Anaheim, CA, July 2019 – Catskill Central School District students Emma Brown and Lauren Liberti received a Gold Award at the National STAR Event Competition held as part of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) National Leadership Conference (NLC) in Anaheim, CA June 30-July 4.
Their award-winning STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) advocacy project focused on “The Dangers of Teen Vaping.” As active members of Catskill’s FCCLA Chapter, Emma and Lauren’s efforts included developing public service announcements, leading discussions with fellow students in health class, and advocating before the Catskill Board of Education, the Tobacco Free Coalition of Greene and Columbia counties, and the Greene County Legislature’s Health & Safety Committee for policies to deter young people from vaping, such as raising the minimum purchase age from 18 to 21. The pair were invited to NLC after their project earned them Gold at the FCCLA New York State Conference held in March.
While at NLC, they joined more than 8,700 participants from across the country to attend leadership and program trainings, hear national speakers, meet youth leaders from across the nation, participate in Competitive Events, and explore college and career options. Over 4,700 FCCLA members competed in STAR Events, which are competitive events in which members are recognized for their proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparation. Both youth and adults work together in managing the events and serving as evaluators of the participants.
Events aim to support student development of knowledge and skills by enhancing the classroom experience and career pathway initiatives by equipping students with employable skills and industry insights needed to thrive in the 21st century. FCCLA members choose what STAR Event they would like to compete in; events vary from Early Childhood Education, Entrepreneurship, and Sports Nutrition to Fashion Design, Job Interview, and Culinary Arts. In order to advance to the national level, members first compete at the district and state level.
About FCCLA
Catskill Central School District as an active FCCLA chapter that is open to middle and high school students. This dynamic and effective national student organization helps young people become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education. FCCLA has over 175,000 members and more than 5,300 chapters from 50 state associations, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. 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.
Our District congratulates Emma and Lauren on their national honor and on the impact they are having in our school and community!
