Bronaugh student makes her mark in poster contest

By Lynn A. Wade

Nevada Daily Mail

Bronaugh freshman Rebecca Schnedler has won national accolades with the poster she created for the Families, Careers and Community Leaders national poster contest.

The winner was selected with votes on the FCCLA's national Facebook page and wasn't fully decided until a voting frenzy that had Rebecca's entry and other top entries trading the leading slots, right up to the end.

There's a poster contest every year; but this is the first year the winner has been selected through "likes," which constituted votes on Facebook, according to Bronaugh FCCLA advisor Shelly Herring.

All nine of the students in Herrings' class created and entered posters in the contest. "We had a wide variety of posters entered -- all of the students' posters were good and creatively done. Rebecca's must have stood out with the committee -- just before Thanksgiving break, we got word that Rebecca's poster was in the top three," Herring said.

Those voting on the site were mostly FCCLA members, and their families and friends; and as the Dec. 1 deadline to "like" her poster approached, classmates, family members and Herring tried to get the word out, encouraging people to vote.

Rebecca said, "It was very exciting," to hear throughout the day that she could be winning the contest, but coming up with her design and carrying it out was a challenge.

Leads changed in the contest several times in the final days, with the entry that ultimately ended up third leading the pack at one point; but in the end, Rebecca's entry gleaned the most "likes" and was declared the winner.

Rebecca said she'd congratulated the other frontrunners, and that she felt all of the entries were good.

This year's poster theme is "making a mark;" and Rebecca's poster featured a crossword puzzle she created that included words relating to that theme. First she drew it out by hand, and with the help of some classmates decided what words would be included.

Creating her design on the computer from scratch was difficult and it took her some time to figure out a way to make it look just the way she wanted it to look, Rebecca said; but she has since learned of online resources that would have made the task much easier.

She'll have an opportunity to make a presentation about the process at a national convention next summer, as well, Herring noted.

"We're so proud of Rebecca; she has 'made her mark' for FCCLA and Bronaugh," Herring said.

Rebecca's poster also will be featured as the center spread of "Teen Times," an FCCLA magazine, in the January/

February issue of the publication.

According to FCCLA's Web site, "FCCLA Contests allow students to use creativity to express their FCCLA spirit. Contests take place twice each year."

"Involvement in FCCLA's Competitive Events programs offers members the opportunity to expand their leadership potential and develop skills for life necessary in families, communities, and workplaces. Members can demonstrate family and consumer sciences skills, career skills, and interpersonal skills through activities in FCCLA. Those activities are also implemented into the Family and Consumer Science classroom curriculum."

Rebecca agrees, and said that being a member of FCCLA also offers her chances to "meet new people, to learn things and to become a leader."

In addition, eight other Bronaugh FCCLA members created posters that were entered in the contest and are displayed in the classroom along with Rebecca's entry.

They are: Heather Baker, Troy Brannan, Emily Burris, Amanda Raper, Michaela Reedy, Kyla Russell, Lora Shaw and Sarah Yoast.