Carroll FCCLA concentrates on community service
Comet staff report

FCCLA members attend national meeting Ten members of Carroll FCCLA recently attended the National Cluster meeting held in Buffalo, N.Y. Those attending were Nicole Brafford, Devin Smith, Shun Kinra, Shawnee Carter, Holly Butler, Heather Prater, Kristina Sedwick, Eryn Grimes, Kelsey May,w and Justin Connaway, along with chaperones Cindy Reinke, Diana Alter, and Shelly Brafford. Photo provided

Carroll FCCLA (Family Career & Community Leaders of America) members have had a lot going on the past few weeks.

Early in November, ten members traveled to Buffalo, New York, for a National Cluster meeting. Leaving on Thursday, the group drove to Cleveland for the night. The following morning they traveled straight to Niagara Falls, taking in the natural wonder. Following their excursion to Niagara Falls, the group headed to their hotel where the conference was being held.

While at the Cluster meeting, students attended several different sessions at which there were four keynote motivational speakers. The first speaker was Jeff Yalden from the MTV show Made. Yalden talked about life, leadership and what really matters. The next speaker was Harriet Turk, who spoke about achieving your dreams. Ryan Morgan, an Indiana native, was also a keynote speaker. His presentation gave all a way of thinking and behaving that will allow them to make their school, community, organization, etc., a better place. The final speaker was Dr. Aldoph Brown III, who helped students think about their actions and reminded them about how good character and decisions are critical in their everyday lives.

Prior to the Cluster meeting, Carroll FCCLA organized and put-on its first annual "Halloween Carnival & Costume Party." Over 100 children and adults attended. Canned goods were collected as an entry fee and those items were taken to the Kokomo Rescue Mission.

Currently the chapter is winding up a month of service to the Kokomo Crisis Pregnancy Center. Students and teachers have been working all month to fill 80 baby bottles with loose change and bills. Work on baby quilts has kept students who enjoy sewing busy, too.

Community Service is the focus of the Indiana FCCLA chapters around the state. Each month of the school year there is a different activity centered around community service for FCCLA members and the student body.