MANDAN, ND ( KXNET ) — For three students, it’s all about family, career, and community. And they’ve taken those values to a national level.

Three students from Mandan Middle School and High School placed in the National Leadership Conference in Seattle through their work in FCCLA, or Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, a first in Mandan FCCLA’s history.

“I would’ve never expected that,” said one of the students, Alondra Vidal. “I was just trying to have fun and trying to give it all, and I was really thankful when I heard I was making it to nationals.”

FCCLA is a national career and technical student organization that provides students in the family and consumer sciences with unique opportunities to shape their careers and contribute to their communities.

However, at Mandan Middle and High Schools, FCCLA is often forgotten about in the sea of extracurricular options available.

Referred to FCCLA by word of mouth, Vidal, Autumn Jackson, and Ashland Roethlisberger all joined the organization with the intent to challenge themselves and do more.

Vidal was a senior; Jackson was a sophomore; and Roethlisberger was in eighth grade. However, the three of them never imagined that they’d place nationally.

“I didn’t think I would rank nationally,” said Jackson, “because that’s something that’s really difficult to do because you have all these students competing in the same event as you, and it was kind of surprising for me. So it just helped like, hey, it is kinda possible. It is possible for you to get there.”

Preparation began immediately after FCCLA’s state competition when they learned that they had qualified for the National Leadership Conference.

Vidal and Jackson were a team of their own, while Roethlisberger flew solo.

Though criteria vary depending on the student and their grade, Vidal and Jackson began their journey to nationals with “Anxiety Monsters,” an initiative that allowed the team to help kids learn about and manage their anxiety.

Meanwhile, Roethlisberger created “Spread a Little Christmas,” a Christmas drive where students in her school donated gifts to other students.

From there, Vidal, Jackson, and Roethlisberger prepared an oral presentation and a board to showcase. Roethlisberger also had to recite the FCCLA creed and a personal interpretation of what it meant to her.

Working tirelessly day and night for half a year or more, Vidal and Jackson were able to place 10th nationally with gold.

While Roethlisberger received silver for her oral presentation and board, she placed first in the nation for her creed recitation and interpretation.

And for all three of them, it couldn’t have been done without their determination, dedication, and a whole lot of passion.

“It just made me realize like, how much determination that I have,” said Roethlisberger, “and that determination and the dedication you put in can really make a difference, and I was just so proud of everything that we had done as a group.”

Vidal, Jackson, and Roethlisberger hope that after placing nationally, students in their schools will become more involved with FCCLA.

Until then, Jackson and Roethlisberger look forward to their future in FCCLA.

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