staff reports
The Wabaunsee FCCLA students were scheduled to bring STAR events to competition on Wednesday (although as of press time, the weather was uncertain). STAR stands for Student Taking Action with recognition. There are 14 groups competing in 11 different categories ranging from service projects to career exploration.
Career investigations offers opportunity to explore future
Senior Sydney Holthaus is going it solo this year with her STAR event, Career Investigations. “I chose it because I already know what I want to do when I’m older and it will still help me plan out my future. Also because I didn’t have a partner,” Holthaus said. Career Investigations requires the investigator to take a deep dive into learning about a career of his or her choice and then to create a portfolio with all their newfound knowledge. Holthaus’s career of choice is a Speech Therapist. “I am so invested, you have no idea. I just want to go to San Diego,” Holthaus said regarding her STAR event.
Focus on children teaches self-control
Freshman Sadie Hartwich and Rhett Parry chose the Star Event “Focus on Children,” and titled it “Super Heros Know Self Control.” Sadie and Rhett went to Alma Elementary to teach the Kindergarten students about self-regulation, self-control, and how to process emotions using the book, “How to be a SuperHero called Self Control” by Lauren Brukner. “Kindergartners have a very short attention span. It was really fun being over there and teaching them self-control,” Parry said. They also created “calming bottles” with the children and help from Sara Alderman, the Kindergarten teacher. The calming bottles contained warm water, soap, glitter, and small items in them. The calming bottles were similar to stress balls. “I don’t know what we would have done without Mrs. Alderman. You have to be very patient with the kids,” Sadie said.
National Programs in Action says ‘Thank You’
Sophomore Zach Frank and Freshman Parker Holthaus explored ideas for the National Programs in the Action Star event. Frank and Holthaus were hesitant to give away information on the topic because they wanted to make it a surprise for the community. We don’t know exactly the community service the boys plan on doing but we do know Frank and Holthaus are confident in their idea. “We want to give more than just a ‘Thank you,’” Frank said. They will be presenting all of the new things they learned on to a board to present at Lynn on February 2nd for the District STAR Event competition.
Chapter service project helps make hats for babies
Freshmen Meredith Denton, Aubrey Imthurn and Rylee White’s STAR Event, “Kaps for Kids,” is a Chapter Service Project-Display that focuses on babies born prematurely. They asked community members through Facebook, email and the Signal Enterprise if they would be willing to help knit or crochet hats to donate to St. Francis, Stormont Vail and Via Christi. Many community members eagerly stepped up to help the group with this project. “We just recently delivered all the hats and they were all extremely grateful for all we gave them. We ended with 225 hats,” Denton said. This project was brought up due to Denton’s interest in learning more after hearing about preemies experiencing low body temperatures.. “It was important to us because we know many community members that have already struggled with premature babies,” Imthurn said.
Chapter service project creates angel bags
Alexus Ford, Abby Wallin, and Sophia Castillo aim to help foster kids in Kansas. Thanks to some donated fabric, these three have sewn more than 120 bags that they plan to distribute to social workers in Eskridge and Manhattan. “A lot of foster kids don’t have their own bags, so they typically carry their belongings in a trash bag. So, we made fabric bags with cloth donated from the community,” Wallin said. In order to display this, the girls created and decorated a 3-ring binder. Their creation is now known as the “Angel Bag Project,” and it will compete in the “Chapter Service Project Portfolio” category.
Heideman on a nutrition mission
Junior Shaylee Heideman chose the Sports Nutrition category for her STAR event.. Her project includes a five day meal plan as well as hydration needs and how to track and manage weight. “To prepare for this event I took one semester of Nutrition and Wellness here and a nutrition class through Highland,” Heideman said. Part of the project included choosing a student other than herself to test the meal plan on. “My favorite part has been interviewing Jacob Meseke and trying to find ways to make him eat healthier food. It’s been a challenge. He likes steak, chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, and corn,” said Shaylee. She titled her project “Mission Impossible.”
FCCLA students competing at District D STAR Event competition on Feb 2
Career Investigation: Sydney Holthaus
Chapter Service Project-Display: Meredith Denton, Aubrey Imthurn, Rylee White
Chapter Service Project-Portfolio: Abby Wallin, Alexus Ford, Sophia Castillo
Chapter Service Project-Portfolio: Annie Wright and Harley Ridder
Chapter in Review-Display: Hannah Sievers, Baylie Tharman
Chapter in Review-Portfolio: Taryn Maike, Kaci Meseke, Karli Mese
Chapter in Review-Portfolio: Madisyn Havenstein and Izzy Wright
Focus on Children: Sadie Hartwich and Rhett Parry
Job Interview: Kaelyn Conrad
National Programs in Action: Parker Holthaus and Zach Frank
Nutrition and Wellness: Ava Meinhardt and Sienna Jones
Nutrition and Wellness: Ally Garst and Hadley Diepenbrock
Promote & Publicize FCCLA: Paxton Meyer and Emily Meyer
Sports Nutrition: Shaylee Heideman
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