The Student News Site of Mililani High School

Trojan Times

The Student News Site of Mililani High School

Trojan Times

The Student News Site of Mililani High School

Trojan Times

The Cost of Paradise
Dannika Pila and Arie YamasakiFebruary 7, 2024
Left to right: Trumpets Rylan Akau-Morgan, Peyton Kahiapo and Skylar Hamasu stand in first position during the City of Lights Parade on Dec. 2.
Great Minds Think Alike: Collaborations Between Mililani Schools
Gianna Brown and Arie YamasakiFebruary 7, 2024
Senior Marcus Morifuji faces off against senior Ava Mayfield in a game of chess. The Tabletop Gaming Club
hosted its first chess tournament on Nov. 30, any student was welcome to participate.
Checkmate! Tabletop Gaming Club Hosts Chess Tournament
Marcus Morifuji, Sports Editor • February 6, 2024

FCCLA reigns victorious at CTE competition

By Lauren Barbour
[email protected]
(Photo courtesy of Senior Cassidy Kitano) R1 (L-R): Noelle Lum Kee (12), Erika Ryckman (11), Alexis Peru (12), Sydney Ro (12). R2: Virginia Gustafson (12), Cassidy Kitano (12), Blythe Ballesteros (11), Chrislaine Lorraine Yanuaria (12), Bryson Miguel (11).
(Photo courtesy of Senior Cassidy Kitano) R1 (L-R): Noelle Lum Kee (12), Erika Ryckman (11), Alexis Peru (12), Sydney Ro (12). R2: Virginia Gustafson (12), Cassidy Kitano (12), Blythe Ballesteros (11), Chrislaine Lorraine Yanuaria (12), Bryson Miguel (11).

Twelve students from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) program ended their annual competition and conference with seven gold medals, three silver medals and two red ribbons in categories ranging from Culinary to Life Event Planning.

“I was very, very happy with the results,” said FCCLA adviser Jamie Ludwig. “Out of the seven (who qualified for nationals) I want to say four of them, I think, were top, meaning they were the highest in their category.”

Depending on the category the students chose to compete in, they either presented a project or participated in a skill demonstration event, such as Knife Cutting. “In FCCLA there are star projects, which mean you do a project on an event or a certain topic. So me and my partner, we did Life Event Planning, and our event we planned was graduation because I’m the graduation chair right now so it made it easier,” said Senior Cassidy Kitano, who, along with her partner Junior Bryson Miguel, received a gold medal.

The Culinary category was more performance-based. A three-man team of students is given an hour to cook a specific menu and are judged on everything from taste to technique. “I was kind of nervous but I had this other person that was in it last year and I knew her already so we basically just had fun practicing and when we went in, we did what we normally do and we had fun,” said Senior Ryan Nip, who received a silver medal in the Culinary category, along with Seniors Brooke Albete and Laura Kalauli-Watkins.

Although preparing and competing was stressful, the conference was enjoyable as a whole, providing the students with opportunities to interact with other Career and Technical Student Organizations. “The fun part was probably mingling with the other clubs, not just the FCCLA club because there were a couple times we were allowed to talk to people from (Health Occupations Students of America) or (SkillsUSA) and it was fun because I got to see people from other schools that I never hardly ever get to see often so I like that,” said Kitano. Nip added, “I made some new friends. We bonded as a whole club and then we met new guys.”

Once the competition was over and the results announced, the students were satisfied. “My goal was to at least place in silver, which I did, and I’m proud of that. I didn’t expect to do any better because this was my first time. I’m just glad with the outcome, I don’t care if I don’t go to nationals or not, it’s just that I had fun,” said Nip.

However, not all who qualified will advance. Ludwig said, “A lot of it is personal reasons. They have prior commitments, their parents aren’t going to let them go because a lot of it has to be funded by themselves.”

Of the seven who qualified, three have chosen to go to nationals and are already preparing for the event which will take place from June 22 to 26 in Louisville, Ky.

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