FCCLA students earn top honors at conference

Manatee County middle- and high-school students participated in the 2013 Future Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) National Leadership Conference last month, in Nashville, competed against 3,600 students nationwide and brought home nine medals.

The Students Taking Action with Recognition, or STAR, events in which Manatee’s youth participated are meant to build proficiency and achievement in leadership and job-related skills.

From Braden River Middle School, Sidney Oake, Kyla Johnson and Hannah McWilliam took home gold medals for Chapter Showcase Manual; Michelle Sobolewski took home a gold medal for Career Investigation; and Elizabeth Gape and Liana Price received silver medals for Chapter Showcase Display. 

From Lakewood Ranch High School: Nicoletta Freer and Jessica Zelitt earned gold medals for Chapter Showcase Display; Hailey Todoroff took home a gold medal for Food Innovations; Taylor Nafziger and Meghan Neu earned silver medals for Chapter Showcase Manual; Micaela Figueroa and Kiona Poyner earned silver medals for Entrepreneurship; Christina Rothenberger and Julie Smith took home silver medals for Interpersonal Communications; and Alexis Gregor, Charlotte Price and Cassandra Rankin won bronze medals for Chapter Showcase Display.

Jill Bergeron and Elaine Bergeron advise the groups of students from Braden River Middle and Lakewood Ranch High.