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Four students earned trips to represent the Luverne High School chapter of the Future Career Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) at the national conference in July.
They earned the national trips for their performance in the STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) events during the state conference March 26-28 in Minneapolis, where students could earn a potential trip to the national conference July 2-6 in Denver, Colorado.
National qualifiers include junior Hallie Bork and senior Ella Lanoue (who also qualified for her professional presentation) for their chapter in review portfolio, and sophomores Gemma Nelson and Janica Oechsle for their professional presentation.
Luverne chapter members earning gold (high ranking) honors in the STAR events are Tori Hemme, Lacey Morseman, Addison Huiskes, Reese Louwagie, Camden Kunkel, Morgan Jonas, Priscilla Muehr, Nora Louwagie, Bethany Behr and Hailey Johnson.
Four other Luverne students were selected to serve as area and state officers for 2023-24.
Sophomore Audrie DeBates is the state president-elect.
She’s the first LHS student to lead the state FCCLA organization.
“I went up to the state conference not knowing if I was going to make into state office at all,” DeBates said. “I had no idea that I would be the state president-elect until all of the candidates were on stage and I was the only one who had yet to be given their office position.”
Sophomore Janica Oeschle is the state vice president of community service.
Area officers are eighth-grader Anna Reisdorfer (secretary) and sophomore Hallie Bork (treasurer).
As president, DeBates will be part of a state leadership team who plans the state conference, will lead the state council meetings, and will serve on the board of directors for the state FCCLA.
DeBates joined the LHS FCCLA chapter almost four years ago.
“If you told me as a seventh-grader that I would stand in front of almost 500 people and give a speech at the 2023 state convention, I wouldn’t have believed you,” she said.
DeBates credits FCCLA for learning the communication, public speaking and life skills necessary for the state leadership position.
“I’m so excited for everything to come in the next two years and that I get to go through it with the 2023-24 state office team.”