20 D99 Students Receive Medals at State FCCLA Competition

Submitted by Community High School District 99.

Twenty District 99 students won medals at the state leadership conference and competition of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), held April 7-9 in Springfield.

FCCLA is the Career and Technical Student Organization for Family and Consumer Science students. South High student Josh Munoz-Abarca and North High students Abbey Testin, Jade Gandhi and Taylor Kozarits all won Gold Medals and Most Outstanding in their competitions.

Abbey Testin, a junior at North High, won the fondant cake competition with a score of 99/100, besting almost 40 other students statewide. She created a cake to represent the 100 year anniversary of the Girl Scouts. A Girl Scout since kindergarten, Testin wanted to commemorate all of the fun she has experienced at camp and with her troop. “When I’m making all the pieces for the cake, I can’t always visualize how it will look put together, so it is always great to see it finally completed,” says Testin. “When I heard I won most outstanding and a gold medal, I was so excited!”

District 99 students who received state medals include:

• Nana Asamoah (DGS) - Personal Career Image - Gold Medal
• Yosmely Aguilar (DGN) - International Experience, SILVER
• Alice Bieda (DGN) - Frosted Cookie, SILVER
• Kylie Daly (DGN) - Fashion Apparel Display, SILVER
• Leslie Elena (DGN) - Frosted Cakes, GOLD
• Jade Gandhi (DGN) - Fashion Apparel Display, GOLD and Most Outstanding
• Alexa Johnson (DGN) - Fashion, GOLD
• Fatimah Khan (DGS) - International Experience - Silver Medal
• Taylor Kozarits (DGN) - Fashion Apparel Display, GOLD and Most Outstanding
• Jill Krejci (DGN) - Fashion Construction, BRONZE
• Elena Mendez (DGN) - Professional Career Image, GOLD
• Josh Munoz-Abarca (DGS) - Culinary Relish Tray - Gold Medal and Most Outstanding
• Kailey Nelson (DGN) - Frosted Cakes, SILVER
• Priscilla Perez (DGN) - Fashion Apparel Display, SILVER
• Claire Rowley (DGN) - Fashion, GOLD
• Saba Siddiqui (DGS) - International Experience - Silver Medal
• Tanvir Siddiqui (DGS) - International Experience - Silver Medal
• Brooke Stocki (DGN) - Freshman Fashion Apparel Display, SILVER and Most Outstanding
• Abbey Testin (DGN) - Fondant Cakes, GOLD and Most Outstanding
• Anne Toner (DGN) - International Experience, BRONZE

“The level of competition at state is intense, and we are so proud of the outstanding work by our students,” says South High School teacher and sponsor FCCLA Cindy Farren. “Students from across Illinois were represented at the competition.”

“It’s incredible the level of skill that our students display in a variety of categories,” says Katelyn Kordecki, teacher and FCCLA sponsor at North High. “Even more important, our students are learning how to organize and complete projects, which will serve them well in all of their future endeavors.” Christy Tajak is also a sponsor.

FCCLA helps young men and women become better leaders in their families, careers and communities. Students learn skills for life including planning, goal setting, problem solving, decision making and interpersonal communication.

Click here to see photos.

For more information about the Illinois Association of FCCLA, please visit www.ilfccla.org.

Photos: South High student Josh Munoz-Abarca and North High students Abbey Testin, Jade Gandhi and Taylor Kozarits received Gold Medals in the family and consumer science state competition.