The Cambridge High School chapter of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America recently attended the 2025 Ohio State Leadership Competition in Columbus with several projects receiving recognition.
Kaedence Hood, Emily Epler, and Madeline Furbee advanced to the FCCLA National Leadership Competition in Orlando with their Chapter in Review STAR Event project earning second place at the State Conference.One trio of students advanced to the FCCLA National Leadership Competition in Orlando. Kaedence Hood, Emily Epler, and Madeline Furbee participated in the Chapter in Review STAR Event taking second place for their presentation.
The presentation included information about the chapter’s membership growth and membership campaign, the programs completed each month, and the planning and preparation that goes into those programs.
The presentation also included information on the grants acquired – a $1,200 grant for the FACTS initiative and a smaller grant from the USEF for a STEM program at Cambridge Preschool.
“I am really proud of the girls for their effort on this project,” said Alaina Tharp, FCCLA advisor. “They earned the trip to Nationals.”
The FACTS -- Families Acting for Community Traffic Safety – project earned the CHS Chapter and Initiative Award for the “Buckle Up Bobbies” public service video announcement produced by the club.
Cambridge also earned the Chapter Service Award for reaching a community service hour-in-a-year mark. Some of the community service projects included helping with the Trick-or-Treat on the Track Halloween event, STEM Day at Cambridge Preschool and making Valentine Day boxes.
Hood and Epler also earned Platinum Service Learning Awards for completing 100 or more hours of community service.
The Chapter earned the State Project Award and third place in the Families First National Program Award for the STEM Day program at the Preschool.
Chapter members had to identify a concern which they did by utilizing survey results provided by the Preschool Director Jill Clay. The solution was a Family Day at which Preschool students and their parents visited different STEM stations. Each station, developed by students in the Child Development class, had to address a different area of development, and had to be STEM activities.
Students Addy Hartley, Sophie Waid, and Audrina Gibson earned Power of One Awards for a five-unit project where they developed a personal goal, a career goal, a leadership goal, a family goal, and FCCLA goal.
Cambridge also had two Grilled Cheese Challenge Competitors. The Grilled Cheese Challenge, sponsored by American Dairy Association Mid-East, was new this year at the state level and required competitors to come up with a recipe, bring their own supplies, and make and plate a grilled cheese sandwich in 30 minutes.
FCCLA is a national organization that provides personal growth, leadership development and career preparation opportunities for students. FCCLA started at Cambridge High School four years ago along with the Family and Consumer Science program when the district hired instructor Alaina Tharp.
“By participating in FCCLA, students learn leadership skills, such as communication and organization, and time management skills, and learn how to plan,” Tharp said. “They also take on roles that they may not otherwise get the opportunity to pursue.”
The program has grown each year and will expand next year when FCCLA will become its own class.
“FCCLA is integrated into each class now,” Tharp explained. “In each class that I teach, I introduce FCCLA, so each class does include a component of FCCLA.”
For example, students in the food science class will complete a food innovation project where they create a new product, research the ingredients, and create a food label.
Tharp would like to see the chapter continue to grow and for members to take on more projects.
Members of the Cambridge High School FCCLA Chapter recently attended the State Leadership Conference where they earned recognition for their projects.
“Every year we’ve added more members and more projects and participated in more competitive events,” Tharp said. “Next year when we offer a specific FCCLA class, I hope to see more leadership development and see more students participating in more projects.”
The FCCLA chapter is currently fundraising to send students who qualified to the National Leadership Conference.
They are hosting a “Superhero and Me Dance” for students in grades K-5 and their moms and dads from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, 2025, at the Cambridge Middle School. Tickets cost $5 per person at the door.
They are also looking for sponsorships that will provide local companies, depending on their level of commitment, with some attention on the school social media accounts, at the high school football games, and on the chapter’s shirts.