Timpview FCCLA Students Win Gold at State, Set Sights on Nationals: Part 4 of 4

To reiterate, 18 Timpview Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) students qualified for the national leadership conference after winning gold at the state competition. Their projects focus on strengthening families, serving the community, and advocating for vital community issues. 

As part of the FCCLA student fundraiser for the nationals trip, we’re introducing a few of the many outstanding students and their FCCLA Projects! Here are the final two we spoke with.

Natalie Rojas Garcia – Chapter Service Project Display

For the Chapter Service Project Display, Natalie Rojas Garcia compiled her chapter’s service tutoring struggling students in Edgemont Elementary to identify gaps in learning to lead to metric-driven growth.

“There are kids– including me– that can hate going to school because of one subject,” Natalie said.

“Getting behind in one topic or struggling can make you feel like giving up, even if you’re good at other topics.”

So, Natalie came up with a plan. Her group would identify student needs and draft tutoring plans that differentiated end products to incorporate their interests and talents.

Natalie gave an example of a hypothetical student who loves art but hates reading. Natalie built a differentiated product for the student, asking them to create and explain an art piece based on a novel they would continuously read and regularly write about. Students incorporated reading and writing in a way suited for them. Natalie would offer more informal assessments to gauge learning while guaranteeing more consistent practice on the way to a fun, engaging end project.

In cases of more rote learning, students struggling with test scores received test corrections and personalized reviews, and groups of vocab words memorization received direct, customized tutoring. 

Students exhibited growth in their identified issues at the end of their time together.

“We’ve seen their struggles. We feel their struggles. It was a great project.”

Macie Sanders – Say Yes to FCS

Macie’s research project was, interestingly enough, an introspective look at Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS). Her research project thesis?

“FCS classes are disappearing. I argued that it deserved a bigger spotlight by demonstrating why it was important.”

 For the uninitiated, FCS offers programs that teach transferable, life management, and employable skills. There are eight content areas: Child Development and Guidance, Consumer Education, Family and Human Development, Fashion, Textiles, and Apparel, Food and Nutrition, Housing and Furnishings, Individual and Family Health, and Leadership Development. FCS offers several career pathways, including:

• Child Development and Education
• Consumer Services
• Education
• Family and Human Services
• Fashion Design and Merchandising
• Food Science, Dietetics and Nutrition
• Food Service and Hospitality
• Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation
• Interior Design

FCCLA is an organization belonging to FCS.

In a way, her argument was self-evaluative of all she had learned and experienced in FCCLA. Her argument is a testament to the value of FCCLA and proof of her knowledge.

“These are essential life skills that everyone should learn. They’re necessary. You need a base in family and human development and health, food, nutrition.”

Macie continued, discussing FCS’s value as an essential gateway into Food Science, Service, Hospitality, Design, and Education– which, for uninitiated detractors– is rarely mentioned. FCS offers many lucrative, fulfilling, necessary career opportunities.

But Career Pathways are only a piece of the puzzle. The more significant issue might be about cultural values placed on schools. 

As Macie mentioned, these are essential life skills. 

“There’s a lot of time and energy going into tech– and school core– but not into learning these essential skills.”

Macie’s argument is something that many of us in education might forget: not everyone will be a rocket scientist– everyone will, however, deal with family quarrels and housing.

Macie says she’s grown as she learned more about her teachers in FCS. She’s learned so much from her FCS teachers and hopes her project can help create awareness to help give back.

We thank our many FCCLA, CTE students, and CTE teachers for their hard work this year, and personally thank the FCCLA students for their time.

Congratulations on a great year, and have a wonderful summer.

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