Leadership skills, serving the community and pursuing passions. These skills will be achieved in LHS’ new club, Family, Career and Future Leaders of America (FCCLA), led by Kali Sloup this school year. 

Sloup, a former FCCLA club member, will be guiding LHS students to success through her experiences both in the club and in real life. It is open to all students who have taken a family consumer science class and meetings are held on club days during ad room. During meetings, students will develop their leadership, intellectual and creativity skills, along with learning about the importance of family and developing strong friendships. 

“The focus of the club is about leadership development, but it also has a strong emphasis on family and encouraging family ties and understanding between youth and adults,” said Sloup. 

FCCLA will also provide students with abundant opportunities to improve their leadership skills through community service projects, individual leadership opportunities and competitive events. While competitive events are not necessary to be a member of the club, they will greatly benefit the student in discovering potential career paths, building confidence and forming friendships. 

“The club also focuses on doing some work with community service as well as everyone finding their own way to get involved with leadership,” said Sloup. “That is the ultimate thing, building leadership skills. There are also opportunities with competitive events that students could potentially get to go to state conferences.” 

The competitive events provided in FCCLA have something to offer each student at LHS. While they vary from culinary demonstrations, business presentations, quizbowl and a variety of other events, each one is presented in a unique way and will receive some form of recognition. 

“There is one where they have culinary demonstrations. They give you a set of ingredients, it is kind of like ‘Chopped,’ and then you actually assemble it and there are some judges that judge all the teams there,” said Sloup. “…you get recognition no matter what because you aren’t competing against other students, you are competing against a rubric of expectations.”

This club also creates a path to success for students in any career field such as business, medicine, law, culinary or politics. Several FCCLA members from South Dakota have become incredibly successful using their skills developed in the club. 

“South Dakota has actually had several national officers in the past who have gone on to do some really awesome things with the skills that they learned,” said Sloup. “…SD alumni have started their own business[es] and some of them got into really good colleges.” 

Sloup provides students with inspiration through her reallife experiences and FCCLA membership. Her participation in the club throughout high school shaped the path she would take in her future. 

“I remember learning a lot. I cried when I was giving my first event because I was so nervous having to speak in front of people, and now it is what I do all day,” said Sloup. 

FCCLA provides students with a plethora of applicable life skills that will carry into any profession they choose to pursue. Sloup’s passion for the club along with the values it promotes will allow students to prosper within it. 

“I’m excited for students to get opportunities and help develop skills that they are going to use no matter what career they go into,” said Sloup. “There are so many good skills that you learn that will be applicable to everything you do in life.”