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HNS FCCLA members place in Top 10 in national event
HARTINGTON — It was a week of celebration, success, and sunshine as the Hartington-Newcastle Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter returned home Thursday after competing at the national FCCLA conference in Orlando, Fla.
Chapter adviser and Hartington- Newcastle FCS teacher Kelsey Schumacher said she couldn’t be prouder of the group.
“It was pretty awesome — we were all excited,” Schumacher said. “I was pretty confident in all of them, because we spent so much time getting ready for the projects. I want them to be at their highest level before they even go to state.”
Out of the 19 members who attended the national competition, 12 placed in the top 10.
“At first, they were all pretty nervous,” Schumacher said. “But it was pretty exciting. I was proud of them.”
National champions included Lauren Uldrich, Lily Heikes and Brooke Kalin for their Level 1 “Promote and Publicize FCCLA” project, and Hadley Grutsch, Jocelyn Reyes and Nora Lange for their Level 1 “Chapter in Review Portfolio” project.
Vayda Lippert and Ziva Stratman earned third place for their Level 2 “Interpersonal Communications” project.
Allison Huesers, McKenzie Bruning and Maddie Steffen were top 10 finalists and received gold medals. Kloe Fischer and Ella Eickhoff received silver medals for their Level 2 “Sports Nutrition” project.
Rex Lippert, Logan Thoene and Colter Feilmeier earned gold medals for their Level 1 “Sports Nutrition” project. Ella Kelly and Quinn Stratman also received gold for their Level 1 “Focus on Children” project.
Schumacher said one of her favorite moments was watching the students celebrate each other’s victories.
“One of my favorite things is watching the kids celebrate each other when they win,” she said. “They were jumping and running to each other for hugs — so excited. Although it’s not a team sport, they support each other like it is.”
In addition to competing, the students explored Orlando — trying new restaurants, meeting FCCLA members from across the country and trading pins.
“You get to meet so many different people,” Schumacher said. “I think the kids were a little surprised how many different people they got to meet from different areas.”
The week included special experiences such as a keynote speech from Alton Fitzgerald White, who played Mufasa in Broadway’s “The Lion King,” as well as visits to Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Universal Studios.
Preparing for nationals, Schumacher said, starts early in the school year with careful planning and organization.
“I always tell the kids it’s a long year, so we start by deciding what events they want to do,” she said.
Because FCCLA emphasizes career readiness, Schumacher encourages students to choose projects that align with their personal interests and goals.
“We have a lot of STAR work nights — but sometimes that doesn’t always work,” she said. “It’s a lot of work. We spend a lot of time preparing their projects and making sure they’re ready.”
Schumacher said STAR projects are judged largely on the quality of the project’s content rather than presentation alone. That structure helps students build real-world career skills.
“It’s cool to see the kids taking initiative on the projects,” she said. “Sometimes they don’t even realize they’re building skills like responsibility — but I’ve seen it.”
She hopes this year’s national success encourages more students to get involved.
“After we have success, it’s been a lot easier to get kids to join,” Schumacher said. “I encourage all of the kids to try a STAR project — whether it’s something big or small, a group or individual effort.”
