Winter 2014
Exceeding Expectations with FCCLA
Take your chapter to the next level with expert advice from NJ state adviser A lot is expected of educators these days. With standards being raised and budgets being trimmed, it’s enough for many educators just to do what they can to meet expectations, let alone exceed them. But considering the definition of “exceed” on the Free Online Dictionary, one discovers that the opportunities FCCLA offers encompass the very definition of exceed: 1. To extend beyond or outside of 2. To be greater than; surpass 3. To go beyond the limits of.
The Adviser interviewed veteran FCCLA adviser Patricia DiGioiaLaird, who serves as the New Jersey FCCLA state adviser, to explore the ways FCCLA helps advisers and their students exceed expectations in these three areas.
To Extend Beyond
FCCLA offers many opportunities to extend learning beyond the walls of your school. Chapter activities extend learning beyond the classroom through hands-on, projectbased activities that students plan, develop, implement, and evaluate. One such opportunity is FCCLA STAR Events.
“The competitive events help students exceed expectations. Here they learn about the value of goal setting and a positive work ethic. Working hard and pushing beyond the concept of ‘good enough’
brings students ‘beyond expectations,’” says DiGioia-Laird. “The taste of success early in life drives students to go beyond expectations in everything they do. When students participate in STAR events each year they raise the bar for themselves, wanting to get more information, illustrate more clearly, and speak more dynamically. The opportunity to present a competitive event at a state or national meeting gives students a reason to exceed expectations. When the student understands what it feels like and looks like, exceeding expectations becomes a part of their life.“
Participation in state and national activities is another way FCCLA extends learning beyond school walls. Each state association serves as a resource for local chapters by providing leadership, assistance, and programming. National FCCLA offers national publications, National Cluster Meetings, and the National Leadership Conference, through which members can gather and share information with their peers in other states. Students have opportunities to develop their leadership beyond the school level by serving as state or national officers and by attending leadership training events such as Capitol Leadership in the fall.
Survey Says... At the 2013 National Leadership Conference, 2,944 STAR Events participants were surveyed about their involvement in FCCLA. Their answers illustrate the many ways FCCLA helps students exceed expectations.
Participation in STAR Events helped me to better develop my skills in...
83% 76%
Planning Time Management Public Speaking
70%
Working with Peers
83%
Presenting to Others
78% 79%
Self Confidence Responsibility
82% 70%
Leadership Creativity
How useful do you believe your STAR Events experience will be in your future?
0.4% 9% 21% 70%
Extremely Useful Very Useful
Somewhat Useful Not Useful
Continued on pg. 4
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
Leadership Notes Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc.® The Adviser is published by Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc.® as a recognition and resource tool for chapter advisers. Chris Flynn Director of Communications
Sandy Spavone Executive Director
Andrew Schantz Communications Manager
Lyn Fiscus Editoral Consultant
The Adviser may be reprinted, excerpted, or photocopied accompanied by the following statement: Reprinted with permission from The Adviser, Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc.® We welcome comments, suggestions, and reports. Send to The Adviser at National FCCLA 1910 Association Drive Reston, VA 20191-1584 (703) 476-4900 • FAX (703) 860-2713 www.fcclainc.org Email: inbox@fcclainc.org
In this issue... Exceeding Expectations with FCCLA ..........................1 Leadership Notes ................ 2 National Updates ................. 3 Lesson 1: Turning Beauty Inside Out ................ 5 How to...Raise Chapter Funds ................................... 6 Having an Impact Speaking out for the It Can Wait Campaign ............. 7
Social Media Extends FCCLA Reach ...................... 8 Lesson 2: What You Do Speaks Louder Than Words .................................. 9 Things to Do This Semester ........................... 10 Outperforming: A Hallmark of Success ......... 11
This year, the theme of CTE Month is “Celebrating CTE Superheroes.” As an adviser, you are without a doubt a superhero to the entire FCCLA family. On behalf of the organization, I would like to thank you for all of the hard work that you do to support your chapter and make FCCLA the Ultimate Leadership Experience.
Serving as a chapter adviser can be challenging at times, but like all superheroes, you have plenty of tools and resources to help you along the way. Whether this is your first year as an adviser or your fortieth, members of national staff are always available and willing to assist you in a variety of areas. Be sure to check your inbox for FCCLA Fast Facts: the brand new daily newsletter just for chapter advisers. The FCCLA national website is also a great tool to use. Download lesson plans, learn about current initiatives, and much more. During CTE month, I encourage you to share your success stories with administrators, public officials, and members of your community. Develop a “go-to” group of stakeholders that you can turn to throughout the year to support your FCCLA chapter, celebrate your achievements, and serve as volunteers for local and state-level events. When times get tough, this group of supporters can be your greatest assets as a CTE Superhero. Although you might not be faster than a speeding bullet, or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, your time, service, and dedication to your students and to FCCLA put you in the ranks with Superman and Wonder Woman in my eyes. And for that, you have my sincere thanks.
Sandy Spavone Executive Director Being a teacher is the noblest profession in the world because it is the profession that teaches all others. As Family and Consumer Sciences educators, you recognize the importance of positive human relationships, good nutrition, financial literacy, and a balanced lifestyle. You teach these skills to students to help them be successful in their families, careers, and communities. Thank you for what you do every day!
In thinking about the future of our profession, this is our time to “Exceed Expectations!” Career and Technical Education is in the legislative and media spotlight today. We need to seize this opportunity and work together to provide quality Family and Consumer Sciences programs. This includes rigorous academic and technical knowledge, skill development, relevant content, and relationship-building through FCCLA integration in the classroom. We then need to celebrate our success with others through both anecdotal evidence and data. Tom Friedeman, Francis Tuttle Technology Center superintendent, is known for saying, “Your network is your net worth,” which puts this in perspective. This is how we will thrive as we move forward as a profession. Dawn Lindsley Board Chair
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
National Updates Ready, Set, Lead! Leadership Academy, which provides FCCLA members opportunities to develop and enhance their leadership skills, will offer new courses, updated concentrations, and exciting opportunities for Fall 2014. For 2014 – 2015, Leadership Academy will feature six concentrations:
• 21st Century Achiever (Previously introduced as the “21st Century Leader.” This will be a free course with classroom and online options. The courses are introductions to basic leadership knowledge and skills and the “Leadership Academy.”) • First-Class Leader (Leadership knowledge and skills) • Ultimate Leader (More advanced leadership training)
• First-Class State Officer (Leadership training and networking designed specifically for FCCLA state officer success) • Ultimate Officer (For those serving as a state officer for a second year)
• Expert Advocate (Emphasis on advocacy and public policy. Participants are required to put their knowledge into action during Capitol Leadership, which will be held in Sept/Oct, in Washington, D.C.) The new format will make it possible for students to progress through a sequence of concentrations during their FCCLA career, if they desire. The new concentrations require fewer courses and offer more course flexibility and selection. For further information, please go to the FCCLA website. Here are the enrollment periods:
Enrollment Period Dates
Concentration(s) Open for Enrollment
March 1 – June 15, 2014
First-Class Leader, Ultimate Leader, FirstClass State Officer, Ultimate State Officer
Aug. 1 – Sept. 1, 2014
Expert Advocate
Aug. 1 – Oct. 17, 2014
First-Class Leader, Ultimate Leader
Dec. 15, 2014 – Jan. 31, 2015
First-Class Leader, Ultimate Leader
NCT Members Wanted
Apply for iRecruit Recognition!
Are you interested in joining the FCCLA National Consultant Team (NCT)? National Consultant Team members are chosen by national staff to develop trainings, lead workshops, and generally serve as an extension of national staff. This network consists of successful FCCLA advisers with expertise in chapter management, national programs and activities, cocurricular work, membership development, public policy, and visibility. For more information and to apply, click here. Application deadline March 1, 2014.
iRecruit, you recruit, we all recruit! Apply today for the iRecruit individual and chapter awards and you could win a 2014 NLC Registration, VIP pass to NLC, or a chapter highlight in Teen Times. Click here for more information and to apply!
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The Adviser | Winter 2014 Continued from pg. 1
To Be Greater Than
FCCLA advisers have opportunities to be greater as educators than they would be on their own by making use of the resources and curriculum materials available through the organization. A menu of programs with ready-to-use resources and program guides support chapters through creating and carrying out projects.
“FCCLA helps me as a teacher exceed expectations because I learn so much from the organization and networking with other Family and Consumer Sciences teachers. Because of this, my classroom instruction is more exciting,” says DiGioia-Laird. “Providing opportunities for FCCLA in the classroom creates excitement and motivates students to exceed expectations. FCCLA-driven projects such as service learning, competitive events,
and national programs bring greater dimension to the classroom. They stimulate the learning environment.” FCCLA also provides a supportive network for professional development for Family and Consumer Sciences educators committed to the success of their students. “I am recharged every year to be more and do more. I think this is important because I have been a teacher for 41 years and no two years have been the same. I am always adding something or doing something differently because I am constantly revitalizing myself through FCCLA,” DiGioia-Laird says.
To Go Beyond Limits
One of the best things about FCCLA for advisers is watching students go beyond their own self-imposed limits and become more than they thought they could be. “Given the
opportunity to take the lead, students exceed my expectations and their own potential. The confidence that students develop through FCCLA is a game changer for them,” says DiGioia-Laird. “Grades improve and the ability to overcome challenges is extraordinary. Excuses are replaced with ‘can-do.’ Character development, maturation, and leadership growth fit together with the help of a trusted adult. This sets the foundation for a successful life. Students find themselves exceeding expectations everywhere.”
With all that FCCLA has to offer, busy advisers feeling overwhelmed with the need to do more with less need look no farther than FCCLA for all the tools they need to exceed expectations.
10 Ways Students Exceed Their Own Expectations with FCCLA By Wendy Ambrose MN FCCLA Executive Director FCCLA enables members to exceed their own expectations in a variety of ways, including some of the following:
1. Challenging themselves to do more than they might have without FCCLA. 2. Becoming inspired by other officers, peers, or by watching state or national officers in their roles.
3. Hanging out with a positive peer group that FCCLA provides. Sometimes the peer group will be expanded to be other youth leaders in towns in the region, or across the nation. 4. Being inspired by hearing great speakers and presentations.
5. Taking on a new project with a national program area like obesity prevention in Student Body or preventing distracted driving with FACTS (Families Acting for Community Traffic Safety).
6. Realizing the value of a caring adult (FCCLA adviser) in your life who can encourage, bring corrective suggestions, and monitor your life choices.
7. Learning new ways to have a voice—speaking up (public speaking skills), developing skills for advocacy, becoming good at being in a chapter, on a team, or assuming an officer role. 8. Developing skills for communication: writing, reading, research, speaking, and public relations through FCCLA chapter and officer roles.
9. Learning to set goals and working in baby steps to reach that goal (career exploration, STAR Events, project work, service projects, officer roles). 10. Being a member of boards, committees, and task forces as a member or officer allows members to try out new skills of governance and civic engagement.
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
Image source: http://spafaery.com/magazine/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/beauty11.jpg
Lesson 1: Turning Beauty Inside Out Challenge students to think critically about their conceptions of “beauty” Objectives
• Students will understand that mass media images are manipulated to convey a distorted concept of beauty and what effect this has on self-image. • Students will recognize that behavior and actions define what true beauty is—the beauty of conviction, caring, and action. • Students will identify specific actions they can take to redefine the concept of beauty in their school and community.
Materials
• Evolution of Beauty video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHqzlxGGJFo
• Turn Beauty Inside Out Day Winning Essays
http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/turn-beauty-inside-outday-winning-essays
Time Required
One class period
Procedure
Display the phrases “beauty is only skin deep,” “beauty is as beauty does,” “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and “don’t judge a book by its cover” around the classroom. Engage students in a discussion about what these statements mean and whether they agree with them. Why or why not? Ask students about how we form our ideas of beauty—for both men and women. If “beauty” is in the eye of the beholder, how do we know when someone is beautiful? Can two people looking at the same person disagree about whether or not he or she is “beautiful”?
Show students the Evolution of Beauty video, which shows how a model’s image is created through an evolution of her physical appearance by professional makeup artists, hair stylists, photographers, and computer manipulation. The end result is an image of beauty that bears little resemblance to the original woman and that ordinary women cannot live up to. (A similar process is used on male models.) Discuss with students how their perceptions of what makes a man or woman attractive are influenced by the images they see in media.
Have students read the Turn Beauty Inside Out Day winning essays or read them aloud in class. Discuss the idea of beauty in terms of actions—do the people depicted in these essays exemplify “beauty is as beauty does”? Why or why not? If beauty can be defined in terms of one’s actions, can anyone be beautiful? Challenge students to think about ways they can change the concept of “beautiful” at your school. Divide the class into small groups and have each group take 15 minutes to brainstorm ideas for helping students feel good about their own images, regardless of outside appearance. What can student leaders do to get beyond appearance as the main way many people relate to each other? Have a recorder write down all ideas on a sheet of chart paper, then have each group report out to the whole class.
Processing
Engage students in a discussion based on the following questions: • Did any groups come up with the same or similar ideas? • Are any of these ideas feasible?
• What would be the benefit of taking on this issue?
• What obstacles would we face if we tried to change people’s idea of what constitutes beauty? Is it worth doing anyway? • Does anyone want to create a follow-up plan to put one of these ideas into action as a Student Body project?
Follow Up
Assign students to write a short essay about someone—male or female—in their lives they consider to be “beautiful” and why. Have students submit their essays for possible use in Teen Times and across FCCLA social media platforms.
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
How to...Raise Chapter Funds Up your fundraising game with these helpful hints Whatever goals your chapter has for this year, one thing is fairly certain: you will need funding to carry out your plans. Veteran FCCLA advisers approach fundraising in different ways and have various tips for how to successfully raise funds:
Develop a tradition.
“Pick one fundraiser, spend some time planning it, get the community behind you and make it an annual event—something like a talent show or dinner theater,” says Cathe Felz, FCCLA adviser at Three Forks High School in Montana. “We have several planned events every year that provide the majority of our money. We try new things but stick with what has worked to fund our chapter.”
Avoid catalog sales.
“Our approach to fundraising is to not sell anything that comes from a catalog! We live in a small community and the community gets bombarded with those type of fundraisers from the elementary school, parochial school, Girl and Boy Scouts, etc. We try to provide a service if we can,” says Cheryl Timm, FCCLA adviser at Pierce Public Schools in Nebraska.
Make it real.
“Think about what people are willing to buy,” says Candace Wilson, FCCLA adviser at Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah. “It needs to be something you would purchase yourself.”
Watch the profit margin.
“I really try to avoid fundraisers that have a low profit margin,” says Felz. “One example is catalog sales where the company makes most of the profit. If I can figure out a way to cut out the middleman and do it myself that is what we do.”
Find a need.
“Find something that is a need in your school or community and it serves two purposes,” says Timm. “We have done quite a variety of things from serving banquets to selling parking spaces. Check out what is already being done and do something different.”
Be consistent.
Successful Fundraisers Snap-2-Live is donating $5 to FCCLA’s traffic safety programs around the country for every Snap-2-Live belt sold through the organization. You can help improve road safety and raise funds, simply by clicking here to register your chapter or buy an FCCLA Red belt.
“We sell the same day, same time, same place, and have for five years now and people know about it and plan on it. We don’t have to give a lot of effort to advertising for our fundraiser,” says Wilson.
“Our most successful fundraiser is girls preference dance. We also sell casseroles, which brings in quite a bit.”
“Don’t step on the toes of other organizations,” says Timm. “Plan your fundraisers so they don’t overlap another organization or work together and split the proceeds.”
“A great fundraiser is what we call ‘Blue Jeans for Bucks’. Teachers are not allowed to wear blue jeans so we devised a plan for them to wear them once a week for a small fee. The administration is on board and the teachers appreciate the more casual day of dress. We give the proceeds from this to our National FCCLA project or other charity we are working for. It takes only a short amount of time to do and is very simple.”
Plan ahead.
Learn from others.
“Join forces with the music department or honor society, someone who has done fundraising in the past and learn from them,” says Felz. “When I started I went to the NHS adviser and asked her to be my mentor. We worked together for a few years and when she retired, I knew all the secrets to successful fundraising and only had to make about half of the mistakes myself.”
—Daphne Stockdale, Carbon High School FCCLA adviser
—Cheryl Timm, Pierce Public Schools FCCLA adviser
“The funniest fundraiser we do is a dodgeball tournament. (This is an idea from Kathi Hendrix, Washington State) We split the profit from the tournament with a scholarship program here so people support the tournament and feel good about donating to the scholarship fund.” —Cathe Felz, Three Forks High School FCCLA adviser
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
Having an Impact—Speaking Up for the It Can Wait Campaign By Andrea Brands Director of Consumer Safety and Education, AT&T What if you could help keep your community safe by asking them to take a single pledge? What if you could encourage your friends and family to action with only 140 characters? Well, you can. And you did.
Last year, FCCLA and its members stood with the It Can Wait® campaign to help educate and empower young people to bring awareness into their communities about the dangers of texting while driving. In addition, FCCLA raised nearly $100,000 for its It Can Wait Causes.
com campaign in less than two months by generating 50,000 pledges and 45,000 views of the “From One Second to the Next” documentary trailer.
Today, with the help of young leaders like you, more than four million individuals have pledged to never text and drive and the It Can Wait message has been woven into a far-reaching movement of friends and family throughout the country.
So, continue to tell your friends and family that no text is worth a life. Set an example by not texting while driving and spread the word to inspire your loved ones to do the same. After all, isn’t that what being a leader is all about?
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
Social Media Extends FCCLA Reach
Use social media to keep students engaged and your stakeholders informed To increase their impact on members and beyond, successful chapters and state associations use social media. Expand your reach with these ideas:
• Create images members can use as profile pictures or cover photos to advertise upcoming events. • Set up a Twitter chat on a designated day and time for FCCLA members across the state to discuss a specific topic. Create your own hashtag for the chat and have moderators who pose questions to get the conversation going.
• Create a Pinterest board for your chapter where members can post ideas they find for chapter projects. Share your board with chapters in other schools and find out if they also have one.
• Use Remind 101 to be able to set up an account that will allow you to send text messages to all group members at once.
• Create a social media contest asking students to write a funny • Create hashtags for your events hashtag describing a photo you so you can follow student compost about anDivision upcoming chapter Family and Consumer Science ments about them and help creevent. Most creative entry wins a (FCCLA) The Advisor ate a buzz to publicize them. prize. It will help spread the word Spring 2014 about your event, giving you free • Post photos and stories on TA1403 publicity. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media about chapter events. Ask members to share them on their own accounts to spread the word.
FCCLA Social
TA1403
Connect with the multiple social networks FCCLA has a presence on to stay up-to-date on various projects and initiatives, be reminded of deadlines, and much more.
facebook.com/NationalFCCLA @NationalFCCLA @NationalFCCLA pinterest.com/NationalFCCLA @NationalFCCLA fcclaleadership.tumblr.com youtube.com/NationalFCCLA1945
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
Lesson 2: What You Do Speaks Louder Than Words
The student who received the index card should follow the instructions on the card. The topic for Round One is: your favorite vacation or one you wish you could take (or an alternate topic of the teacher’s choice). Allow students five minutes to discuss the topic.
Students will recognize the effect nonverbal cues have on communication.
For Round Two, give the partner who didn’t receive a card in the first round a new scenario card from the Round Two cards. As before, instruct students to carry on a conversation about a topic provided by the teacher. The student who received the index card should follow the instructions on the card. The topic for Round Two is: how you would feel if you asked someone to Homecoming and they turned you down (or an alternate topic of the teacher’s choice). Allow students five minutes to discuss the topic.
Time Required One class period
Processing
Teach students about actions and their consequences Objective
Materials
Two sets of communication scenarios prepared on index cards, one card for every pair of students in each round
Round One Cards • Card 1: Eye contact—avoid eye contact throughout the conversation • Card 2: Facial expression—frown and talk in a monotone throughout the conversation • Card 3: Gestures—keep your body still and don’t use hand gestures while talking • Card 4: Body posture—turn your body slightly away from your partner and look around the room while he or she is talking, glancing back now and then to listen • Card 5: Proximity—stand or sit very close to your partner; if he or she shifts away, move closer again. Round Two Cards • Card 1: Eye contact—look your partner directly in the eye while talking and listening; maintain eye contact throughout the conversation • Card 2: Facial expression—smile and look enthusiastic throughout the conversation • Card 3: Gestures—use animated gestures and let your body reflect enthusiasm • Card 4: Body posture—face your partner and lean slightly towards him or her; nod and smile while you are listening • Card 5: Proximity—stand or sit an appropriate distance away to respect your partner’s personal space.
Conduct a class discussion using the following questions: • How did you feel during the discussion in Round One? • Do you think your partner was sincere in what he or she was saying? • What things did your partner do to make you feel that way? • How did you feel during the discussion in Round Two? • Do you think your partner was sincere in what he or she was saying? • What things did your partner do to make you feel that way? • Which do you tend to believe more, the words people say or the messages you receive from body language? • How can you use what you have learned in this exercise to improve your communication with others?
Procedure
Have students pair up with a partner. Hand a Round One index card with a communication scenario on it to one partner in each pair. Instruct students to carry on a conversation about a topic provided by the teacher.
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
Things to Do This Semester Lots of exciting opportunities to look forward to in the second semester Second semester is full of opportunities to plan FCCLA activities. Consider the following when you are planning your second semester calendar:
Olympic Warm Fuzzy Drive. Collect warm clothing items—socks, scarves, mittens, gloves, hats—during the Olympics and donate them to a shelter in your community to help the homeless survive the cold winter months. Souper Olympics. Get into the Olympic spirit and help the hungry at the same time by sponsoring a competition using cans of soup. Invite clubs and sports teams to compete to create a soup can sculpture, fill a shopping cart with cans of soup, and participate in relay races such as a cracker carry or pass the soup can. Donate all soup collected to a local food bank. Green Carnation Sales. Everybody is a little bit
Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! Celebrate by selling green carnations that can be delivered to students with a lucky shamrock message from the sender. Or, let the sender pay an extra fee to have his or her identity kept secret.
Green-a-thon. Plan a Student Body project that
Snack Break. Provide a juice, oatmeal and raisin cookie, or fruit snack for all students during standardized testing breaks this spring. National Student Leadership Week. Recog-
nize student leaders who serve as officers in FCCLA and other clubs and organizations on campus during National Student Leadership Week, April 14–20, by creating locker signs with the message “Thanks for Your Leadership at [School Name]”. (Be sure to include the FCCLA logo so they know who is recognizing them!)
also raises funds during Earth Week in April. Interested students get pledges for how many laps they take around a designated route using any type of transportation they wish, as long as their vehicle of choice is 100% earth-friendly—bikes, skateboards, inline skates, feet, or any other method of transportation that has a low impact on the earth. Offer prizes donated by local businesses for the participants who collect the most money. You can also ask local eco-friendly businesses to match the amount raised.
Global Youth Traffic Safety Month. Plan a FACTS project to put the brakes on impaired driving during May. Visit www.noys.org for resources and contests associated with this effort.
National Volunteer Week Celebration. To recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers in your chapter and at your school, create a specially designed “thank you” bookmark for volunteers to receive as they check in at school during National Volunteer Week, April 6–13. Visit handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/signatureevents/nvw for more ideas.
Turn Beauty Inside Out. Challenge people’s assumptions about beauty for Turn Beauty Inside Out Day, May 18, with a series of “What’s Really Beautiful Is…” posters to hang around school. Have chapter members make the posters, completing the sentence with examples of things that have nothing to do with physical appearance.
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The Adviser | Winter 2014
Outperforming: A Hallmark of Success By Dennis J. Trittin, CFA and Arlyn Lawrence, LifeSmart Publishing Did you know the most reliable predictor of an outperforming stock is whether the company exceeds expectations (i.e., their earnings beat Wall Street analyst forecasts)? And, exceeding expectations is not only an indicator of a successful stock—it’s also a hallmark of a successful person!
Like it or not, today’s students will face many important competitive tests in life. In order to stand out, they’ll need to exceed the expectations of those evaluating them. Often, they’ll find these situations associated with their careers. The more skilled they are at outperforming, the more likely they are to win the coveted scholarship, college placement, job position, or special promotion. Every employer has high expectations that employees will deliver strong performance With that in mind, employees desiring the largest pay raises and best promotions must distinguish themselves from the pack. How can students learn to do that? They must:
1. demonstrate the qualities their employer values (integrity, reliability, etc.), 2. deliver excellent job performance, and
3. contribute to their employer’s success
If you’re a role model in your personal and professional behavior, you will stand out and be admired. If you ask your supervisor to define “excellence” in each of your performance review categories and deliver it with passion, you will
FROM THE
FEED
stand out and be respected. If you go “above and beyond” your job description and add value to your employer’s business (help generate sales or lower costs, improve customer service and loyalty, develop new product ideas or lead major projects, etc.) you will be valued. That’s the recipe for reaching your full career potential.
It’s all about exceeding the (high) expectations of an employer (or teacher, professor, etc.). It also requires making great impressions on the people who observe and work with you, and developing a team of ambassadors who will advocate for you when you need it (a necessity in this increasingly networked world). People who are committed to exceeding expectations as a way of life leave great footprints and are honored for their leadership. They set a high bar in their character, relationships, and work. They make it a habit to ask for feedback on how they can improve. And, they focus on delivering excellence in all they do. Helping students learn how to do this is one of the best ways to develop their competitive edge and be well-positioned for a lifetime of success. Dennis Trittin and Arlyn Lawrence are co-authors of the What I Wish I Knew at 18 Leadership & Life Skills Curriculum, and Parenting for the Launch: Raising Teens to Succeed in the Real World, by LifeSmart Publishing. www.Dennistrittin.com.
No matter what the decade, FCCLA members are always having fun in the Ultimate Leadership Experience! #80s #TBT
It’s a beautiful day at 1910 Association Drive!
Join CTE professionals, fellow students & alumni in celebrating CTE Month all February long! #skillsforlife #CareerTechEd
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July 6-10 • San Antonio, TX the ultimate leadership experience
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America 1910 Association Drive Reston, VA 20191 T 703.476.4900 F 703.860.2713
#FCCLANLC www.drivingskillsforlife.com
www.fcclainc.org