Introducing New Missouri FCCLA STAR Events

We are happy to announce that the new 2008 Missouri FCCLA Guide to STAR Events is now posted online at the Missouri FCCLA website! With this new guide comes two new Missouri-only STAR Events - Food Science and Healthy AgriMissouri Meals.

Food Science, an individual event, recognizes participants for their ability to study the history and trends of food science, research and reflect upon the fields of food science, demonstrate laboratory techniques and analysis capabilities, explore food science careers, and describe the relationship of Family and Consumer Sciences coursework to food science. Participants must prepare a portfolio, deliver an oral presentation, and respond to a case study.

Special thanks go to Susan Turgeson, from Menomonie High School in Wisconsin, who provided a draft of the Food Science event during her presentation "Putting Science Back In Family and Consumer Sciences" at the AAFCS Meeting this summer in Milwaukee. She was gracious enough to allow Missouri FCCLA to utilize much of her work as the basis for this new event. You can read more about Susan and her food science program here.

Healthy AgriMissouri Meals, an individual or team event, recognizes participants who use Family and Consumer Sciences knowledge and skills to develop a healthy menu focusing on the use of AgriMissouri food products. The multi-day menu will include nutritional analysis, projected cost, information on featured AgriMissouri products, and a rationale for choices made by the participants based upon a family profile. The Healthy AgriMissouri Meals project will be submitted as an electronic portfolio.

We are excited to announce a new collaboration and partnership with AgriMissouri. Healthy AgriMissouri Meals was developed, in part, to help showcase the wide variety of food products grown and produced right here in Missouri. At the same time, this new event can be easily integrated into courses in Nutrition and Wellness, Health, and Culinary Arts. Sarah Gerling, who is Member Services Coordinator for AgriMissouri (and who writes the AgriMissouri Showcase Blog) says: "AgriMissouri is excited to be sponsoring Healthy AgriMissouri Meals! Missouri’s agricultural producers grow and produce many healthy and nutritious products. The 'Healthy AgriMissouri Meals' event allows students to apply nutritional principles to a real scenario while learning about what is produced and grown in Missouri."

Advisors and students will also be excited to learn that there are awards for participants and for chapters, sponsored by AgriMissouri. Check out the guidelines at the Missouri FCCLA website!