Sherman High School FCCLA (Family, Career & Community Leaders of America) received many accolades at the February 8th Region III meeting in Waco. Over 1,200 students from a forty county area attended the meeting. Students were competing in various events and attending workshops on topics related to the organization and the field of Family and Consumer Sciences. Sherman brought home the highest recognition for the region for their participation in a broad range of community service projects for the year. The local chapter also won an award for the most submissions to the national student publication, Teen Times and FCCLA, The Texas Way. Local officers of the FCCLA chapter were recognized on stage for their accomplishment in the Power of One program. This is a self-study in which students participate in activities such as career investigation, self improvement, and leadership activities. Those students who were recognized include Jeff Shelton, Brandon Koone, Kelsi Stephens, Nathan Palmer, Sydny Sbarbaro, Katie Plyler, Caitlyn Thomas, and Stephanie Mygrant. SHS Vice Principal and Career and Technology director Jerry Pedersen was nominated by Spencer Murray to serve on the Board of Directors for FCCLA. Mr. Pedersen won the nomination for Region III and will be voted on by the board among other nominees from the other four regions around the state. Spencer Murray, the current Region III Vice President of Recreation, ran for a second term in office. The election process consists of a one minute speech, the answering of a fact and thought question before a house of delegates from each chapter attending, and then an interview of peers and educators who serve as a nominating committee. If you are elected by the delegates, the nominating committee then determines the office to which you will be appointed. There are seventeen positions or offices available with three of them being at the state level. Mr. Murray was elected to serve as a state officer for the 2008-2009 school year. Spencer will have to interview again at the state level and will then be installed at the state meeting in April in Galveston. Mr. Murray said that an officer position at the state level comes with many summer responsibilities such as attending the Family and Consumer Science teacher conference, a June leadership camp, and the National FCCLA conference. He will also be expected to speak to civic groups and act as an ambassador for FCCLA throughout the state. Symantha Murray, Family and Consumer Science teacher at Sherman High School, serves as the advisor for the FCCLA chapter. Shown here are Mr. Pederson and Spencer Murray congratulating one another on their success in FCCLA.