WEST ORANGE, NJ — Promising young designers from West Orange High School attended the Family, Community and Career Leaders of America State Leadership Conference in Cherry Hill on March 22 and returned with seven gold medals, seven silver medals and three bronze medals, according to an April 14 press release from the school district.
The annual conference brings together high school FCCLA students for competitions and information sessions in various areas of family and consumer sciences, including issues that affect individuals, families and communities related to the basic needs of food, shelter, clothing and relationships.
From West Orange High School, Sara Attamante, Ming Zhang and Carmina Rojas won first and second gold for their fashion runway creations; Jasmine Minchala, Arlenys Santana, Emma Larsen and Keara Rodriguez won silver for their clothing creations; Chelsea Adams and Nora McNamara worked on an international foods project and won silver for their research into Chinese cooking; Emily Morocho and Winica Destine won silver for a reorganized space efficiency project; Annika Ginocchio and Emilia Favetta both received gold for designing handbags in the “Successories” competition; Pricila Minchala and Francesca Schuler received a first-place gold for their patched jacket, part of the “Personal Patchworks” project; Samantha Montague, Nicole Oshodi and Katie VanCauwenberge created a “Three Little Pigs” puppet show, including puppetry and set design; and Odyeli Ramos and Isavella Schiner both received bronze medals for their sportswear creations and Shirley Diaz for her cake decorating.
In addition to the medals, Rojas and Schuler were invited to compete against students from around the nation in San Diego, and first- and second-place fashion students won scholarships from the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising college and Johnson & Wales University, totaling $17,750.
“The FCCLA Club is another example of the unique and exciting programs we provide at West Orange High School to offer our Mountaineers real-world experience and scholarship opportunities,” Principal Hayden Moore said. “We are extremely proud of our students and their advisers, Monica Merino and Jill Thompson.”
Photos Courtesy of WOSD
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