STAR Events are stressful even for evaluators.

Students and advisors can give harrowing stories about getting ready for regional and state competitions; each person can identify times of stress, anxiety, and frustrations.  What everyone should understand is that evaluators also have each of these emotions. The anxiety of doing the right thing for each competitor and treating everyone fairly is a big job that each evaluator takes very seriously.

I was at a basketball game recently where the announcer stated to the audience how seriously the officials considered their job and that no official would make a mistake or treat a player unjustly on purpose.  STAR Event evaluators are the same; we take our job seriously and want to serve our FCCLA community in the best way we can. Most of us have seen the heartbreak when a competitor receives a bronze or silver rather than the gold they have dreamed about; as parents and teachers we would  all save the competitors this disappointment if possible but we have a job to do!  

Today was a perfect example; state STAR events did not disappoint.  When time, passion, and heart are put into the presentations we see awesome results. Those who move on to nationals have certainly earned their place. Contributed by Anita Kenkel, Media Team 2015

About the Author:
My name is Anita Kenkel. I have been with the Carl Junction school district for 16 years; I am the coordinator of the Parents as Teachers program part time and I also teach FACS at the high school part time. I have been married for 22 years and have two girls, age 20 and 15. I also have a dog named, Brie. I love to attend high school sporting events and I am a youth group leader at my church. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time with teenagers and I wouldn't trade it for anything.