Bryson FCCLA prepares for nationals

Bryson FCCLA prepares for nationals Brian Smith Tue, 06/11/2024 - 7:13 pm Eli Winters, left, and Abby Zielinski will attend the FCCLA National Leadership Conference later this month in Seattle. The pair finished second at the state convention earlier this spring. Courtesy photo Bryson ISD is preparing two students for the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Seattle later this month. Abby Zielinski and Eli Winters will be competing in the Chapter Service Project Display Level III contest after finishing second at state earlier this spring against schools from Class 1A to Class 6A. Chapter Advisor Sarah Stearns said Zielinski was looking for a new partner after her former partner could no longer compete. “Abby asked her friend Eli if he’d do it and convinced him to take part,” Stearns said. “They’ve done a really good job together.” It will be Zielinski’s second trip to nationals, which runs Thursday, June 27 through Wednesday, July 3. More than 20,000 people, from students, advisors and supporters will attend. The pair did their display on the chapter’s handigram project, selling bags of candy and treats for different holidays throughout the school year. Proceeds from the handigrams also raised money for the county Angel Tree project during Christmas. By raising $650, the chapter was able to fund 10 Bryson students to have items for Christmas. This year for the first time, the chapter sold handigrams for STAAR testing. A note from the parent or guardians was included encouraging and supporting the students. Stearns said it was a big hit. “The students are stressed out during STAAR so we made sure every elementary student received (a handigram),” Stearns said. Stearns said the displays must follow a very intense rubric of information and how it must be presented which must be followed. A team’s score is mostly based on the display, with 40% coming from a seven to 10-minute speech the team must memorize. “Abby wrote most of the speech,” Stearns said. “At state, Eli flubbed some of his lines but kept right on going. The judges praised him for maintaining his composure.” Stearns said judges normally have questions about the display but had no questions on Bryson’s display at the state convention. “That’s a huge compliment to those two and they were so excited about it,” Stearns said.