Oklahoma FCCLA took its largest delegation ever to the National Leadership Conference and returned with 19 national champions, a national officer and many other awards.
Tennyson Elrod Spears, Wright City, was installed as national vice president of competitive events at the 80th Family, Career and Community Leaders of America National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, while Brandon Weibel, Silo FCCLA, wrapped up his year as national president.
In STAR Events, Oklahoma FCCLA brought home 15 national champions; nine national runners-up; 12 third place finishers; and 74 Top Ten STAR Event finalists. The delegation also boasted one Skill Demonstration national champion; one Skill Demonstration national runner-up; three Challenge Test national champions; one Challenge Test national runner-up; and a top 10 FCCLA/ LifeSmarts Knowledge Bowl team.
Oklahoma also received a Membership Increase Award. The state ended the 2024-25 school year with more than 24,000 members, the largest membership number in Oklahoma FCCLA history.
In addition, Caney FCCLA was the national runner- up for High School Financial Fitness. Tessa Inman, Lindsay High School, and Davin Budy, Cherokee High School, were two of five finalists for the inaugural Member of the Year Award. Each received $3,000 for the honor.
Budy also received the National Technical Honor Society Scholarship, and Amina Washington, Oklahoma Union FCCLA, and Marlee Cink, Medford FCCLA, were chosen to served on the national content creator team.
Students weren’t the only ones from Oklahoma FCCLA who received awards. Amanda Faulkenberry, Marietta High School FCCLA adviser, received the Spirit of Advising award.
“I am incredibly proud of Oklahoma FCCLA and the amazing year we had. Our delegation showed the rest of the nation that the Oklahoma FCCLA standard is alive and well. Our name was called for numerous awards, our delegation was the most spirited, and it made everyone extremely proud to be from Oklahoma,” said Brittani Phillips, Oklahoma FCCLA state adviser at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.
FCCLA is one of seven CareerTech student organizations affiliated with CareerTech programs. It is affiliated with family and consumer sciences education. The other six are FFA (agricultural education), DECA (marketing education), HOSA (health careers education), SkillsUSA (trade and industrial education), Business Professionals of America (business and information technology education) and Technology Student Association (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
OKLAHOMA CAREERTECH: OKLAHOMA’S WORKFORCE LEADER The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education provides leadership and resources and assures standards of excellence for a comprehensive statewide system of career and technology education. The system offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 63 campuses, 395 PK-12 school districts, 16 Skills Centers campuses that include three juvenile facilities and 32 adult education and family literacy providers.
The agency is governed by the State Board of Career and Technology Education and works closely with the State Department of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education to provide a seamless educational system for all Oklahomans.
