continuing to expand.”