At Central Hardin High School, the Department of Applied Family Science is particularly distinguished.
Mayor Jeff Gregory presented a proclamation at the school Thursday declaring Family and Consumer Science Day to coincide with National Family and Consumer Science Day on Saturday.
Applied family science is concerned with the study of well-being, relationships, growth, and nutrition in everyday life.
Leslie Lewis is a family applied sciences teacher and CHHS alumna who serves as an advisor to the school’s Family Career and Community Leaders of America, or FCCLA.
Lewis said the group is a co-curricular organization that is part of the FCS curriculum. He said there are 10 officers who attend assemblies, compete in so-called Star Events, and provide community service at the school and in the area.
People at FCCLA celebrated the announcement with Lewis. The reason this date is December 3rd is the birthday of Ellen Swallow Richards, who started FCS. She was also the first woman admitted to MIT.
FCS classes offer electives, but Lewis said four career paths are in the FCS curriculum: early childhood education, food and beverage services, consumer and family services, hospitality, and travel and tourism.
Senior Kimberly Yates, president of the school’s FCCLA chapter, said being a part of the group was a great experience and made new friends.
“You learn a lot of new skills,” he said.
Star events include working with local children and baking competitions.
Yates said one of the FCS classes is the FACS class, which teaches useful skills like baking and sewing.
“It teaches you how to write a resume … which will be very helpful when you graduate and get a job,” Yates said of the class.
Lewis says the courses provide education that can be useful in the real world. Lessons involve dealing with issues like dealing with food and money, she said.
“It’s something they’ll use later in life,” Lewis said of the students and the skills they learned.
He also said that community leaders would come and speak at the class.
“Because we’re so relevant in the real world … students make those connections,” she said.
