FCCLA Awards Night and Officer Installation 2025-26
FCCLA held their annual Awards and Officer Installation Night April 23 at 6:30 in the High School Media Center. The evening began with a potluck supper followed by the awards, recognition of members, and honoring of seniors, and installation of officers.
President Kaydance Maertins began the evening by welcoming the guests and the giving the Opening Ceremony. A movie highlighting the events throughout the year was viewed while members and guests enjoyed the meal. President Kaydance Maertins shared information about awards the chapter had received at the State Leadership Conference in April. The chapter had received the following awards: The Gold Star Chapter Award, White Chapter Affiliation Award and Feed Nebraska. Mrs. Jacobsen had also received the A.C.E. Award.
Officer Meleah Buck presented the Membership Recruiter Award for recruiting 5 members to Kaydance Maertins and Dakotah Albin.
At State Leadership Conference, students had the opportunity to take Challenge Tests in FCS Curriculum areas. Scarlet Torrey presented chapter members with their certificates: Kaydance Martins: Life and Career Readiness-2nd Place, Nutrition and Child Development-Participation; Jaden May: Housing & Interior Design-First Place Dakotah Albin: Nutrition and Housing & Interior Design-Participation.
Members also competed at state with their Skill Demonstration Events which served as an introduction to FCCLA’s competitive STAR events and required a shorter time commitment than regular STAR Events projects. Students who competed in these events both in Job Interviewing Level 2 and received their certificates: Scarlet Torrey-First Place and Dakotah Albin-3rd Place.
Officer Dakotah Albin presented the STEP One Certificates to new members Payton Johansen, Denise Murphy, Damiana Strong, Landon Hergert, Chole Mullins, Lucea Miller, Alina Hilpipre, Elena Camacho, Chloe Kemnitz Connor Montogomery, Nyome Barron, and Erica Maurer. They earned this award by completing the STEP One Program where they learned about FCCLA, its purposes, and programs.
Officer Ashlyn Forbes shared information about STAR events and then gave students who competed in STAR events their District and State STAR Competition Certificates and medals. At Districts, Dakotah Albin and Scarlet Torrey earned gold medals and were District Champions in their events, qualifying for state competition. Jaden May earned a silver medal and received District Runner-up. At state competition Dakotah and Scarlet both received gold medals and 4th place in their events, just missing qualifying for nationals by one placing. Jaden May also received a Gold Medal, 2nd Place- Runner-Up in Job Interview, to qualify for nationals in Washington, DC.
Adviser Mrs. Jacobsen and Officer Jaden May presented the Power of One Awards to members who completed goals within each module that they had set for themselves and worked to achieve this year. Members received a certificate for each module they completed this year with the goal to complete all 5 units by their senior year. Receiving certificates this year in the following modules were “Better You”: Chloe Keminitz, Scarlet Torrey, Payton Johansen, Kaydance Maertins, Dakotah Albin, Landon Hergert, and Ashlyn Forbes”; “Working on Working”: Ilyana Barron, Landon Hergert, and Ilyana Barron”, “Speak Out for FCCLA”: Kaydance Maertins, Dakotah Albin, and Jaden May; “Family Ties”: Ilyana Barron; “Take the Lead”: Dakotah Albin, Jaden May, Landon Hergert, Ashlyn Forbes. Receiving a certificate and plaque for having completed all five units this year was senior member Kaydance Maertins.
Officers for the 2026-27 year were announced and installed: President Dakotah Albin, Vice-President Ashlyn Forbes, Secretary Landon Hergert, Treasurer Scarlet Torrey, Historian-Jaden May, National Programs Ilyana Barron.
The night concluded with the giving of the senior gift to Kaydance Maertins. Members will be calling donors Monday June 27 for the May 6th blood drive to be held from 9-3 at the high school. Donors may go online to redcross.org and begin registering for their donation times.