Four members of Flathead High School’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America have qualified for nationals after earning top scores at state.

The national qualifiers are Delaney Eliason, Rebecca Wride, Zoie Zundel and Danielle ZuZero. Only the top two gold medal finishers with the highest scores in each category advanced to nationals.

Eliason, Wride and Zundel took gold in the Food Innovations category for their project, “Frigid Fruit.” The students had to come up with a nutritious snack. Their frozen snack was made with fruit and yogurt.

ZuZero won a gold medal in the Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation category for her project “New Zealand: The Ultimate Experience.” ZuZero and other national qualifiers presented their projects to the Kalispell Public Schools board of trustees.

“My task was to create a business in the tourism industry and so I did mine on New Zealand and you also have to make a website and present it,” ZuZero said.

Using feedback from state judges, ZuZero will be able to edit her presentation for nationals.

“This is my first year with FCCLA and I really liked it,” ZuZero said. “I’m really excited to go to Texas.”

The students are now raising money to pay their way to the national leadership conference July 6-10 in San Antonio.

Twenty four members of the Flathead chapter participated at state in March in Billings.

Other gold medals winners included Alex Lloyd in the Chapter in Review Portfolio category, Kristy Metcalf in the Recycle and Redesign category and Desarae Serrano in National Programs in Action category.

Serrano was also named the Ultimate Leader for the state.

According to the Montana Family, Career and Community Leaders of America website, the Ultimate Leader is awarded to “someone who mobilizes others to want to get extraordinary things done in an organization.”

“I knew I was nominated but didn’t know I was going to actually get it,” Serrano said. “It made me feel good knowing I was chosen from the whole state of Montana.”

To be considered for the award, students had to be nominated and submit letters of recommendation, according to Flathead adviser Amanda Matdies.

Matdies said Serrano has always had leadership abilities, but really took it up a notch this year by stepping up to take over the duties of chapter president when the position was vacated prior to the state competition.

“She just grew by leaps and bounds [in her leadership],” Matdies said.

The team also earned nine silver and two bronze medals.

Silver medal winners included Hannah Bass, Montana Food Producer Pork Education Display; Katie Dutton, Life Event Planning; Chloe Clevidence, Life Event Planning; Jessica Fendich, Recycle and Redesign; Hannah Whipkey and Isabell Dunn, Chapter Service Project Display; Ashley Gray and Amanda White, Focus on Children and Katie Sampson, Food Innovations.

Bronze medal winners were David McFarland for his Montana Food Producer Beef Education Display and Clarelina Purvis in the Nutrition and Wellness category.

The Flathead club, as a whole, earned a silver chapter award in recognition for participation in a variety of activities. “The kids just did really well,” Matdies said.

For more information, contact Jamie Eliason at 755-1118 or 249-3452 or email flatheadfccla@gmail.com.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.