This year’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America extended service project harkens back to a cause the group is already familiar with: Spreading awareness and pitching in to brighten the days of Arizona foster children.

Each year, this high school organization committed to community service picks a local and/or global cause to tackle throughout the school year. In the past, these projects have targeted domestic violence, displacement and homelessness, cancer and, two years ago, assisting Arizona foster children.

This year, FCCLA has elected to revisit issues involving foster children and their families and, thus, Falcons 4 Fosters Part 2 (F4F2) was born.

“Normally, the club doesn’t circle back to the same causes in order to give students a chance to learn about multiple causes during their time in the program,” said FCCLA Advisor Claire McWilliams.

“After learning that the number of foster kids jumped from 11,000 in 2011 to 15,000 currently, the students decided that much more work was needed.”

McWilliams said that the range of issues accompanying the term “foster child” are varied (abandonment, substance abuse, domestic violence, neglect, separation from siblings, etc.), giving the project a plethora of focuses to choose from.

“Each foster child has a unique story and individual needs that cannot be met by a system that is buckling under the demand,” McWilliams continued.

“Thirty new kids are placed in foster care every day, and more foster parents are leaving the system than joining on.”

According to junior Madi Briguglio, this year’s FCCLA students are excited to have an impact on the lives of local youngsters who could use a little care and support.

“At our age, we thought maybe we could relate really well with these kids,” Briguglio said.

“We want to make a difference in their lives. The numbers are going up, so obviously the problems are getting worse, and we just wanted to do something to help them.

“Even if it’s just for a day, hopefully they’ll carry that memory with them and maybe it will help them get through some of the tough things they might face in the future.”

F4F2 is already under way, with projects planned for the rest of the school year.

According to McWilliams, the purpose of this year’s project is to give her students and community participants an opportunity to assist and support children who are part of foster care and to raise awareness about the challenges that exist in the foster care system.

This year’s undertakings include the town-wide teen and children’s clothing donation drive (Dec. 2-13), a fundraiser for the Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents (AAFAP), foster care education and awareness activities and a cap-off “Knights and Princesses” event hosted out of Fort McDowell Adventures, giving foster kids and their families a chance to unwind and have a regally entertaining evening.

Following the donation drive, FCCLA members will also be setting up a special boutique. Working with their non-profit partner organization, the AAFAP, children will be brought into the boutique to “shop” for clothing and other items of their choosing.

Senior Sean McDonough said he expects this portion of the project to be a big hit with the kids.

“I think they have a lot of drama and a lot of other things that are going on in their lives,” McDonough said.

“Through all of that darkness, they need to be able to see some kind of light, some kind of hope at the end of the tunnel.”

McDonough said that he hopes the boutique, providing the children with clothing and other necessities, will be one of those bright spots that helps them tackle the tough times.

Senior Logan Cain was one of only a handful of students who took part in the original Falcons 4 Fosters, saying that the 2012 project was a huge success for participants on both sides.

“Two years ago we did bikes, books and bolt bags, which was really special because we got to come and do a lot of the work ourselves. We got dirty fixing the bikes up ourselves,” Cain said.

“That was really rewarding for us and for them, because it was hands-on work. They didn’t just get a bike, they got something they knew people had worked to give to them.”

FCCLA partnered with Fort McDowell Adventures the first go round, too, which Cain said impacted everyone on a 100 percent personal level.

“We all came together and tried to give them a great night,” Cain said.

“For me, getting to get to know all of these people and trying to put some sort of light into their lives was a really rewarding experience.”

And, according to junior Jenny Fisher, that’s exactly what this year’s F4F2 project is all about.

“I’m excited to meet these kids,” Fisher said.

“I think it will make us all realize how privileged and lucky we are, and hopefully we’ll be able to reach them on a personal level and touch their hearts.”