HUMBOLDT — Students at Humboldt High School are making history as 10 members of the school’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter have qualified for the national competition this summer. The group will represent Humboldt at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, from July 5-9 — a record-setting accomplishment for the small school.
“Cassidy Friend qualified for nationals two years ago, becoming the first student in Humboldt’s history to do so,” said FCCLA advisor Jodee Nickell. “And now we have 10 qualifiers this year, including Cassidy again.”
Humboldt’s FCCLA students compete in Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) events, which focus on real-world skills in areas such as leadership, career development, and community engagement. Competitors advance through regional and state levels before reaching nationals, where they are judged for proficiency in individual and team projects.
THIS YEAR’S national qualifiers are:
• Hadley Galloway and Kinley Hart – Chapter Website Design, Level 2
• Thatcher Mueller and Jack Works – Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation, Level 2
• Addy Borjas and Carlie Weilert – Event Management, Level 2
• Cassidy Friend and Sydnea Bumstead – Event Management, Level 3
• Brystal Hudlin – Leadership, Level 2
Additionally, sophomore Jo Ellison will attend as District H President, representing Kansas on the state officer team. “She will help our state officer team and receive her training while there,” explained Nickell. Ellison is also applying to either deliver a keynote address or lead a workshop during the conference.
Friend, a senior and Chapter President, explained how FCCLA levels are broken down by age and grade.
“Level 1 competitors are those who are in seventh or eighth grade,” she said. “Freshmen and sophomores are assigned to Level 2, with juniors and seniors competing in Level 3.”
THE TRIP is more than just a competition — it’s an opportunity for personal and professional growth. “They’ll get to learn stuff, hear different guest speakers, and have networking events in the evenings,” Nickell elaborated. Highlights include a networking night at Universal Studios and a Kansas FCCLA gathering at SeaWorld.
For many of the students, it’s a mix of excitement and nerves. “I’m unsure about it,” admitted sophomore Carlie Weilert. “This is me and Addy’s first time ever doing a STAR event and it’s new territory for us. We don’t know what to expect.”
The secret to their collective success is no mystery to the students — it’s Mrs. Nickell. Since she took over the program just three years ago, Humboldt has seen all of its national qualifiers emerge. The students all agree that Nickell’s encouragement and mentorship has been the key to their success.
“The students have put in a lot of hard work,” Nickell humbly acknowledged. “I think they’re starting to understand what it is that they are capable of doing and how far FCCLA can take them.”
Nickell’s leadership is rooted in her own FCCLA experience — she was a member throughout high school in Chanute and even qualified for nationals her senior year.
