Kenleigh Westhoff, a senior at Iola High School, has earned a place on the national stage with her heartfelt and innovative FCCLA project, “Birthday Celebration Kits.” After receiving top honors at the state conference on Monday, Westhoff advanced to the national competition in Orlando, Florida, this July.
“Nationals has been a big dream of mine,” Westhoff said. “Ever since my freshman year, I’ve pushed myself to work harder. I’m really excited to be able to end my senior year competing at that level. I’m very proud to be able to represent the Iola chapter.”
A dedicated member of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) since her freshman year, Westhoff has served as a chapter officer, chapter president (during both junior and senior years), and held district leadership roles including Vice President of National Programs and, most recently, First Vice President.
ROOTED IN a desire to promote inclusivity and support families in need, Westhoff’s “Birthday Celebration Kits” initiative was sparked by a simple but powerful observation.
“A lot of kids don’t get to celebrate milestones, like their birthday,” she said. “I want kids and families in our area to have the opportunity to celebrate those milestones. They shouldn’t miss out on the experience just because they aren’t financially able to.”
Westhoff credits her family for opening her eyes to the needs of others. She is the grand-niece of Hellen Welch and Alice Bolin, who run the Elsmore Food Pantry. “From a young age, I’ve been involved in our community,” she said. After helping distribute food, she noticed that while cake mixes were often donated, pantries rarely had the ingredients to complete the recipe — like eggs or oil.
“Eggs have a short shelf-life and are hard to keep at a food bank,” she said. Not to mention the ever rising cost of them. U.S. egg prices increased again last month to reach a new record-high of $6.23 per dozen.
After some research, Westhoff discovered that a full can of soda could substitute for both eggs and oil when baking a cake. That simple solution became the foundation for her project.
THE FINAL kits include a cake mix, frosting, candles, foil pans, and a can of Sprite. Her initial goal was to create 50 kits — but thanks to generous donations from local individuals and businesses, she surpassed her goal and completed 200 kits.
“It was definitely a shock, to say the least,” she said. The increase in kits means Westhoff will be able to expand her reach. She had originally planned to donate to Iola’s food pantries at Humanity House and Hope Unlimited, as well as the Elsmore Food Pantry. Now, she plans on adding Humboldt and Moran to the list.
Her goal is to deliver the kits to the pantries by the end of April.
Westhoff’s accomplishments don’t stop with FCCLA. This week, she also learned she has been named a Kansas Career and Technical Education (CTE) Scholar — making her the first IHS student to ever receive the honor. She joins a select group of just 200 students in the state.
“It’s been a crazy week,” she said. “We went to the state competition on Monday and after we returned, I learned I was a CTE Scholar.”
The CTE Scholar distinction recognizes students who demonstrate excellence and leadership in career and technical education fields. Applicants must showcase academic achievements and community engagement. “I needed a minimum of 40 community service hours,” Westhoff said. “I had closer to 80.”
As a CTE Scholar, she will receive a medal and cord to wear at graduation.
OUTSIDE of FCCLA, Westhoff is a high-achieving and highly involved student. She participates in Yearbook, National Honor Society, FBLA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council (serving as Senior Class Vice President), and the school’s new Underhogs BBQ team.
