Two Westfield eighth graders earn national recognition at FCCLA Leadership Conference

Submitted by Westfield Washington Schools

Two Westfield Middle School students took their learning to the national stage this summer, representing Westfield Washington Schools at the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.

Incoming eighth graders Rivika Srivastava and Henry Stinson competed July 6 to 10 in FCCLA STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) events. The competitions challenged students to identify a societal need, develop a project over the course of the school year, and present their work to evaluators.

For Srivastava and Stinson, that meant months of research, planning and hands-on work before they ever stepped in front of judges.

Turning a passion for basketball into service

Stinson competed in the Chapter Service Project Portfolio category with Hoosiers Helping Hoopers, a project designed to help remove financial barriers between young people and participating in basketball.

After researching the impact of athletics costs on families, he focused his project on children ages 8 to 12 in Central Indiana. He interviewed young basketball players about the financial challenges they encounter, with equipment and registration fees emerging as significant obstacles.

He set initial goals of raising $500 and creating five basketball gift baskets. Through fundraising and community outreach, he raised $575 and created six baskets, exceeding both goals. The gift baskets included basketballs, socks, water bottles, drink mixes, drawstring bags, and money to help cover league registration.

Partnering with Westfield Youth Sports, he helped connect the project with local students. He promoted the effort through social media, flyers, and outreach to local businesses and organizations, then packaged and donated the baskets himself.

Exploring a future in pediatrics

Srivastava took a different path, using FCCLA’s Career Investigation event to explore whether a future in pediatrics might be right for her.

Her Passion for Pediatrics project saw her set out to understand the day-to-day life of a pediatrician, identify the education and skills required for the profession, and determine how her own interests and strengths might align with the field.

As part of the project, she interviewed three pediatricians, including a general pediatrician and two pediatric gastroenterologists with different levels of professional experience. Those conversations gave her perspectives on everything from building relationships with families to the challenges of the profession and the changing role of technology in medicine.

She also sought opportunities to work directly with children. She volunteered at a children’s event through Carmel Clay Public Library, where she helped 20 to 30 children ages 6 to 11, and volunteered for four weeks at a learning center, tutoring students in math and reading and assisting with classroom activities. She connected those experiences to skills important in pediatrics, including communication, patience, empathy, leadership, problem-solving and time management.

Her project demonstrated a willingness to explore a question deeply while recognizing that her interests may continue to evolve. Even though she is not yet certain if she will become a pediatrician, she knows she wants a future where she can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Her presentation earned a spot in the National Top Ten, and she ultimately finished second in the nation in her event.

Congratulations to both Srivastava and Stinson on representing Westfield Middle School and Westfield Washington Schools on the national stage. A huge thank you goes out to Ally Smith and Emerson Burroughs, Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers at Westfield Middle School, who supported students as they developed the skills and confidence required to take these ideas from their earliest stages to competition. These projects demonstrate true WWS excellence and Life Ready outcomes.