For 10 Callaway Public School students - well, make that seven current and three former students - summer break included some work, a little travel, a lot of fun, and a great experience.

The FCCLA National Leadership Conference brought together thousands of student leaders from across the country to compete in Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events, attend leadership workshops, and network with other FCCLA members. Ashly Denney, Tiersa Johnson, Emma Stallbaumer, Kennedy Eggleston, Amelia Pandorf, Gracie Brennan, Lauren Reiff, Brayden Keeney, Angel Johnson, and Chenney Dishman all qualified to represent Callaway Public School at the national conference.

“This was the second year in a row that we have taken 10 kids to Nationals, and that is kind of a really cool accomplishment as a chapter,” shared CHS FCCLA Advisor Charmayne Popp.

Of the 10 qualifiers, half of them competed individually while three competed as a group, and the other two as a team. “Some of the projects are group projects but some of the kids decided to do them by themselves, so it was really fun to get to see them compete as individuals in those,” said Popp. “For example, Kennedy Eggleston competed in Focus on Children and there were 55 teams, but there were 95 participants. So when you think about it she went up against 94 other people.”

The team left Callaway on July 5 and returned July 10, and Popp said they hit the ground running on July 6, as they explored Washington, D.C. by visiting the Holocaust Museum, Arlington Cemetery, and a tour of the Capital. Popp said visiting those historical places in the year of our nation’s 250th birthday was very special for the students.

The conference itself kicked off with the opening general session Monday evening, where they heard from a very inspirational speaker, followed by a big day of competition on Tuesday, when seven of the 10 CHS students competed. Ashly competed in Baking and Pastry and was shuttled to an off-site location where she had to bake about three different items within a 3-hour timeframe. She earned a bronze for her efforts.

“It was kind of a cooking show kind of competition, and it was really a great experience for her,” said Popp.

Tiersa and Emma both competed in Fashion Construction. Tiersa made a prom dress, while Emma repurposed an old quilt into a jacket. Emma was selected as one of the top 40 and got to participate in the fashion show on the stage on Thursday night. Both girls made it into the top 10 in their divisions, and both finished in 7th place overall - a great accomplishment.

Cont. PAGE 6: FCCLA “Going into it I had told the kids we were shooting for two in the top 10, that’s all we were asking for. That’s just a big accomplishment in itself to be in the top 10,” Popp said. “The fact that both of my Fashion Construction girls made it is kind of a shout-out to my mom, because she is the one who came in and sewed with them, and Emma’s grandma got to sew with her as well. So those projects were definitely accomplished by people outside of the school giving their extra time to make sure these kids are successful.”

Kennedy, just a 7th grader, made a car simulator that helps children develop their fine motor skills. She earned a silver at Nationals, and her project was displayed at the Custer County Fair last week.

The team of Amelia, Gracie, and Lauren competed in Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation Level 2. “In that you create a business for your surrounding area that will benefit the area. Their idea was to create an Airbnb out of a silo, so they did the research and visited with others who run those and created their own business plan for an overnight facility in a grain bin,” Popp explained. The girls earned silver for their project.

Brayden competed in Instructional Video Design, which had slightly different qualifications than the others. Because it is considered an online STAR project, he had to submit his video directly to Nationals. His video is a tutorial on how to use a Cricket vinyl press to make a t-shirt, and earned silver.

“Anyone who knows Brayden knows he has a very fun sense of humor, and his tutorial was very much him,” said Popp. “In order to get invited to Nationals you had to make it into the top 20, and he was fortunate enough to make that.”

Angel and Chenney competed in Repurpose and Redesign Level 3. They took an old pop crate and made it into a dog dish that they plan to donate to an animal shelter. They earned a gold for their project.

“Sadly, we weren’t able to tour the Great American Fair that was going on for the 250th, but we got to see a lot of things and it was a wonderful experience for them,” said Popp. “Even in the airport, they were already scheming about their next projects!”

For Angel, Chenney, and Brayden, this was their final opportunity to represent Callaway High School. “When Angel and Chenney came out of the room they were just on a high knowing they had nailed it,” Popp recounted. “I told them just to remember this feeling; this is your last FCCLA thing. No matter what happens, remember this feeling of excitement. They have been here since they were freshmen and have helped build this chapter, so it was sad. Getting to see them grow in their confidence has just been a cool thing that I got to experience with them.”