By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Three Crestline students went into the National Leadership Conference on July 7 representing Ohio, and left the national conference in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 11 as gold medalists.
Jena Bruce, Blake Miller, and Kayley Makeever not only took home gold, they also received a perfect score giving presentations on a Life Event Planning Project that helped coordinate the move of the school from the elementary and high school buildings to the new K-12 building.
This wasn’t the first time that Bruce, Miller, or Makeever had made it to Nationals, however, as Bruce made it to nationals in 2010 receiving silver. Miller and Makeever both went to nationals in 2011 scoring silver, and scoring gold in 2012.
Makeever explained the experience saying, “The experience was definitely very unique, because I have gone to nationals two other years, but it is different every year because the different people that are there. I went as a state officer this year and as a national competitor. So I got to meet with state officers from other states all across the country.”
The project began in July of 2012. The students held weekly meetings with Grounds Manager Dave Horning. During the project the students kept in contact with administrative staff as well as answered all questions that any staff had on the move.
To help accommodate the staff for the move, the students made moving kits for the staff which included tips, tape, labels, and a schedule of the moves. Then when the high school, elementary and administration each had their moving dates the students assisted in each move. When the project was finished the students had logged over 125 hours on the project.
Jena Bruce explained the experience of nationals.
“It’s always very exciting to see all the delegates from the different states competing with their different projects.”
“It is really great meeting other people and gaining leadership skills while you meeting other people. On top of that you get to see what other states are doing for their projects,” Miller said agreeing with Bruce.
Kris Bruce, who is Crestline’s FCCLA Advisor as well as Jena Bruce’s mother, was proud of her students making it to nationals.
“This is the fourth time that these students have made it to nationals and every single time I feel they are getting the experience of a lifetime and the fact that they got a perfect score that just blows my mind,” Kris Bruce said.
Miller and Makeever plan on competing in next year’s FCCLA leadership competitions. Bruce will be attending Kent State majoring in communication.