(This story is an archive, refer to following byline for author's name)
By Gabby Vidana
On February 26, FCCLA members traveled to Waco to compete in culinary and family, and consumer science-based competitions. Several members placed in their categories and will move onto state. The family and consumer sciences organization moves onto state for the 7th consecutive year and for the third year in a row have earned a Region Officer.
For months, FCCLA members prepare their projects for competition. The goal is to be able to place in one of the top spots in able to move onto state, and for a lucky few even nationals. The competition usually requires students to attend for several days, but this year, the requirements were different due to COVID. Instead of staying in Waco for three days like previous years, students traveled down to Waco each day. Competing and presenting to judges was even different this year.
“Region was in a hybrid format,” FCCLA advisor Maggie Howard said. “Competitors could compete in-person if they wanted to and their districts allowed it. Other students competed via live Zoom calls, and some events required a pre-recorded upload of each presentation.”
Region this year was not only different for the competitors, but also for the student region officers. The highly respected FCCLA region officers are the ones who help plan and run the Region conference every year. This year, officers were faced with some uncertainty on how Region would run with the hybrid format now available and with students not staying in Waco overnight like usual.
“There were a lot less people in person competing and the ceremony was recorded and sent to chapters,” Region Officer Seth Caldwell said.
This differed from previous years when the convention center where Region is held would be filled with students from all over the Region and attending ceremonies and general sessions were required.
Despite all the uncertainty that surrounded Region this year, chapter members still made their mark at competition, with many placing in the top three. Chapter members competed in categories such as Focus on Children, Food Innovations, and Cupcake battle. Several students who placed in the top three also earned scholarships for advancing to state. Culinary student Peighton Fritts placed first in Cupcake Battle with her strawberry lemonade cupcakes and earned a $3,000 scholarship.
“It taught me that the culinary field is a lot more intense than I thought,” Junior Peighton Fritts said. Despite the tough competition, Fritts came out on top.
FCCLA members will be preparing this month for state next month.