Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, or FCCLA, has impacted students all over the United States, granting opportunities that most high school students wouldn’t even dream of having.

   Senior and State FCCLA Officer Danielle Dunn is one of many that have been positively impacted by the organization.

    “I first joined my sophomore year, and I originally just joined to get the cords FCCLA gives to seniors for graduation,” Dunn said. “Mrs. Langley, one of our FCCLA advisors, really pushed me to compete in FCCLA. Through competition, my passion for this organization grew.

   Becoming a State Officer was a long process and incredible experience for Dunn, and has continued to bear many responsibilities.

   “Before you can even run [for State Officer], you have to have served as a local officer and be an affiliated member in FCCLA,” Dunn said. “After that, you can start the application process which involves resumes, essays, and creating a portfolio about your time in FCCLA. At the Region Conference in February each year, prospective officer candidates go through interviews with a board of alumni and other officers, give a speech to the House of Delegates, and take an exam on FCCLA.”

    One of the duties of officership is working towards helping various organizations.

   “As the Texas FCCLA State Vice President of Service Learning, my officership included planning and carrying out a statewide service project to benefit an organization or project of my choosing,” Dunn said. “I chose Jonathan’s Place.”

    Jonathan’s Place is an organization that provides services and a safe home for children who are victims of neglect, abuse, or abandonment.

   “The project involved donating toiletries and school supplies in decorated boxes to make the project fun and competitive between chapters,” Dunn said. “At the State Conference, I collected over 8,000 items to benefit the children of Dallas County. I also planned a volunteer day at Jonathan’s Place in Dallas where the State Officer team worked and surprised the employees with a luncheon and gifts to show our appreciation of everything they do.”

    While Dunn has organized many events, this was her overall favorite.

   “It is my favorite event I’ve organized because the employees of Jonathan’s Place deserve so much more for the dedicated work they do with Children,” Dunn said.

    Dunn first joined FCCLA sophomore year.

    “I competed in Promote and Publicize FCCLA! My sophomore year of high school and advanced with my partner, Aracely Pacheco, all the way to the National competition, where we earned a gold medal for our presentation,” Dunn said.

   Over the years in FCCLA, Dunn has made many memories.

    “My favorite memories are definitely all from our trips,” Dunn said. “FCCLA has taken me to Washington D.C. twice, San Diego, California once, and all across the state of Texas. Overall, my favorite memory is when I got recognized during halftime on the court during a San Antonio Spurs game.”

    While Dunn will not major in anything that necessarily relates to FCCLA, she will continue to use the skills she has learned in FCCLA throughout her life.

   “I plan to go to Texas Tech University and double major in Horticulture and Spanish,” Dunn said. “I use and will utilize the leadership traits everyday that FCCLA has taught me such as public relations, how to speak in front of a crowd, presentation skills, and countless other skills that will help me to succeed.”