Sixteen Neligh-Oakdale Students Participate At State FCCLA

Sixteen students and three adults staying for two nights in a big city might sound like a logistical nightmare, but for many of the Neligh-Oakdale students attending the FCCLA State Leadership Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska, it was a dream come true. The Neligh-Oakdale teens, ranging from seventh to twelfth grade, attended the Opening Session on April 8th where speaker Ryan Moran discussed bullying and making a difference. 

The following day, many attendees competed in STAR events, while the others donated their time to serving the Lincoln Children’s Zoo and the People’s City Mission Group. Colleges from Nebraska and nearby states advertised at the Opportunity Fair, along with some other nonprofit organizations. Throughout the day, most participants attended smaller sessions on a variety of topics such as stress, driving safety, and healthy relationships. The busy day was wrapped up with the option of a movie or a dance, both of which provided a fun and much-needed break.

The Closing Ceremony ended the State Leadership Conference on April 10th. Neligh-Oakdale received the Gold Award for its completion of the Chapter Award, and Sadie Heckert was also recognized for completing the national program Community Service. Sadie Heckert, Hailey Bixler, and Emma Bixler were recognized for making BFFs (Best FCCLA Friends) and adviser Kim Scarborough was given the Adviser Committed to Excellence Award as well as being recognized for twenty years of service. 

Individuals who competed in STAR events also received medals in their respective events. Medals included Adrienne Parker (Silver in Illustrated Talk, Jr) Skylar Long and Lesly Luna (Silver in Chapter in Review, Sr), and the Parliamentary Procedure team of Brittany Ingalls, Kendall Wiseman, Tonya Legate, Megan McWhorter, Alex Morrison, Hannah Schrader, and Meredith Wiseman, which received a silver medal as well as a third place finish. Three events also received gold medals and qualified for Nationals with a first place finish, including Hailey and Emma Bixler (Interpersonal Communications, Sr), Aleesha Bergman (Life Event Planning, Jr), and Sadie Heckert (Chapter Service Project Portfolio). Sophomore Hailey Bixler was also inducted as the Vice President of Programs on the State Leadership Team. 
 
April 8th-10th was full of busy excitement for the sixteen Neligh-Oakdale students who attended the State Leadership Conference, but for these teens hard work produced sweet success. –by Hailey Bixler
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