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WAYNE — Four Laurel-Concord-Coleridge FCCLA Chapter students recently attended the Nebraska Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America Fall Leadership Workshop.
This annual event was hosted Oct. 14 at Wayne State College with over 400 student members, chapter advisers, and guests from 29 chapters in attendance from the northeast Nebraska area. Students attending were: Emma Sohler, Kassidy Koch, Macie Swanson, Hannah Kort .
The event was led by members of the 2024-25 Nebraska FCCLA State Officer Team: Lia Montenegro, President from the West Point-Beemer chapter; Brooklyn Eckert, VP of Competitive Events from the Boyd County chapter; Ashley Caballero-Lazaro, VP of Development from the Neligh-Oakdale chapter; and Ashleigh George, VP of Programs from the Elkhorn North chapter. Attendees were welcomed to campus by Dr. Christian Legler, Interim Dean for the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Wayne State College, Amy Gade, Director of Admissions, and Dr. Carol Erwin, Family and Consumer Sciences Professor. The UNL partners shared about the opportunities available at WSC and how members’ experiences in FCCLA are preparing them for successful careers in many fields related to Family & Consumer Sciences.
The Nebraska FCCLA state theme for this year is ‘Rise Above,’ which encourages resilience, determination, and the courage to surpass obstacles, inspiring members to reach new heights despite adversity. Participants heard about the State Officer Team’s Program of Work and how they can get involved with various opportunities throughout the next year. State Peer Officer Team members shared about their team outreach projects and opportunities for involvement and recognition this year. SPOT members present at the event included, from the Community Leader Team: Sawyer Brudigam, Chairperson & Overall SPOT Council Chair from Wakefield; from the Career Leader Team: Taryn Wingate, Public Relations from Neligh-Oakdale; and from the Family Leader Team: Mayte Flores Garcia, Chairperson & Overall SPOT Council Secretary from Wakefield; Jaquelin Luna-Duran, Secretary from Neligh-Oakdale.
Members had the opportunity to attend a variety of breakout sessions hosted by FCCLA alumni, community partners, and FCCLA leaders along with the opportunity to tour the WSC campus. Nebraska FCCLA State Officers hosted sessions on Competitive Event opportunities, developing community service projects with the FCCLA Planning Process, FCCLA leadership opportunities, and developing personal leadership skills. The State Peer Officers shared more information about how members can get involved in peer education initiatives. FCCLA alumni inspired members to connect their experiences in FCCLA to future careers in related pathways and leverage the opportunities they have in high school to help propel them into the future they want. Katie Gannon, Haven House Outreach Coordinator, discussed the signs, cycles, and youth statistics of Domestic Violence and shared about the important role of Haven House in the community.
Emma Sohler said during this year’s Fall Leadership Workshop, she got the opportunity to learn about the different careers in FCCLA and how to use her high school years to her advantage.
“It was a very fun and educational experience for me,” she said.
The closing session featured a Wayne State College student panel moderated by Chelsey Greene, Nebraska FCCLA State Adviser. College students shared their experiences on campus, gave insight on the differences between high school and college, highlighted the clubs and organizations available to students, and offered advice on how members can be successful in their postsecondary journey.
