Although the shut down has forced Gator Time to be put on hold, some clubs are still going. One of those is FCCLA, or Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. It is one of the many CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organization) clubs offered at Green Level. FCCLA is a nonprofit that focuses on family and consumer sciences education for students in grades 6-12.

Ethan Ngyuen, the president of FCCLA at Green Level says, “Green Level FCCLA officers have stayed connected via social media & digital conferencing platforms during these unprecedented times. We have utilized our Instagram account to post update notifications & food photography. We have held Zoom & Google Meet sessions to discuss plans for the future.” He also says they have been hosting t-shirt and logo design contests to become more official. 

According to Ngyuen, when physical school was still in session, FCCLA held “culinary skill & prep contests” and baked treats. The board members also were helping to prepare for competitions in the years to come. “However, with everything going on we have resorted to a virtual competition. We have been keen on entering the food innovation event,” Ngyuen states. 

Maddy Linares, FCCLA board member adds, “We are also in the middle of doing an online FCCLA competition, which we will be competing in the ‘food innovations’ category! We have gathered some of our officers, including myself who are willing to participate in a fun, interactive, online and remote FCCLA star competition!” 

The Green Level FCCLA club has a lot to offer, “In FCCLA you get to have fun, interact with your friends, cook and bake incredibly yummy dishes, we learn lots of greats and valuable baking and cooking skills and we compete in food competitions!” Linares tells me. These skills seem to also be extra useful in quarantine, where we cannot eat out in restaurants like we used to.

“We cannot wait to welcome back old members and invite new ones to join. We aspire to expand and give our club a greater reputation in this forthcoming year!” Ngyuen finishes off by saying, “Most importantly, shout out to our spectacular club advisor, Mrs. Stanton who always gives her best to support us all.”