Madison Student Wins National Leadership Award

James Madison High School senior Alec Ostapoviez has been honored with the 2012 Lifetouch Exemplary Leader Award.

The $1,000 award recognizes outstanding student leaders in Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) who embody professionalism and character in their daily lives and their efforts in Virginia's statewide association.

FCCLA is a nonprofit national career and technical student organization for young men and women in Family and Consumer Sciences education in public and private school through grade 12. Ostapovicz served this year as the Virginia State President. He has been actively involved in FCCLA at the local, state, and national level. He was recognized at the 2011 FCCLA Capitol Leadership training for “Most Engaged, Team Building and Professionalism”.

Parts of his duties have included presenting leadership-training workshops for nearly 400 advisers and members.

He's also made presentations on behalf of FCCLA to the Virginia Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education, among others.

FCCLA has more than 190,000 members and 6,500 chapters from 50 state associations, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The organization has involved more than ten million teens since its founding. “Alec always praises the ideas and efforts of others, has a sincere compliment to offer, and makes sure he includes everyone," said Connie Rhoton, Virginia FCCLA State Adviser. "[He] has an amazing understanding of the importance of 'encouraging the heart' as he works with others. That is true professionalism.”

Madison High School contributed information for this story.