Student Leaders In D.C.

Two things, I'll let Yolanda know I'm a fellow Cancer and two, Tucker, pay attention because we have another assignment for you coming up because thousands of student leaders all across the country are here in D.C. this week for a leadership conference. The event treated as a living classroom in the nation's capital and joining us this morning, this is Sandy, this is Sutton, and then this is Joey as well joining us. First of all, welcome to the two of you to D.C. You are here in D.C. running the operation and of course we're talking about FCCLA. So I want to talk with you, Sandy, first of all, give the overview as to what you're hoping to accomplish now in inviting all of these thousands of students from all over the country here to the nation's capital. Absolutely. So FCCLA is helping to prepare students for their future careers. So the students that are here, there's over 10,000 of them in town in red jackets. They are here because they won the right to represent their state in competitions that they are exploring different careers. We're at PG Community College for a culinary, baking, and pastry event. We have students doing job interviews, fashion skills, and so we're hoping that they explore their career and find out what they're really interested in as they pursue it for the workforce. So before we hear from the students in a nutshell, Sandy, FCCLA has had various iterations over the years. So how do you best describe the goals, what you're trying to do for students and for the youth? Sure. So FCCLA has been around since 1945, so we definitely have morphed with the different generations and the ultimate goal is really career preparation. So we're preparing the students for the workforce, but the soft skills as well as the hard skills. So conflict resolution, time management, so that no matter what career they pursue, they're ready. So they work through family consumer sciences and high school, middle school, and come out better prepared for the workforce. That's great. I want to start with you. First of all, you came down from Kentucky. First of all, welcome. Thank you. So what have you gotten out of it? What do you hope to do? Yes. So I currently serve as the organization's national vice president of programs, and throughout my time in FCCLA, I've had a lot of different opportunities to travel, to compete, but really to hone the skills that I know I'm going to use long after graduation. So like I said, I'm planning to attend Sanford University down in Birmingham, Alabama to major in journalism and mass communications. That was all fostered, that love of communicating and public speaking through FCCLA. So I'm super thankful for the skills that I know I'm going to use them long after my time in the organization. And I think one of the great things is, and in your case, it's FCCLA, but just the fact of getting involved and knowing at this point in your life that you want to get involved in something that you can already look to towards your future. Do you talk about that with your classmates and try to get that message across? Like, get involved now. I know you're young, but get involved now so that you have more opportunities down the road. Yes. I joined FCCLA as a freshman in high school, and it was by far one of the best decisions that I made. I had friends that encouraged me to join, and they were giving that same message. Get involved. Join something. And for me, that something very quickly became FCCLA and has grown to include so many countless connections and endless opportunities, and I'm so thankful that I have. So Joey, for you growing up in the Shenandoah Valley, you know, you're close enough to Washington, but you're removed enough from Washington, but yet somehow you decided you still want to get into politics at some point, right? Yes. So yeah, definitely. So I think what actually got me really into that dream was FCCLA's Capital Leadership Conference. So every two years, we're here in Washington, D.C., and that actually helped me. We get to go to the Hill to advocate for family consumer sciences, and that kind of sparked that interest in me. So what is it that, what do you hope to do, and taking the skills that you've kind of honed now through FCCLA, how do you think that's going to help you as you go to college down at William & Mary and then beyond, and hopefully this career in maybe government or whatever you decide to do? So FCCLA definitely helped me learn a lot of confidence and public speaking skills, but it also taught me how to work on a team and fulfill responsibilities of offices. So I'm not really sure if I want to go into government or into law, but either way, it's definitely taught me a lot of those good skills. Yeah, no doubt about it. And, you know, the question I have is something I'll throw back to you. Some people just, maybe they're just a quieter individual, right? I don't want to say that they're necessarily shy or that they don't want to get involved, but maybe they don't feel like they have the public speaking skills or anything else. How do you tell them to ease into something like this if they want to, you know, make sure that they advance themselves, even if they're not like a type A personality? Absolutely. Leadership is about perfection, or about growth, not perfection. And I think that's something that this organization so beautifully demonstrates is the fact that you can start out as just a regular student and that you can grow into an incredible leader. You might not be the most bold and outgoing person, but the skills that you're learning through the organization are going to take you far in life. And so it's about growth and not perfection. Well, we welcome everybody who's here. Now, Sandy, here's the deal. You have an assignment for Tucker, and I know you're here in the D.C. area. What's going on tonight that you need a little help with? So we have over 5,000 teachers and students from across the country going to the Nats game tonight. So we need Tucker to clear out that rain so we can go have a good time. So get it done for us, Tucker. All right. There you go, Tucker. You have your assignment. Get it cleared out. And it sounds like it's going to be a great crowd at the Nats game tonight. There's information if you'd like to learn more. If you want to follow on the social media or go to the website to find out more, we certainly encourage you to do so. Get involved in your local chapter as well or your community or your school. Sandy, thanks so very much for coming in, and Sutton and Joey, we wish you guys the best in college and beyond. Thanks for being here today. Thank you. Enjoy your time in D.C. too. All right. We're going to take a short break.