For Immediate Release Contact: Larry Garcia, Kelly Taylor, FCS TeachersPhone: (806)647- 3105Email: lagarcia@dimmittisd.net

Dimmitt High School Students Compete in National STAR Event Competition

July 2017 –More than 7,500 Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members, advisers, alumni, and

guests from across the country gathered in Nashville, TN for the 2017 National Leadership Conference. The meeting

provided Dimmitt High School members with the opportunity to attend leadership and program training, hear national

speakers, meet the National Executive Council, explore colleges and careers, and impact a city with the Unlimited Possibilities

of FCCLA. Leadership included Daniel Flores, State Vice President of Achievement, Event Consultant for Food Innovations,

Jackie Soto, Region I Vice President of Projects, Event Consultant for Career Investigation. Kaci Gauna, Lili Maldonado, Ali

Cruz, Cameron Enriquez, and Luis Martinez from Dimmitt High School, Dimmitt, TX , were among the members and took part

in STAR Event competitions at the conference.

FCCLA’s STAR Events are based on the belief that every student is a winner. Competition, evaluation, and recognition all

stress cooperation as the basis of success. Both youth and adults work together to manage the events and serve as evaluators

of the participants. Throughout the year, FCCLA members tackle issues such as teen violence prevention, traffic safety, family

issues, career exploration, and much more. FCCLA programs and competitions enrich student learning, improve self-esteem,

and serve students with a range of ability levels, economic situations, and cultural influences.

“I am so happy that I had the opportunity to part of this entire process, I’ve learned so much about myself and have used things

that I have learned in school and now better understand the way things work. I also look forward to next year and run for a

Leadership position for the Regional or State level.” Cameron Enriquez

FCCLA offers over 30 STAR [Students Taking Action with Recognition] Events. These events, which include Early Childhood

Education, Job Interview, and Sports Nutrition, among others, represent college and career readiness skills taught in Family

and Consumer Sciences classroom. Members compete at the Region, State and National level. This year, Kaci Gauna, Lili

Maldonado, Ali Cruz, Cameron Enriquez, Luis Martinez were among over 4,200 STAR Event participants who competed in

Nashville, TN.

Kaci Gauna & Lili Maldonado competed in the event Hospitality Tourism, Recreation, Senior Category. The event recognizes

participants who demonstrate their knowledge of the hospitality, tourism, and recreation industries and ability to translate

their knowledge into a hypothetical or real business. Project must relate to culinary, lodging, recreation, tourism, or event

coordination. and Event Management. Their project focused on a wedding event venue. A website was created and a display

board, hard copy portfolio, presented a 10 minute oral presentation about the venue, career evaluations, comparing and

contrasting similar operations, marketing, sales, and conflict management. Additionally the participants were presented with

a case study with a 10 minute deadline to develop a resolution, to hosting an event and running out of food, what would you

do? Kaci Gauna and Lili Maldonado received a gold medal with as score of 92 overall in the event at Nationals, 2 nd at the State

level competition and 3rd at Regional’s.

Ali Cruz, Cameron Enriquez and Luis Martinez competed in the event Promote and Publicize FCCLA, Junior Category. The

event recognizes participants who use communications skills and techniques to educate their schools and communities about

FCCLA with the intention of growing chapters and strengthening Family and Consumer Science and FCCLA programs. Their

project focused on awareness and chapter membership increase. The trio presented to the Dimmitt Rotary Club in February,

created a Kahoot and presented to their 9th period world history class. They also created a portfolio which contained

marketing material, community service efforts such as Snack Pak for Kids, The South Plains Food Bank, and the Volunteer

Center of Lubbock. They also analyzed articles from the Teen Times an FCCLA specific online and paper print journal that

features employability skills, college readiness, teen life and FCCLA engagement. Additionally, they had to provide a 10

minute presentation, create a hard copy portfolio and were given 10 minutes to analyze a case study about creating billboard

to promote FCCLA to the Public. Ali Cruz, Cameron Enriquez, and Luis Martinez received a silver medal with a score of 81

overall in the event at Nationals, 1st at the State Level Competition and 1st at Regional’s.

About FCCLA

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is a dynamic and effective career and technical student

organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and societal

issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. FCCLA has more than 164,000 members and more than 5,300

chapters from 49 state associations, in addition to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

FCCLA: The Ultimate Leadership Experience is unique among youth organizations because its programs are planned and run

by members, and it’s the only career and technical in-school student organization with a central focus on careers that support

families. Participation in national FCCLA programs and chapter activities helps members become strong leaders in their

families, careers, and communities.

For more information on FCCLA, please contact Jackie Odom, Kelly Taylor, and Larry Garcia at Dimmitt High School, 806-647-

3105 or lagarcia@dimmittisd.net.

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Back: Cameron Enriquez, Luis Martinez, Daniel Flores, Kaci GaunaFront: Jackie Soto, Ali Cruz, Lili Maldonado

Cameron Enriquez, Ali Cruz, Luis Martinez

Lili Moldonado, Kaci Gauna

Cameron Enriquez, Ali Cruz, Kaci Gauna, Lili Maldonado, Luis Martinez