Sweaty palms grip utensils as eyes scan the table, surrounded by individuals dressed in a toque blanche (“white hat”), white double-breasted jacket, pants in a black-and-white houndstooth pattern, and apron. The air is filled with the sound of sizzling, the aroma of seasonings and spices, and the intense gaze of judges analyzing each dish like hawks.
This is a familiar scene for Luis Angel Catana, a junior at West Chicago Community High School, honing his skills in the culinary arts through FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America).
Catana joined FCCLA to develop his abilities in culinary arts, child development, and fashion. His decision was inspired by his cousins and two teachers in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) department: Emily Renteria and Brittany Bauer.
“[Two years ago], my cousin informed me about it, and I was extremely interested. Then halfway through, she found out you had to compete, which caused her to depart from FCCLA. However, [last] year, what encouraged me to join FCCLA was because of my Den teacher, Ms. Renteria, and my foods teacher. These two teachers authorize and are part of FCCLA,” Luis said.
Both Renteria and Bauer have been particularly supportive.
“These particular two teachers are respectful and warm-hearted teachers who I enjoy having. And I was like, ‘Oh, why not join?’ This year, as I became closer to FCCLA, I commenced by myself and was introduced to some amazing people and other students who were part of FCCLA,” Luis said.
Initially, Luis felt isolated and unsure of how to introduce himself to others, but those feelings quickly faded.
“I feel like I’ve met new people as I became more engaged in FCCLA because I went to regionals this past week and I was introduced to other people. For my very first time competing professionally, they informed me not to feel anxious as they assisted me. I genuinely didn’t have the experience to know what to do, or what to take and the essential things I needed to acquire. They helped me out by providing some of that,” Luis said.
Now, Catana enjoys being part of FCCLA, where he helps others and learns new things. Those close to him have noticed how the club has helped him grow.
“The skills and personal strengths that Luis has developed him in a positive process, he has improved his communication skills, critical thinking as he gets involved with the FCCLA program. He has a deep affection on culinary, and fashion which make him an extremely interesting individual in the WEGO community, the personal experiences have gave him the advantage to have resilience and courage through the clubs and programs he engages with,” cousin Brenda Catana said.
His teachers have also observed his dedication and enthusiasm.
“I saw Luis have this light and passion to be involved as he was always willing to participate and interact with his peers. The fact I get to see Luis various times throughout the day in class makes me feel appreciative that they’re students like him in this school – he is bright, caring and always wants to help out when needed. In FCCLA one wants to help out the community through various life skills and engage in competitions with a bright spirit,” Renteria said.
The club collaborates with the yearbook team by taking and curating photos of sporting events, fundraisers, and school field trips.
“Yes, we work with the yearbook. We take pictures every chance we get, pictures such as sporting events, fundraisers, and school field trips. Essentially, it’s a fun thing to do because you get to see fun memories that occurred,” Luis said.
Luis’s confidence has also flourished in other areas of FCCLA, as his teachers have noticed.
“Through my time at Den with Luis and in Foods 1, I’ve watched Luis become confident in finding his voice and asking questions when needed either for himself or for others. The root of that is that he wants to help out and is so willing to raise to the occasion when needed. Luis pleasantly surprised me as he dived into a Frosted Cake competition having no prior experience – that in itself speaks volumes on how brave and optimistic he is. He took a chance and did well overall making me so proud of all the dedication he has put in this club,” Renteria said.
FCCLA holds monthly meetings in Bauer’s Child Development room.
“We have conversations as a group about fundraisers and planned events that will occur in the future. Essentially, they inform us about things that we need to acquire in order to be prepared,” Luis said.
This year, the club hosted several fundraisers, selling items like elote (esquites), pizzas, chocolates, and teddy bears. FCCLA also makes efforts to support the community.
“About two or three months ago, we had a canned food drive, and we were located in the Commons (cafeteria) area. People were bringing cans of food, and [we] transported them to downtown West Chicago,” Luis said.
FCCLA provides opportunities for students to connect with others, plan future events, and build leadership skills. The club equips members with the ability to set goals, plan effectively, think critically, and improve communication skills with peers, adults, and professionals. Luis’s cousin, Brenda Catana, shared how these skills have translated into his daily life.
“I see Luis as a person in WEGO that is constantly looking to be involved in the school’s programs and is always trying his best to be a good student in WEGO, as he’s also managing to stay up to multitask with his after school clubs. For example, working on the yearbook for FCCLA and the sport tennis. I’ve seen him improve in his multitasking skills,” Brenda said.
Catana encourages others to get involved as well – particularly with FCCLA.
“There are a variety of students that attend FCCLA. Some students don’t attend meetings but go to assist on fundraisers. Other students don’t attend competitions but go to meetings. It’s all mixed up. Overall, it’s fun! We all get along. FCCLA is a fun club to attend if you want to acquire knowledge from all sorts of topics as you develop in your future life,” Luis said.
