Submitted by Alexis Richmond, President
It is crazy to believe that we are a month away from State Leadership Conference and handing over our state officer positions to the next set of bright-eyed leaders. It feels like just yesterday I was attending the induction zoom ceremony and was off and running with my fellow state officers at SOLA. As I reflected upon the highs and lows of our year of service, I paused on a few big moments in Nebraska FCCLA this year! Let’s take a walk down memory lane.
Celebrated Nebraska FCCLA’s 75th Anniversary
February 14th, 2021 was the finale of FCCLA week and holds a very special place in the heart of Nebraska FCCLA: our 75th Anniversary. It is remarkable to think that our organization has been going strong for 75 years. One interesting piece of information that surfaced during our celebrations was the list of our 20 charter chapters. With a few changes, 12 of these chapters are still active and crucial parts of Nebraska FCCLA. Now we also have about 80 more! The state officer team also created a state history video that was shared with love for the 75th Anniversary. Even though this day has passed, we don’t want to stop the celebrations just yet. Currently, we are looking to re-connect with some of our wonderful alumni and see how FCCLA impacted their future. In addition, we are planning a 75th Anniversary Celebration during our virtual State Leadership Conference. During this time we will have history games, celebration videos, a red velvet cupcake competition, and lots of prizes! I hope our members are excited to celebrate this big milestone in Nebraska FCCLA’s history!
Recognized a Chapter, Adviser, and Member of the Month
Even in a year with events canceled, many virtual meetings, and an adjustment to every aspect of life, the state officer team was thrilled to see Nebraska FCCLA still making a difference. Chapters, members, and advisers across our state association rose to the challenge and embodied the theme, “The Future is Yours.” At the chapter level, we recognized chapters finding ways to complete unique community service projects, conducting community-wide events, and accomplishing a plethora of national program and competitive event projects. In addition, we had amazing advisers putting in extra hours to help members, organizing virtual events, and recruiting more and more members for FCCLA. Finally, with the help of their chapters and advisers, we also had members making tremendous contributions. From homemade meal kits for the less fortunate to Christmas gifts for those in nursing homes, it was heartwarming to see the impact our FCCLA members made throughout the year. Nebraska FCCLA’s strength comes directly from our wonderful chapters, advisers, and members!
Held Virtual Conferences
While they definitely looked different, my state officer team and I are proud of the conferences produced through Nebraska FCCLA this year. We conducted a virtual Fall Leadership Workshop, District Conferences, the Mind-Bending Careers Conference, and the Peer Education Conference. Through these events, members had the opportunity to network with other members, take in leadership opportunities, and listen to a variety of keynote speakers. Additionally, we are excited to hold our State Leadership Conference this April to cap off our year and celebrate our members!