Battle Creek High School Students Attended Family and Consumer Sciences Career Conference at Wayne State College
Wayne State College, December 4th, 2019 – Becca Arkfeld, Alexis Anderson, Stacey Frisch, Payton Kersten, Alison Korth, and Megan Lutt from Battle Creek High School attended the Say Yes to FCS (Family and Consumer Sciences) Careers Conference at Wayne State College. The event was hosted by the college’s Family and Consumer Sciences Department and the Wayne Senior High Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Chapter. The conference drew more than 180 students, teachers, and supporters from across Nebraska.
During the Say Yes to FCS conference, attendees heard from keynote speaker, Dr. Lisa Wanek, who earned a bachelor’s degree in FCS Education. Wanek went on to research bullying and victimization, especially parenting practices, and child behavior and treatment while working on her Master’s and Doctoral degrees. She is now an instructor in the Criminal Justice Department at Wayne State College. She drew connections between the need for FCS classes where students can learn about families and working with children and the ability of those students to be able to stop the cycle of violence and trauma in families. Students later participated in breakout sessions focused on a variety of careers within the Family and Consumer Sciences field such as Child, Youth, and Family Services; Early Childhood Education and Services; Nutrition and Wellness; Education and Training; Design; Counseling and Mental Health; Culinary Arts; and Comprehensive Family and Consumer Sciences. Participants had the opportunity to compete in FCS content related knowledge tests that assessed students’ knowledge in foods and nutrition, child development & early childhood education, fashion design & clothing, interior design and housing, resource management. Throughout the day students were able to network with other high school students from 18 different Nebraska schools.
Becca Arkfeld, Stacey Frisch, and Megan Lutt represented Battle Creek at Say Yes to FCS by competing in the content knowledge tests. Fifty-three students participated in the 2019 Say Yes to FCS content test and all three placed. Becca Arkfeld earned 2nd in Interior Design and Housing, Stacey Frisch placed 3rd in Child Development, and Megan Lutt placed 1st in Child Development. Only the top three highest scoring content test takers were recognized during the closing session and brought home a medal recognizing their achievement.
All attendees returned home with improved knowledge and skills to better prepare them for their future career endeavors.
About Wayne State’s FCS Program
Wayne State College’s Family and Consumer Sciences program is designed for students with a passion for family living, consumer economics, foods and nutrition, apparel and textiles, child development, and parenting. Students who pursue the family and consumer sciences major get to choose from one of five concentrations or the major in Early Childhood and Family Studies to prepare for careers that improve individual, family, and community well-being, and impact the development, delivery, and evaluation of consumer goods and services. For more information go to https://www.wsc.edu/family-and-consumer-sciences or https://www.wsc.edu/early-childhood.