Six members of FCCLA travelled to Washington D.C. July 5-11 to attend the National Leadership Conference and compete in STAR events. 

Noor Albermany competed in the Sports Nutrition category and earned a Silver Award (top 20%) medal.

“This is excellent and we are so proud of her,” FCCLA Adviser Dr. Cassie Mueller said. 

Arri Lugod and Alex Pheakday competed in the Chapter Service Project Portfolio category and earned GOLD, the highest possible award indicating top 10%. Lugod and Pheakday, along with Johnny Lopez who was not able to attend Nationals) were first place and National Representatives in their category from Washington State. 

Lugod, Pheakday and Lopez organized a food drive for the PHS Food Pantry in November 2025. They partnered with Our Savior Lutheran to buy non-perishables that are not donated during this type of event. The goods brought in were continuously distributed throughout the rest of the school year. Lopez led the way for this project.

“With his classroom knowledge from Child Development [it] sparked his interest to help meet the food insecurity needs at our own school,” Mueller said. 

After completing the project, the team developed and delivered a presentation highlighting how they applied the FCCLA Planning Process, integrated classroom learning with real-world service, and collaborated to create a project that made a lasting impact on both their chapter and the PHS community. 

Albermany created a project for a female athlete to improve nutrition and increase hydration while building upper body strength and muscle mass. 

“Grounded in USDA dietary guidelines, [Albermany] applied the knowledge gained through her FCS coursework and conducted additional research on evidence-based nutrition strategies for adolescent female athletes,” Mueller said. “Using this information, [Albermany] designed personalized recommendations to support the athlete’s performance, strength development, and overall health.” 

Mueller says that for the STAR Event presentation, Albermany assumed the role of a nutritionist presenting her recommendations and findings for the athlete, evaluation of outcomes and informed adjustments, while tracking her progress over a set amount of time.

“Her speech showcased her ability to integrate classroom learning, research, critical thinking and real-world problem solving that promoted health,” Mueller said. 

During the conference, students spent time witnessing the decision-making process in action at the national level, attending sessions to increase their leadership skills, and finding ways to partner with organizations for further impact in the local community and beyond. 

“We also had the opportunity to explore the city in the sweltering heat during our off time, outside the conference center,” Mueller said.