PHS future leaders to present annual spinster dance

POLSON — The Polson High School Spinster Spree winter semiformal will be sponsored and decorated by Family, Career and Community Leaders of America a student organization, but many students and community members don’t fully understand what the organization involves.

FCCLA is a National Career and Technical Student Organization for young men and women in family and consumer sciences education classes. The Polson High School FCCLA hopes to provide opportunities for personal development and preparation for adult life to its student members. According to their website, FCCLA also encourages the function of the family as a basic unit of society and provides the students the opportunity to grow into mature young adults.

“The organization is community service, and it provides the students an opportunity to learn how to become a leader and better adult,” said PHS FCCLA adviser Linda Anderson.

Bryanna Peterson, a senior at Polson High School, has participated in FCCLA for the past six years, gaining knowledge to become a better leader from attending numerous meetings, workshops and competitions throughout her years in the organization.

“Everything that I have done through FCCLA has taught me a lot,” Peterson said. “I’ve learned how to become a better leader within my community and maybe more importantly, a better leader within my family.”

Peterson is an FCCLA state officer and has traveled across the state to attend meetings and competitive events. She has also taken the trip to a national FCCLA competition in Orlando, Fla., a meeting in Washington, D.C. and a recent workshop in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“Oh, all of those trips were amazing and we hope to make it to this year’s national competition which will be held in Nashville,” she said. “But with all of these experiences combined, I will hopefully grow into a stronger leader at college and then eventually have a successful career, I hope to become a teacher and adviser like Ms. Anderson.”

Peterson is still trying to decide between attending college at Brigham Young University-Idaho or Montana State University, but is now spending her time planning and decorating for the Spinster Spree winter semiformal being held on Saturday, Dec. 6. The dance is a “girl-ask-guy” event wherein FCCLA will elect a king, queen, prince and a princess based on an essay format.

“The winter formal is a constructive activity where students are chaperoned and can have a fun time in a safe environment,” Anderson said. “We’re all really looking forward to it.”