| SLP High School teacher wins Spirit of Advising award |
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| Wednesday, 12 August 2009 | ||
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Staff writer A Spring Lake Park High School teacher is the recipient of a student advisor award for a group with a strong focus on family.
The conference was held July 12 - July 16 in Nashville, Tenn. One advisor per state receives the award. “Being in FCCLA in high school, I have a passion for it” said Henry, a faculty member at SLPHS since 1993. “Just working with the kids is something I enjoy,” she said. A 2007 SLP District 16 Teacher of the Year, Henry was selected for the Spirit Award because of her commitment of time and energy to the organization. She has spent countless hours with her students working on monthly volunteer activities, attending executive council meetings and helping students prepare for local and state presentation competitions. This is Henry’s 25th year of advising FCCLA students. “Lori is very sensitive to the youth-led initiatives of FCCLA,” said Wendy Ambrose, executive director of the Minnesota Association of FCCLA, who nominated Henry for the award. “She’s very patient in letting them learn the skills,” she said. Ambrose spoke of the difficulty of selecting just one state advisor for the honor among 125 “excellent advisors.” She was particularly impressed with how Henry adapted the organization’s activities from a rural setting of Brownton in western Minnesota where she once taught to Spring Lake Park High School and make it work in a city setting. Further, she nominated Henry for producing strong leaders, encouraging students and figuring out solutions to problems, such as raising funds where needed. Shelly Hopkins, a former FCCLA student at SLP High School from 1993-96, credits Henry, who was her advisor, with helping her learn planning skills, which, ultimately, led to her career choice. “Had she not been a teacher at Spring Lake Park, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity,” said Hopkins, member services coordinator for the Minnesota FCCLA state office. Henry enjoys seeing her students succeed. Some, at first, too timid to utter a few words in public, who go on to win state and national competition awards. “FCCLA is a place students can feel good about themselves and grow and I love being a part of that,” she said. Among several monthly projects last year, her students raised funds for the Alexandra House, a domestic abuse shelter for battered women. Her FCCLA student members taught younger SLP District 16 students dental health and middle schoolers how to lead a healthier lifestyle, teaching tips ranging from aerobic exercise, to nutrition, to healthy snacks. Henry’s group at the high school has blossomed to 27 students, the largest number yet for her. Although the majority are young women, three boys joined last year. The numbers continue to increase. In fact, SLP High School student Zach Barstow, an incoming junior, will serve as Region 4 FCCLA president this school year. The Spirit Award is given to exceptional advisors who work behind the scenes to ensure the success of their students. “It’s a growth for me as well,” Henry said. “We’re lifelong learners. I think it’s so neat to see their leadership skills grow. FCCLA has nearly 220,000 members in more than 6,500 chapters from 50 state associations and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The organization, formerly known as Future Homemakers of America, has involved more than 10 million youth since its founding in 1945, according to the FCCLA Web site. Elyse Kaner is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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