'Impact in the community'

When you set a goal in your mind, you do everything in your power to see it accomplished.

This was true for a team of Clarke Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) members trying to get their service project to advance to national competition.

Students Trinity Miler (freshman), Corbin Coenen (freshman), Alexxa Blair (senior) and their FCCLA advisor Courtney Teghtmeyer did qualify for national competition in July in Washington, D.C., but the road to get there was a winding one.

“I learned that once you put your foot down that you’re going to do something, you have to completely follow through with it, no matter how long it takes,” Miler said.

How it began

The idea for the FCCLA service project began last summer when Miler volunteered at Southern Hills Specialty Care and noticed residents didn’t have many visitors or activities.

A chapter service project was soon planned out and based around the nursing home and helping its residents, especially during Christmas, New Years, Valentine’s Day and Saint Patrick’s Day.

“I’m an outgoing person and I want to make someone else’s day better, so seeing the smiles on the residents’ faces was the best part of it,” Miler said.

Coenen said he was involved by helping to decorate the nursing home, courtyard and doing service project poster work.

“I mainly learned how to be a better leader in what I was doing and taking charge, and learned a lot about decorating,” Coenen said.

Qualifying

The team placed in the runner-up spot during state competition.

However, they received an email three weeks after competition. It informed them one of the teams backed out, which allowed the Clarke team to go to nationals.

“It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster,” Teghtmeyer recalled.

Miler said she has never been to Washington, D.C., and for that matter, barely ever been out of Iowa.

“I was scared I was going to start crying,” Miler said about her reaction to the good news for the team.

Accomplishment

This will be Teghtmeyer’s first group of freshman students who will advance to national competition.

“I was really impressed with how independent they were with their project, and they did a great job and I think made an impact in the community.”

The students had to help fundraise for their trip to Washington, D.C., and they said, overall, the service project has taught them important life and career skills.

To donate or help with fundraising, people can contact Hank Miler at Southern Hills Specialty Care at 641-342-6061.

“I’m mainly just excited about doing the actual competition and seeing if we can do good and win at nationals,” Coenen said.