The end of the school year is always packed, and we’ll try to catch back up with everything that happened over the next few weeks.  One of those thing was an end to an amazing year for the MHS FCCLA, which included Advisor Shantel Tavoian being named the Advisor of the Year and a nominee for the “Spirit of Advising” Award.  In addition, the new presidency was named, a number of students qualified for the Nationals in Orlando in July, and many students were awarded their “Power of One Award” and their letters.

There were 8 students who received their Power of One Award: Abigail Cox, Myriam Teeples, Aubree Palmer, Aubrey Corbett, Cora Asay, Jade Charles, Paige Wilson and Mackenzie Leckie.   Students were also recognized for getting their Lettering in FCCLA: Jade Charles, Marshall Asay, Paige Wilson, Aubrey Corbett, Cora Asay, Kelty Thomas, Myriam Teeples, Abigail Cox, Aubree Palmer and Mckenzie Leckie.  The 2025-2026 officers were recognized: President: Carter Smith, 1st VP: Abigail Cox, VP Competitive Events: Kelty Thomas, VP Public Relations: Myriam Teeples, VP Community Service: Marshall Asay, VP Membership: Miley Price, VP National Programs: Jaxon Blaisdell

The Enterprise spoke with Shantel about the group and this year’s efforts.

What goes into advising FCCLA?

At its base level, being an advisor is just that, I advise the students. The one thing I love about FCCLA is that it is a student-led organization. Our chapter officer team for example holds monthly meetings and at the begin to make plans and decisions, I help direct them and do my part to make those things happen. In general, we hold monthly activities and chapter meetings which the students plan and lead, and I assist to make those plans happen. I let them know of leadership opportunities and training, and they decide what they would like to participate in. Then as the advisor, I will get them registered and make the travel arrangements. When it comes to competitions, I do my best to encourage the students to participate and help them prepare for their events. 

Why do you think FCCLA is an important organization for students? 

To me, FCCLA is all about opportunities. Students have so many opportunities available to them when it comes to FCCLA. If they choose, they choose a project to work on throughout the school year that is based in some part of Family Consumer Sciences, majority of them a skill based. Student have the opportunity to develop and refine those skills and then develop their presentation skills as they present their projects in-front of judges, sometime at 3 different levels (district, state, nationals) They may not realize it in the moment, but the skills they are gaining as they do these projects, are help them be better leaders and individuals.

What are some of the projects/successes you are most proud of with the group?

Last year was our first time getting an award called “Outstanding Chapter Award”. You are able to receive this award at the State level if you have had an active and involved chapter throughout the year. This would include participating in state trainings, district/state/national events, planning and executing local events and service projects, etc. I was also so proud to have Aubree Palmer as my first Star Officer. She did all the work, but I was proud to be her advisor and have her represent our chapter and school so well at the state level. This past year, I had a student, McKenzie Leckie, participate in an event called “Red Talks on Education”. This event is an “online event” where the student prepares a speech in a Ted Talk fashion, records themselves and submits it at the National Level. They will then take the top 25 submissions in the nation and McKenzie placed in the top 5 of those who participated in the preliminary round! She will now present her “Red Talk” at nationals on a stage to other members and a panel of judges-which is unique because most events have no spectators. I am so proud of her and her accomplishments! 

What is the experience of taking a group to large events like?  

It takes a lot of planning. Can be kind of stressful but the more I have done it, the more comfortable I am with the process. This will be my first year taking the amount of students that I am taking (13), and I am grateful for the parents who have offered to come and help with the trip! Having other chaperones helps a ton! 

What can the community do to help local FCCLA students? 

I think our community has been so supportive and helpful to our students, especially when it comes to these students participating in their events! So many of their projects involve the community and they always receive the support they need to make their projects a success! They are also great to help whenever we have our fundraising events, which always goes to student travel and helping with their events!  

What do you think people don’t understand or know about the organization? 

To be honest, I’m not sure, what others think of FCCLA, if anything, I think that may just not know what we do. My Hope is people know that this organization is all about students gaining leadership skills, developing skills in relation to future careers and helping them gain better presentation and communication skills. If they run as a officers, they will learn how to work as a team and hopefully learn how to run effective meeting using parliamentary procedure and develop problem solving strategies. They get opportunities to travel and make connections with other students from around the country. They have so many opportunities and learning opportunities available to them. 

Were you a member as a student OR what brought you to becoming an advisor?

Yes, I was in FCCLA Sophomore -Senior year at Malad High 2005-2007. I had an amazing advisor, Sarah Robbins, who made FCCLA a place for me to learn and grow as a person and always made me feel welcomed and loved. My love for FCS (family consumer sciences began in her Teen Living classroom and continued to grow as I took the FCS classes available to me at the time. There I was able to build a foundation for FCS and FCCLA. 

What are your plans for FCCLA going forward?

My hope is the FCCLA will continue to grow. That we will find more ways to be involved in and provide service to the community.