The Alternative Press

 West Orange High students Tricia Elias, Casey Kriak, and Melissa Dennis attended the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, Inc. (FCCLA) National Leadership Conference held in Orlando, Florida from July 6-12, 2012. Co-advisors Cyndee Critelli and  Dora Wong-Macias accompanied the girls to the conference, which hosted 7,000 students nationwide. 

 

To qualify for the competition all attendees had to earn a Gold Medal in their state. After having won the state competition in New Jersey, Tricia, Casey, and Melissa worked through the end of the school year in June to meet all criteria for the national competition. Their project,  titled “Fire Safety for Preschoolers," was completed over the 2011-2012 school year in their Child Development II class.

 

In addition to the competition, the girls attended workshops on topics ranging from bullying, leadership, community service and related Family and Consumer Science projects.  Attending students exchanged "pins" from their respective states to get to know one another. 

 

Social activities included a trip to Universal Studios, an afternoon at Disney’s Epcot Center, and a Gala event with a Floridian theme which included dinner, and dancing.

 

The team was announced as Gold Medal winners on the last day of competition, and are already hard at work planning this year's project.