Last year, FCCLA sponsor Darcy Jaeger brought about the idea of doing STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events. STAR Events are various projects students complete using planning skills and leadership skills. Students then present their projects in front of three judges. 

Junior Julia Zoglmann was the only student at Conway Springs to participate in a STAR Event this year. Zoglmann chose to do the “Focus on Children” STAR Event. For her project, Zoglmann went to the elementary school and had the children write letters to Santa, stating if they had been good and what they wanted for Christmas. Zoglmann, Jaeger, and other FCCLA members wrote back to these kids pretending to be elves. 

“I like working with kids, and [the project] was something that I enjoyed doing,” Zoglmann said. 

For some, speaking in front of people may be uncomfortable. Zoglmann said she was fine with it. 

“I wasn’t really nervous,” Zoglmann said. “It was just three judges, and I’m fine with speaking in front of people so it wasn’t really bad. 

Zoglmann took this project to District and State competition and will now be taking it to Nationals. Nationals will be held July 2-6 in Denver, Colo. Zoglmann said she was surprised her project advanced to Nationals.

Zoglmann said she plans on doing a STAR Event for her senior year. 

“Haylee, Kirsten, and I might do a group one next year,” Zoglmann said.