Shock was the best way to describe her reaction when her name was announced as the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Member of the Year, said Addy Hoyer, a 2026 graduate of Dodgeville High School.
Selected from more than 270,000 members nationwide, Hoyer received FCCLA’s highest individual student honor, recognizing exceptional leadership, service, and commitment to the student organization. The announcement was made at the National Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., in July.
“My whole FCCLA experience flashed in front of my eyes when they said my name,” Hoyer said. “If freshman me saw how far I’d come, I wouldn’t have believed it. As I graduated, this was my last big moment, kind of like the final curtain.”
FCCLA wasn’t always a part of Hoyer’s high school plans. After taking a culinary arts course taught by her school’s Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) teacher and FCCLA adviser freshman year, she was encouraged to give the organization a try.
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“At the time, it wasn’t on my radar,” Hoyer said. “But FCCLA has such a unique way of making everyone feel welcome, no matter who you are or what personality you have. There is somewhere that you fit in, and I loved that aspect of it. I got to explore who I was and how I fit into the school as a freshman.”
Hoyer’s role in the organization quickly evolved into leadership. By her sophomore year, she became the first student from her school to enter FCCLA’s Fashion Design competitive event. Her project advanced to the national competition, where she placed third. The following year, she earned a national gold medal in Fashion Design. Hoyer also competed in the Teach FCS Skills Demonstration event, which tasks students with developing and implementing a weeklong public relations campaign promoting careers in Family and Consumer Sciences education. She earned first place nationally.
Hoyer’s involvement extended beyond competition. She also served as a Wisconsin FCCLA state officer as vice president of engagement, attended leadership conferences, advocated for FCS education at the state Capitol, and helped lead a successful fundraiser benefiting para-athletes across Wisconsin.
One of the best parts of the organization, Hoyer says, is the connection between students.
“One of the most unique things about FCCLA as a career and technical student organization is that it’s like a family for so many of us. If you win, or the person next to you wins, everyone is equally happy for each other.”
Although her high school FCCLA career ended when she graduated this past spring, her involvement with FCS education is just beginning. This fall, Hoyer will attend UW-Stevens Point to study Family and Consumer Sciences education, with the goal of becoming an FCS teacher herself. She said she remains passionate about teaching the subject because the skills will serve students no matter what they do.
“Quite literally every student who walks into an FCS class will find an area that fits them,” she said. “When you have a student in an FCS class, you almost never hear them ask ‘Why do I need this?’ They will never step into your kitchen and say, ‘When do I need to know how to use a stove?’ They will never ask, ‘Why do I need to learn to patch up my clothes?’ And that is what is so unique about the program. Because, yes, I might need to know how to weld, or I might need to use calculus, but I most definitely will need to learn how to cook—whether it’s for my future job or not. I find that is so empowering for students.”
Remarkably, Hoyer wasn’t the only member of the Dodgeville High School FCCLA community recognized on the national stage. Her adviser, Sarah James—who has led the chapter for the past 10 years—was named in the top five finalists for the 2026 FCCLA Adviser of the Year award from a field of more than 7,300 chapter advisers nationwide.
