The Harrisburg Career and Technical Education Department would like to spotlight student success in Career and Technical Education. Students are nominated for the honor and honorees will be announced each month. We are proud to announce October’s honoree: Alexis Burley, HHS FCCLA Vice-President of Community Service, as nominated by Mrs. Tracy Kern. Ms. Burley recently shared her thoughts about CTE and FCCLA with Breanne Lynch, District CTE Coordinator, keep reading for more!
In middle school, Alexis explored family and consumer sciences (FACS) in her electives rotations, as a freshman, she took the course introduction to family and consumer sciences with Mrs. Kern, and joined Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Then, Alexis wanted to explore cooking and baking; she joined Mrs. Rombough’s culinary program and hasn’t looked back. She credits FCCLA for giving her tools to develop leadership, organization, and responsibility.
Through a FCCLA partner program, Alexis applied for the Japanese Exchange Program and was awarded the Japanese American Friendship Scholarship. This allowed Ms. Burley to travel to Japan for six weeks, live with a host family, experience Japanese schools, restaurants, and culture. When asked about her favorite part of her Japanese experience Alexis shared, “Living with a host family, they were very chill and accommodating to my needs. Also, making takoyaki with my friends Tamae and Funa! It was so much fun! They call it, having a Takoyaki Party! It is basically a fried octopus ball. So yummy!”
Alexis was quick to point out all of the opportunities FACS and FCCLA has for students, “Try it and see if you like, if you don’t that is okay, try something else.” She mentioned how FCCLA meetings have given her the ability to be more assertive and also make new friends that become family. When asked about her future, Alexis plans to explore the culinary arts, as well as personal finance. She is eager to take personal finance with Mr. Kroger and learn about managing money; a skill she believes will transfer well when headed off to college. Exploring the world, making new friends, and trying out career fields, all done with the help of career and technical education, we couldn’t be more proud. Congratulations to this month’s CTE Student Spotlight Honoree - Alexis Burley.