Jefferson High student Kaela Rosenbaum was one of more than 7500 Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members, advisers, alumni and guest from across the nation to gather in Nashville, Tennessee in early July for the 2017 National Leadership Conference.
While there, she competed with 4200 other students in a STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) event, with her project focused on recycling and redesign. Her project dealt with reducing post-consumer waste of non-biodegradable plastic products by repurposing them into a Fodder Farm system – a method of sprouting seeds at home for healthy and nutritious chicken feed.
That project had earned a second-place award at the Montana FCCLA State Leadership Conference, qualifying her as one of only two Montana spots in the national conference. At the national conference, the project scored a 98 out of 100, earning her a gold medal.
The JHS student said she enjoyed the conference and her trip to Nashville. “I had the opportunity to contribute my ideas and thoughts at the national level by attending numerous meetings throughout the week. I also got to experience the city of Nashville including multiple tours and a show at the Grand Ole Opry,” she said.
FCCLA is one of the few organizations available to JHS students and high school students across the country that is student-led. The organization provides leadership training and opportunities to explore colleges and careers. At the conference, students hear from national speakers on a variety of topics in addition to getting to know other student leaders from nearly every state in the nation.
At Jefferson High, the program is carried out under the direction of Anjeanette Haas. Rosenbaum said she was inspired to do more by her experiences at the conference. “I hope to continue my involvement in FCCLA and help to expand the JHS chapter,” she said. She added, “I appreciate all the contributions that allowed me to attend the national convention. It was an amazing trip!”
To learn more about FCCLA, contact JHS at 225-3317.
