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Long students attend FCCLA conference
0802 Long kids at conf
Long County students Maegan DeLoach and Ashley Burnside recently competed at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Tennessee. - photo by Mikee Riddle

Long County students Meagan DeLoach and Ashley Burnside attended the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America National Leadership Conference on July 7-11 in Nashville, Tenn.
DeLoach represented the Blue Tide alongside 3,600 other high-school students in the conference’s Students Taking Action with Recognition event, which helped participants build proficiency in leadership and job-related skills. She competed in the “teach-and-train” competition by preparing a lesson plan on nutrition and wellness for a seventh-grade class. She won a silver medal in her division.
According to FCCLA advisor Bethany Gilliam, who chaperoned the trip, DeLoach and Burnside took advantage of the opportunity to gain knowledge that they now will pass on to other students. The girls will help others discover their strengths, target their goals and initiate a plan to achieve them, Gilliam said.
The conference consisted of seminars that focused on community-violence prevention, physical fitness, financial responsibility, family values, academics and career exploration. Gilliam said that specific issues, such as obesity prevention and the changing roles of men and women in the workplace and home, were addressed in several presentations.
The FCCLA, founded in 1945, is a national organization that helps boys and girls become leaders in their communities, according to Gilliam, who added that there are more than 5,500 chapters in the United States.
“The FCCLA ultimate leadership experience is unique among youth organizations, because its programs are planned and run by its members,” Gilliam said. “It is the only career and technical in-school organization with the family as its central focus.”

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BI hosts LCSS Gala
LibertyCountySchools

Bradwell Institute’s Friends Helping Friends will host the 3rdAnnual Liberty County School System Special Needs Gala Saturday at 7p.m.

The dance portion of the gala is free and open to the public.

FHF was started three years ago by BI special needs teacher Charlie Moon. FHF is comprised of a large group of general education students that connect special needs students with their general education peers. They have raised $20,000 in the last 30 months, for events like this, a new sensory room, music therapy equipment, and many other fun events. 

“FHF does so much for the special needs students. It really brings them out in their social skills. They become so much more comfortable around us all,” FHF Junior Danielle Hennessee said. 

FHF Junior Jada Naftzinger said it’s a two-way street. “It not only helps them, but us as well. It brings us out of our own shells and comfort zones.” 

Moon added, “For us, the Gala is not our calling card. I’ve told the students from day one, unless they truly know these special needs students, we won’t do the Gala at all. We’ll throw a big pizza party instead. The point is, we want the kids to really focus on the one-on-one, in-class work, hanging out in the halls, really talking to them. That’s the only way this program truly reaches its potential. Our motto is, “Changing lives, one friend at a time.”

During a private dinner which precedes the public dance, district office personnel, representatives from Congressman Buddy Carter’s office, district SPED staff, BI Football players and FHF members, parents and the honored guests – 50 special needs students from around the district will be in attendance.

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