Amelia Hubbard and Megan Jackson competed at the National Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Competition in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, July 8th earning silver medals.
Before placing second at the national level, the two Bangs High School Students placed second at the FCCLA State Leadership Conference which was held in Dallas earlier this year. Their project, “AM&M’s Gluten Free-Choco-Berry Cake” was a chocolate cupcake with a strawberry filling made from fresh strawberries and chocolate ganache with a swirl on top. Competition guidelines called for safety precautions to be adhered to, as well as devising a marketing strategy.
Hubbard and Jackson entered the food innovations category and were required to create a gluten free dessert for the “average teenager,” while including gluten free products and grains. “We also had to come up with a package idea and create a model of it,” Hubbard said. “Our giant fabric cupcake and wooden/plexiglass box is a replica of our packaging. The box serves as an eye catcher and a display board for our presentation.”
“We had no real knowledge of what we were doing and we weren’t sure how well we would do,” Jackson said. “But after started learning about our topic, I was really interested in learning more.”
Hubbard said one goal associated with the project was to get the word out about Celiac disease, a condition which damages the lining of the small intestine and hinders food absorption. “I believe we accomplished that.”
The project required several modifications before submission. “During the course of the project, we had to make cupcakes and test them with a control group of 22 students,” Hubbard said. “We then modified the project after each test.”
Before attending the national event, Jackson stated that she was “excited to represent Bangs and the state of Texas at nationals in Tennessee. By bringing home the silver medals, both she and Hubbard proved they represented their school, city and state well at the competition.
Hubbard and Jackson are pictured at top left. Their “giant cupcake” and display board are pictured below. Photos contributed.
