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Jacobsen Takes Gold at FCCLA National STAR Competition

July 06, 2024

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“We are thrilled to share that Shayla proudly represented Plainview as she competed in Job Interview Level 3 STAR Event and received a Gold Medal at the 2024 FCCLA National Leadership Conference (NLC) held in Seattle, WA, from June 28-July 3. The evaluators used the full-time limit to review her portfolio and interview her.  She competed on Monday, so it was a long wait till Thursday to get the results,” Jacobsen stated.  

The heart of the conference is the highly anticipated Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events Competition. Over 4,300 FCCLA members competed in these 30plus STAR events, where they were recognized for their proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparation. The students’ projects exemplify their dedication, creativity, and commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of others. Their accomplishment at the national level is a testament to their hard work, teamwork, and unwavering passion.

The conference themed "The Ultimate Journey" drew more than 8,000 students, educators, and guests from across the nation. This conference provided a valuable platform for attendees to expand their leadership skills, sharpen their talents, explore career pathways, and listen to inspiring speakers.

During the conference, Shayla was able to attend the EXPO and visit exhibitor booths on career options, educational resources, fundraisers, and training opportunities. There were so many booths, it took an entire day to go through the EXPO. Saturday-Tuesday STAR competitions took place. When you weren’t competing, there were breakout sessions “Red Talks” and Workshops to attend such as: How to Polish Your Image, 21^st Century Communication Skills, Putting On Your Thinking Cap, Solving the Leadership Puzzle, Planting the Seeds for Leadership Growth, Navigating the Chaos:  Achieving Balance in a Busy Schedule, Engaged Leadership and Building Cohesiveness, Teen Driving Safety, How to Maximize Your FCCLA Membership, and so many more.

Advisers had the opportunity to attend Chapter Adviser Networking Roundtables and sharing sessions throughout the conference. Members even had access to a Quiet/Sensory Room if they were feeling overwhelmed during the day.

Opening Session was held Saturday night followed by a Nebraska State Meeting.  During the opening session MAJ Elizabeth Ohloff, Public Affairs Officer for the US Army spoke. Her message focused on normalizing failure. She challenged members to focus on the learning…to discover what went wrong, learn from it, and move to improve. Grow. Be relentless.  Following, keynote speaker Caleb Campbell spoke on “Purposeful Presence” and how to Expand Capacity, Elevate Performance, and Enhance Well-Being.  Several additional awards and business sessions were also held throughout the week in early morning or late afternoon or evening hours.

National and Nebraska FCCLA built in events and flexibility to the schedule which allowed members to meet others across the nation. Members would enthusiastically meet/greet each other to exchange pins all day long every day.  Nebraska, which was one of six states having the largest attendance of over 300 attendees, organized a state event to tour the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden’s Monday after sessions ended.  National FCCLA coordinators organized a night trip for everyone to attend a Seattle Mariners baseball game Tuesday night. FCCLA members took over a large section of the stadium and the transportation system that night.

Between events on Saturday and Sunday, the Plainview Chapter made time to walk down to Pike’s Market and Miner’s Landing where there were able to ride the Seattle Wheel, take a Salish Boat Tour, and view Wings over Washington. The days and nights were filled with FCCLA activities, events, learning, fun, and not much sleep.

Looking ahead, FCCLA will be hosting its next National Leadership Conference in Orlando, FL from July 5-9, 2025.

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a dynamic and effective student-led nation-based organization supporting youth on their journey to become the leaders of tomorrow and helping them address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. FCCLA has over 240,000 members and more than 5,200 chapters across the nation.

The Ultimate Leadership Experience is unique among youth organizations because its programs are planned and run by members. It is the only career and technical intracurricular student organization with a central focus on careers that support families. Participation in national FCCLA programs and chapter activities aids members in becoming strong leaders in their families, careers, and communities.

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