O’Neill High School was the host of the 2023 FCCLA District 9 Leadership Conference on Wednesday October 18th. The conference was attended by FCCLA Chapters from Ainsworth, Boyd County, Burwell, Chambers, Central Valley, Ord, O’Neill and West Holt Public Schools. Winnie Huber of O’Neill started the day by singing the National Anthem. 30 Ord FCCLA members attended the conference. The 2023-24 District Officers were then installed. District Officers include President Suhani Chaudhari, O’Neill; Vice President Claire Reiman, Boyd County; Secretary Mya Butcher, Central Valley; Vice-President of Membership Savannah Hansen, Chambers; Vice-President of Peer Education Alyssa Lawrence, Ord; Vice-President of Public Relations Hannah Olson, West Holt; Vice-President of STAR Taylor Allen, Ainsworth; and Vice-President of Service Kelli Brownell, Burwell.
The conference featured keynote speaker Brandi Settje, LIMHP from Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Public Schools. She shared her journey to finding her career and how students can use their passions to help them find their purpose. FCCLA members also had the chance to attend breakout sessions led by Nebraska FCCLA State Officers Annie Corkle and Winnie Huber of O’Neill and Hannah Klein from Ord, as well as Nebraska FCCLA State Peer Education Team Officers Mollie Corkle of O’Neill, Alyssa Lawrence and Carmen Wagner from Ord. Other break out sessions featured speakers from Bright Horizons, Beginnings Pregnancy Resource Center, JuJu Bean Coffee, LaDonna Werth- Nebraska Extension, Tanner Black- T&S Farms, Wayne State College FCS students Harleigh Claussen and Evan Landauer, and an Entrepreneurship Panel comprised of Brant Pavel, Shannon Olberding, Quana Wheeler, Kaci Mashino, Lisa Havranek, Ally Sedlacek and Emily Morrow.
Burwell FCCLA prepared a service project that had members color fall scenes to send to local care homes to help brighten residents' rooms. A basket raffle was held prior to the closing ceremony. The District will meet again January 31st for the District STAR competition in Ainsworth. For more information on how you can help support the Ord FCCLA Chapter, please reach out to Rachel Hornickel at rhornickel@ordps.org
Bottom to top (L-R): Aracely Negrete, Trinity Chatfield, Lillie Shoemaker, Azia Giron, Carmen Wagner, Alyssa Lawrence, Avery Ladwig, Hannah Klein, 2nd Row: Skylar Kokes, Cainan Rogers, Paige Petska, Tenley Ramm, Alexis Bloom, Mya Beland, Macyn Johnson, Kaitlyn Flessner, 3rd Row: Katrina Cassell, Hailey Winklebauer, Evan Burson, Ellie Boettcher, Kenzie Zulkoski, Maci Bloom, Hadassah Herron, 4th Row: Barron Stunkel, Nolan Woodward, Parker Mageria, Brooklyn Wagner, Elizabeth Skibinski, Jaxon Edghill, Dustin Smith