Gazebo Gazette

Ten Pass Christian High School (PCHS) students and Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members traveled to Natchez, Mississippi to compete at the FCCLA state meeting.  The ten students competed in seven different events representing a variety of projects they completed at school and in the community.  Students prepared for several months and were excited to have the opportunity to show their hard work.

FCCLA is a national career and technical student organization (CTSO) for students in Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) education in public and private schools through grade 12.  FCCLA offers intra-curricular resources and opportunities for students to pursue careers that support families. 

Since 1945, FCCLA members have been making a difference in their families, careers, and communities by addressing important personal, work, and societal issues through FCS education.  With more than 228,000 student members throughout the country, Pass High students join a growing force to make a difference in their world. 

Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events are Competitive Events in which members compete at the state and national levels.  Students are recognized for proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparations.  STAR Events allow students to compete individually or as a team. 

There are more than 30 STAR events students can choose to compete in, all of which recognize participants who demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities to actively identify an issue concerning families, careers or communities, research a topic, and develop and implement a project to advocate for positive change. 

This year Pass Christian High FCCLA members excelled by placing in the top 3 in EVERY entered event: 

  • Chloe Necaise, Callie Smith and Allie Armstrong won 1st in the state (Gold) in Event Management level 3 event with their CTE Expo project.
  • Alyssa Ausmer won 3rd in the state (Bronze) in Focus on Children level 3 event with her “Dig into School Breakfast” project. 
  • Breanna Huguet won 1st in the state (Gold) in the Food Innovation level 3 event with her “Meal Munchiez: Every Meal Deserves to End with a Cookie” concept. 
  • Cayden Cunningham won 2nd in the state (silver) in National Programs in Action level 3 event by using the FCCLA National Program-Student Body to create and carry out his project “Peace, Love & School Lunch.” 
  • Aria Grady won 1st in the state (Gold) in Promote and Publicize FCCLA level 2 event with her year long “IncREDible FCCLA” campaign. 
  • Ethan Campbell and Brennan Davis won 1st in the state (Gold) in Sports Nutrition level 2 event with their IncREDible Nutrition Plan for fellow classmate and track athlete Brinley Hodo. 
  • Savannah “Arbor” Lentz won 2nd in the state (Silver) in Chapter Service Project level 2 event with her “IncREDible Interactions” project that featured PCHS FCCLA’s community service with local nursing home. Lentz’s design was also chosen and will be the official FCCLA lapel pin design for all chapters in the state. This designed pin will be used at the national convention and will be the official FCCLA pin for the state of Mississippi.

This year is the second year for re-establishing the Pass Christian High’s FCCLA Chapter and it has really taken off growing from 21 to 45 members in just 2 years. 

Adviser and Pass High Teacher Jennifer Frye said, “Students are excited to be empowered to learn, connect with others, and make a difference in their communities.  Then to add on the ability to compete and share their work builds a sense of pride.” 

The entire year of projects and the group’s trip to the state competition was funded by the Caesar Foundation grant, which enabled students to plan and carry out numerous projects that positively impacted our schools, students, and community. Due to placing in the top 3 in the state at the FCCLA state competition, these students are eligible for the New Century Skills Scholarship from MGCCC, making this an opportunity that will keep growing for these students.

Conclusively, several of these students advanced and are eligible to represent Pass Christian High School and the state of Mississippi at the National FCCLA Meeting and competition in Denver, Colorado this July.