By: Heather Blum
DHS FACS and FCCLA Advisor
Southwest Career and Technical Education Academy (SWCTE) was proud to host the FCCLA District 4 STAR Events on Wednesday, February 4, welcoming nearly 150 students, advisors, and supporters from across southwest North Dakota. Chapters from Dickinson, Mandan, Bismarck, Center/Stanton, Washburn, Wilton, Flasher, Beulah, Hazen, and South Heart traveled to campus, filling Building C with energy and excitement as students competed in a wide variety of events showcasing skills in fashion, culinary arts, leadership, community engagement, and more.
The STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events provide students with opportunities to apply classroom learning in competitive, real-world scenarios while developing leadership, career readiness, and technical skills. Throughout the day, students demonstrated strong preparation, confidence, and professionalism as they presented projects and competed alongside peers from across the district in hopes of qualifying for the state competition in April.
SWCTE was especially excited to see strong participation and success from its own students and appreciated the opportunity to welcome schools from across the region. A special thank you goes to the Culinary II class for catering the meal and helping make the day a success. Events like this would not be possible without the dedication of FCCLA advisors, who invest countless hours supporting student growth and achievement.
The Dickinson FCCLA Chapter had an outstanding showing, with eight students competing across nine events. Their hard work and dedication resulted in multiple top placements and several state qualifiers.
We are proud to celebrate the following achievements:
- Ellianna Pierce — Gold — Teaching Strategies (State Qualifier)
- Nevaeh Pierce — Silver — Repurpose and Redesign (State Qualifier)
- Alexander Koffler — Bronze — Job Interview
- Olivia Lauf — Bronze — Interior Design
- Madison Hayden — Gold — Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation (State Qualifier)
- Addison Dahmus — Gold — Fashion Construction (State Qualifier)
- Tawni Batesole — Silver — Fashion Construction (State Qualifier)
- Tawni Batesole — Bronze — Event Management
- Alea Paluck — Silver — Fashion Construction (State Qualifier)
We are incredibly proud of our students for their preparation, confidence, and willingness to challenge themselves through competition. Congratulations to all participants and event winners, and best of luck to those advancing to the state FCCLA competition this spring. It was another great day highlighting student leadership, skills, and career readiness through FCCLA.