Senior Avery Acosta has made it to the national competition of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) to compete in Sports Nutrition.

She will be competing in Atlanta, Georgia on June 28 through July 3.

FCCLA is a nonprofit national career and technical student organization for Family and Consumer Sciences education in public and private school through grade 12.

Acosta has been competing for FCCLA for three years. Her sophomore year she got third in state, her junior year she got fourth in the state, finally leading to her first place win in state for the 2017-18 year. 

“With it being my senior year, I’m so excited [to win first in state],” said Acosta.

Acosta has gotten lots of support from her family, especially her mom. When Acosta has prepared late at night, her mom was by her side helping with final details.

“She’s stayed up until 4 a.m. trying to help me finish something or help me perfect something the night before I compete,” Acosta said. “She also helped me correct any spelling or grammar errors.”

Acosta spends lots of time on the project that she presents for FCCLA. Certain projects include meal plans for athletes with certain dietary needs. Not only has she prepared a three day meal plan for a basketball player who is lactose intolerant but she also shows the effort that goes into each project.

“I have a portfolio about 10 pages long typed about the demographic, physical demands of a lactose intolerant basketball player, I have to include a nutritional analysis page. I also have a PowerPoint and models I present to the judges,” said Acosta. “[I] show them real life possibilities and how hard it is to receive calcium and show them easy methods in order to get calcium.”