A new year calls for new beginnings.

Different from previous years, FCCLA is taking a more student led approach, intending to get more members involved.

FCCLA (Family Career and Community Leaders of America) is a club whose mission is to give students key skills they will need later on in life. The projects that they work on throughout the year are mainly focused on giving back to the community. Anyone that is in the Family and Consumer Sciences pathway can join.

The FCCLA organization, located in Reston, Virginia, has a goal of helping students develop life skills through communicating, critical thinking and character development. This club was brought to Bullitt East four years ago with hopes to expose students to these life skills. The club is maintained by Mrs. Kendrick and Mrs. Speakman.

There are five new officers to start the club off this school year. Senior Krista Watts is the president and sophomore Sarah Sargent is the vice president. Other officers include Grace Fluhr, junior, who is the secretary, Keiley Sewell, junior, whose position is Vice President of Public Relations, and Chloe Gray, junior, is Vice President of Membership.

“I honestly did not see myself becoming president. I was rather shy starting out, but through FCCLA I have gained leadership skills to become more confident in leading the club and I love it,” said Watts.  

The club’s main goal for this year is to come together as a group and work to win nationals. In order to achieve this, they will participate in STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events , community service and school wide fundraisers.

“We are planning on visiting the Ronald McDonald House and buying food for the people there as our chapter service project this year,” said Sargent. Over the summer, Sargent took her “Hand Up for the Homeless” chapter service project from the 2016-2017 school year to nationals in Nashville, Tennessee and placed gold.

Last year, most of the meetings were organized by the advisors and ultimately conducted by them as well. This year, the officers were given the opportunity to change this and they did. “The officers now create their own agenda and run the meetings using minimal help from the advisors,” said Watts.

During the first meeting of the year on August 29, potential members were exposed to the club’s plans for this school year and took part in different group activities in order to become familiar with new peers they will be around throughout the year.

“I definitely want it to be fun, yet get things done. I want everyone to feel like they can come and have a great time, make friends, feel welcome and not judged,” said Sewell, who is looking forward to helping the club grow with the new leadership this year.

FCCLA meets every other Tuesday, unless noted otherwise, in room 601 from 2:15-3:00 after school.