The Adviser Winter 2014 2015 by FCCLA

Winter 2014

Together We Are… FCCLA! FCCLA’s new theme encompasses the diversity of strengths within our organization FCCLA’s new theme “Together we are…” encompasses the diversity of strengths within our organization by inviting advisers and student leaders to complete the statement with their own descriptor and use the theme in ways that work best for each chapter. Not surprisingly, advisers come up with a variety of responses to fill in the blank. “Together we are stronger!” says Kris Bruce, FCCLA adviser at Pioneer Career and Technology Center in Shelby, Ohio, and state officer adviser. “FCCLA takes students’ initiatives and ideas and allows them to develop those into projects and community service opportunities. Along the way the students may ask advice from their advisers, collaborate with their peers, or create a partnership with community members and businesses. FCCLA helps the students develop those creative and critical thinking skills needed every day while encouraging members to work together.” Dee Kirby, adviser at South Shelby High School in Shelbina, Missouri, also thinks of strength when she completes the theme statement. “Together we are a mighty force. As

an adviser my first thought is of the network of resources I have in my colleagues who are FCCLA advisers across the nation,” she says. “I have used many of the ideas for FCCLA and my classes that I have acquired through this great way of sharing ideas. Many of us are oneperson departments and do not have an in-district person to share and bounce ideas off of, so networking with my fellow FCCLA advisers is a great strength.” That mighty force Kirby references is there for members in ways both professional and personal. “In April, some students and I were hit head-on while driving home from our FCCLA state conference. One student and I were very seriously injured, were hospitalized for weeks, and are still continuing to rehab. But what we learned from that was that our FCCLA family is a very powerful force,” says Holly Man, adviser at Whitehouse High School in Texas. “They surrounded us with prayer, flooded us with cards, and continue to support us in our rehab. If it had not been for FCCLA and faith in God, we would never have reached our FCCLA goals! As strange as it sounds, this experience has already brought our chapter

The Adviser | Winter 2014

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. Sandy Spavone, Executive Director Chris Flynn, Director of Communications

Leadership Notes With all the lists and projects this time of year seems to bring, it’s a good time to reflect on

our relationships with family, friends, mentors, and neighbors who have invested in our lives. I’m reminded of a quote by Jac Vanek that

states, “You are the books you read, the films

Ashley Pournaras, Communications Manager

you watch, the music you listen to, the people

Sabrina Chacon, Communications and Program Assistant. Lyn Fiscus, Editoral Consultant

tions you engage in. You are what you take from

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

you meet, the dreams you have, the conversathese. … You are a collective of every experi-

ence you have had in your life. You are every single second of every single day. So drown yourself in a sea of knowledge and existence. … There are no wrong answers. Inspiration is everything. Sit back, relax, and take it all in. Now, go out and create something.”

As I reflect on these thoughts I am reminded that through FCCLA we are

surrounded by many great youth leaders, chapter advisers, state advisers, and so many amazing people that help make us better at what we do and who we are. TOGETHER our FCCLA family is richer and more powerful

through your membership and participation. So at this time we pause and say thank you for being a member of FCCLA. You are our inspiration and we are so glad you are part of the FCCLA Family.

As part of our family, I hope you and your chapter are already making plans

In this issue… Together We Are…FCCLA!...........1 Leadership Notes.........................2 National Updates..........................3 Lesson 1: We Are FCCLA.............4 How to Recruit New Chapter Members.......................................5

to join us in celebrating the FCCLA 70th anniversary by attending the National Leadership Conference to be held in Washington, DC, this July! To

help us celebrate the impact of FCCLA and the power of youth leadership, we are asking you all to pledge to plan and prepare a meal for your family through the FCCLA@TheTable project. Our goal is to have 70,000 meals pledged, prepared, and shared to help showcase to our national legisla-

tive leaders that FCCLA youth care about health and nutrition and have the power to make a difference through their combined efforts. Help us reach the goal of 70,000 meals pledged so we can celebrate turning 70 in great

Building a Cohesive Chapter.......7

style in Washington, DC this July.

8 Ways to Promote FCCLA..........8

Together we are stronger!

Lesson 2: Styles of Leadership....9

Sandy Spavone

Things to Do This Semester....... 10 Save the Date............................. 11

Executive Director

The Adviser | Winter 2014

NATI ON A L

UPDATES

Building Stronger Families, One Meal at a Time As an adviser, you can help your members make 2015 their best year yet by encouraging them to make important resolutions. Are they committing to a healthy lifestyle and spending more time with their famlies? Here’s the good news: They can accomplish both by getting involved in FCCLA@TheTable, a national initiative challenging our 200,000+ members to take a pledge to plan, prepare, and share dinners for their families. Chapter advisers also can submit a pledge for their chapters. We have a lofty goal: 70,000 meals pledged before the 2015 National Leadership Conference, where states with the greatest percentage of pledged meals will be recognized.

And here’s even better news: Your members’ enthusiasm for FCCLA@TheTable has captured the attention of their friends and classmates. That’s why we’re urging chapters to recruit other youth to take the pledge, helping us reach our goal. To spread the word, please share the flyer at: http:// bit.ly/FCCLAatthetable Visit the website, and be sure to check out all of the resources that support this effort: http://fcclaatthetable. org. You can take the pledge here: http://bit.ly/1CFje3N Youth also are encouraged to take a picture of their family meal, post it on Facebook or Instagram and tag #FCCLAatTheTable! Thank you for helping build stronger families, one meal at a time.

Celebrate National FCCLA Week 2015 Join FCCLA members across the country to celebrate National FCCLA Week from February 8–14, 2015. The week will feature the following themes for each day: Monday: Media Blitz (Together We Are…Making Headlines). Do people in your town know what FCCLA is or what the organization does? Make the most of “Media Blitz Monday” by reaching out to local media to share your chapter’s “footprint” in the community. Tuesday: Partner Advocacy—Share Our Strength (SOS) (Together We Are…At the Table). Host an SOS “Orange Out” at your school to promote awareness of the childhood hunger issue and the efforts FCCLA is making through its partnership with Share Our Strength to combat it. Collect change from lunches purchased at school and promote the connection between good nutrition and learning. Tie-in the FCCLA@theTable initiative and encourage classmates to take the pledge. Wednesday: Red Out for FCCLA (Together We Are…United). Change your social media cover to the official FCCLA “Together We Are…United” cover, then “spread the Red” with photos and accounts of your favorite FCCLA memo-

ries, chapter initiatives, and so forth across all social media to highlight the number and strength of FCCLA members. Thursday: The Ultimate “Throw Back Thursday” (Together We Are…Making History). Capitalizing on both “The Ultimate Leadership Experience” that FCCLA provides and the organization’s 70th anniversary, FCCLA national office will put out a social media-wide appeal—using #TUTBT— encouraging all members past and present to post photos of themselves and fellow chapter members from as far back in FCCLA’s 70 year history as possible.

Friday: Member Recognition (Together We Are…

FCCLA). Social media would provide an ideal platform for FCCLA members to a post video of who they are, why they joined, how they are benefitting, and so forth, with each video ending with “My name is ____, and I am FCCLA.” Videos could then be shared with national office to post and re-Tweet, raising awareness of the diversity of our student and adviser members and connecting with 3Rs of Membership.

For more ideas on celebrating FCCLA Week visit www.

fcclainc.org.

The Adviser | Winter 2014

Lesson 1 We Are FCCLA Students create a visual representation of their chapter and develop a plan to promote their “brand” Objective Students will create a visual representation of their chapter and develop a plan to promote their “brand.”

Materials

Half sheets of three different colors of construction paper for each student Scissors Glue or glue sticks Markers Large piece of banner paper

Time Required 45–60 minutes

Procedure Write the phrase “Together we are…” on the board. Ask students to consider the strengths of your chapter as a group and individually write three words on a scrap of paper that complete the sentence for them. After giving them time to consider their answers, ask students to call out words they have written as a recorder writes them on the board. Put tallies next to any repeated words. Brainstorm as many different words as the group can come up with. Once the list is compiled, have students select a word from the list to illustrate. Give each student half of a piece of construction paper to use as a background, and two additional half sheets of differing colors to use for decorating the background piece. Assign students to use words, drawings, symbols, and so forth to create a “quilt” piece to convey the meaning of the word they selected as it relates to your chapter. (As an alternative, this could be done as a homework assignment and could include photos of FCCLA members engaged in chapter activities, pictures from magazines, etc.) Allow 15–20 minutes to create the quilt pieces, then

have students each share their piece with the class, highlighting the ways the word they selected relates to your chapter. As students finish their presentations, have them attach their piece to the large banner paper in rows to create a large paper quilt.

Processing Engage students in a discussion with such questions as:

• Looking at the quilt on the wall, what impression do you have? • Does anything stand out? • What might a person who doesn’t know anything about FCCLA think of us by looking at this quilt? • What kind of impression does our chapter promote to our school community? • In what ways do we reveal to our school and community what our chapter is all about? • How can we do a better job of promoting our chapter?

Follow-Up Divide students into small groups to brainstorm ideas for a public relations plan to promote your chapter.

The Adviser | Winter 2014

How to… Recruit New Chapter Members Get a new start with these steps for recruiting success A new school year brings a new start for your FCCLA chapter. Whatever successes or failures you had last year are in the past and this year represents a chance to start over. One of the ways to do that is to recruit new chapter members. Follow these steps for recruiting success:

to be a member. Show them!

what worked well and what didn’t when you recruited new members last year? How can you improve on those methods? Get returning members and officers to brainstorm new ways to reach out.

n Have your chapter officers develop a slide show or PowerPoint presentation highlighting the activities of the chapter and show it; focus on the fun aspects.

n Ask people to join. Unless they

n Build awareness of what’s in-

n Assess last year’s methods—

already have a friend in the organization, many students lack the confidence to just show up at a meeting to join a new group. These students might need some encouragement to join, so encourage returning members to talk with students in their classes and ask them to join your chapter.

n Give incentives. Develop an

“each one reach one” campaign and ask each member to bring at least one new person to the next meeting. Come up with a prize for the member who brings the most nonmembers to a meeting.

n Hold an informational meeting for anyone who is interested in finding out more about your chapter. At the meeting:

n Do something fun; don’t just let

people sit there and listen to officers droning on about how great it is

volved in being a chapter member. To make an informed decision about getting involved, they need to know what’s expected of them.

n Give out a list of the group’s ac-

tivities and accomplishments during the last year along with a projection of possible activities for this year.

n Provide a way for them to get involved right away--join a committee, sign up for an activity, etc. Be sure some of the choices are a low-level commitment for those who want to test the waters before committing whole-heartedly to involvement. n Be sure to follow up on all the

people who came to the informational meeting. Send a thank-you note to everyone who attended and reiterate in the note some ways they can get involved right away. Assign a member to follow up with each person to see if they have any

questions and invite them to come to an upcoming activity. It’s also a good idea to create a “how to get involved in FCCLA” link on your school’s website and post the handouts and information for those who weren’t able to make it to the meeting.

n Create a buzz. Your chapter’s

strongest recruitment tool is word of mouth. If kids are talking about it, interest will grow and others will want to get in on the fun. One idea for starting a buzz is to put locker signs on lockers of potential members with Starburst candy and the slogan “Be a Star with FCCLA” along with an invitation to join or to attend the next meeting.

The Adviser | Winter 2014 closer together because now they ‘get it’— we will soon be an FCCLA force to be reckoned with!” Of course, many chapters complete the theme phrase with family as their main area of emphasis. “‘Family’ is the core of FCS and FCCLA; our creed and purposes reflect the importance of family in our society,” says Patricia Byers, adviser at Mohawk Jr./Sr. High School in Bessemer, Pennsylvania. “FCCLA is our extended family—as advisers we develop strong bonds with students both in and especially outside the classroom setting. We often nurture them for years and have a huge part in their growth and development during their school years. Often these friendships remain for a lifetime and span multi-generations.” The extended family atmosphere of FCCLA also appeals to adviser Michelle McCartney of Selah High School in Selah, Washington. “When I think of “together we are…” I think a family that is able to accomplish anything. One of the things that makes FCCLA different is not only that we promote family through our projects and education; being involved in the chapter is like belonging to a family. Students who participate in other activities say that going to an FCCLA conference is the best because all of the groups there treat you like you are family. It is a friendly atmosphere where students are thoughtful, kind, and respectful.” The theme is about family and much more for Renae Spangler, FCCLA adviser at Campus High School in Haysville, Kansas. “FCS and FCCLA are all about family!” she says.

“We are a strong group all about building family bonds and togetherness. To me, the theme says that as a unit or group we can do and be anything! ‘Together we are…’ is open-ended and our FCCLA members empower each other to finish the statement with terms that are important to them today.” For Heather Hiserman, FCCLA adviser at Strasburg High School in Virginia, the new theme is allencompassing. “Together we are… something for everyone. I market FCCLA at my school by saying that FCCLA has something to offer every

student,” she says. “If you want to add some community service to your resume then we can provide those opportunities. If you want to learn leadership skills and attend our state conference then take that next step or better yet, take a BIG leap and if you want to travel and meet thousands of new friends, we provide that experience at NLC.”

Using the Theme FCCLA advisers plan to use the allencompassing nature of the theme with their chapters this year in a variety of ways.

n Introductory Activity. “I plan on

using the Together We Are theme by having members complete the sentence for themselves on several levels. In class, it makes for a wonderful introductory activity,” says Hiserman. “We are using it as a bulletin board/PR theme, so that

members can add their ending for everyone to see.”

n Monthly Themes. “Our chapter has monthly night meetings and each month we focus on a certain national program or service project. During those meetings and the promotion of those meetings we will use the slogan ‘together we are....’says Kirby. “For example, in October we plan to focus on safe driving habits so at that meeting we would put at the end of the statement «together we are...safe drivers.» n Wellness Initiative. “FCCLA at the Table is a great opportunity; we plan to focus on this as part of our “Together we are” theme,” says Byers. “Families cooking and eating healthy meals together are very important as research continues to show. I feel this project is a great way to involve FCCLA members but also the entire student body and Wellness Committee.” n Increase Awareness. “Our chapter members are encouraged to choose causes and projects that they are passionate about. By utilizing the theme ‘Together We Are Stronger’ chapter members can realize that by incorporating their chapters, schools, and communities they can increase both awareness and participation in our FCCLA activities,” says Bruce. n Creative Possibilities. “I really have no idea what activities we will do this year to support this theme,” says Mann, “but since it is a student-led organization, I will follow their lead and I’m sure I will be amazed by what we will accomplish!”

The Adviser | Winter 2014

Building a Cohesive Chapter Savvy chapter advisers know that a cohesive chapter doesn’t happen by accident. Give some thought to building a better team with these tips: Encourage leadership. “We downplay titles. Every member is a leader,” says Kris Bruce, FCCLA adviser at Pioneer Career and Technology Center in Shelby, Ohio. “Every member has the potential to initiate a project then build a team of like-minded people. This empowers teens to pull from the chapter.” Encourage participation. Get the word out about your activities so everyone can participate. The more they do, the more they will feel connected to the chapter. “All activities and community service projects are announced not only in every FCS class, but also for the entire student body to participate in,” says Bruce. “Just because students are in a Healthy Living class doesn’t mean that they can’t help with an event or project that the Child Development class is organizing.” Make it fun. No one likes to do the same thing all the time, so mix up your activities to include some fun events. “Fun activities could include an ice cream social, making gingerbread house, baking snacks for the Crisis Shelter, sending Christmas cards to the military or hospital, snow tubing, movie nights, bonfires, and picnics to name a few,” says Patricia Byers, FCCLA adviser at Mohawk Jr./Sr. High School in Bessemer, Pennsylvania. At Campus High School in Haysville, Kansas “along with the business of our meetings, we also plan fun FCCLA events like “Friday Nite Vibe.” Members build strong bonds at these events. Our officers lead teambuilding activities to create the togetherness theme,” says adviser Renae Spangler. Focus on teambuilding. “Our chapter meets in the morning before school each week so we have a breakfast. We try to always have a fun teambuilding activity,” says Michelle McCartney, FCCLA adviser at Selah High School in Washington. “We also make use of our challenge course to build cooperation and support amongst members. By creating a family atmosphere that is welcoming, and supportive we will see our mem-

Attending Cluster Meetings or the National Leadership Conference together is a great way for chapter members to focus on teambuilding. Members are sure to come back full of good ideas and with a stronger sense of belonging.

bers embody the idea that ‘Together We are FCCLA!’” At South Shelby High in Shelbina, Missouri, “The officer team does a variety of leadership building at the officer retreat that is held in July. For the chapter we plan something fun at the meetings; after the business is complete we might play kick ball, volleyball, or some other activity. This gives members an opportunity to have fun and get to know each other a little better,” says adviser Dee Kirby. Work together. “Our students work closely together in many of our activities. They share a ‘closeness’ when they work on community service activities. There is a strong atmosphere of working together in our leadership service in action projects. Students work together on STAR Events and practice for the FCS Knowledge Bowl Competition,” says Spangler. Cultivate a sense of belonging. “Students want to feel they belong and are accepted for who they are. FCCLA membership can fulfill this need,” says Byers. “Team-building activities and fun social activities need to be included along with competitive events and community service projects. Working together on projects builds chapter pride and togetherness.”

The Adviser | Winter 2014

8 Ways to Promote FCCLA Promoting your chapter shouldn’t stop with the fall membership drive. An ongoing effort to let students know about your chapter and its activities will make it easier to recruit new members at any time.

n Provide a “Welcome to FCCLA” packet to all students in FACS classes. Include a welcome letter with an invitation to join, information about your chapter’s events for the coming year or typical events your chapter members engage in, a list of your officers, a membership form, and information on how to connect with the officers and adviser for more information. n Check previous class lists for students who have taken a FACS course and are eligible to belong to FCCLA. Invite them to an after-school meeting to let them know your chapter’s plans for the year and remind them of all the benefits of being involved in FCCLA. Serve food and make it fun! n Have upperclassmen who were in FCCLA last year

share their FCCLA stories with your FACS classes.

n Invite alumni members to visit your classes and share how the leadership they developed in their FCCLA experiences has made a difference in their career. n Present a short program for the PTA/PTO on “What Every Parent Should Know About FACS Education and FCCLA.” n Create a bulletin board or display case in the school

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with photos from chapter events, state and national competitions, and information about how to join FCCLA. Feature your leadership team and their personal FCCLA stories.

n Create a video or audio

Family and Consumer Science Division

commercial with the top (FCCLA) 10 reasons The to beAdvisor an FCFall 2014 CLA member; play it on the school’s announcements TA1409 and post it on your chapter’s social media outlets.

n Post photos on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and

other social media of your members having fun at one of your organization’s events.

TA1409

The Adviser | Winter 2014

Lesson 2 Styles of Leadership Students learn when different leadership styles are effective Objective Students will identify the differences between autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire leadership styles

Materials

• Three sets of directions (autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire) • One piece of paper per participant • Scissors, glue, and pencils for each group

Time Required

ask everyone to stop working. Have group members report on what took place in their group; multiple people can share.

Processing Engage students in a discussion with such questions as: • Were you able to accomplish the task set for you? • How did your group leader make you feel? • What would you have changed about your group? • How did you see your role in the group?

45–60 minutes

• Was the leadership style used by your group’s leader effective for this situation?

Procedure Divide the class into three groups of equal size and have each group select a leader. Take the leaders out of the room and give each one a different set of instructions. Explain what their role will be in their group. (Refer to instruction sheets A, B, or C.) Have leaders return to their groups and give them five minutes to complete the instructions. After five minutes,

• Can you think of a situation where the leadership style exhibited by your group’s leader would be more effective? • Is it possible to develop a flexible leadership style for different situations or do people just have one style? • Is it sometimes helpful to have different leaders for different tasks? When? • What can we apply from this lesson to our roles as FCCLA chapter members and leaders?

Directions for Group A

Directions for Group B

Directions for Group C

Your job is to have everyone in your group build a cube in the five minutes allotted.

You are the dictator. What you say goes—no exceptions. Do not allow anyone in your group to give ideas, help each other, or make comments. You must criticize and critique all members.

You will guide your group to complete the project. Be positive and supportive. Ask for input, then get the process started and encourage people to offer ideas and suggestions along the way.

Your job is to have everyone in your group build a cube in the five minutes allotted. However, you cannot tell them what shape they need to make until after three minutes have passed.

Give out supplies. One person gets paper, one person gets scissors, one person gets glue.

Have supplies available for everyone.

(Autocratic Instructions)

(Democratic Instructions)

Do not allow students to trade supplies.

Spend about a minute discussing ideas at the beginning. Identify who knows how to make a cube. Develop a plan.

Do not allow open discussions.

Make sure everyone has a plan.

Each minute, take supplies and give them to a different person in the group. Everything must be done “your way.”

(Laissez-Faire Instructions)

Do not give out any supplies. Do not give any instructions. Do not give any direct answers. Do not be positive or negative, just neutral. Stay relaxed.

Adapted from a lesson created by Jennifer Mendoza, Marietta Perez, and Heather Ransom at the first OASC Leadership Course Teacher Institute, July 2012.

The Adviser | Winter 2014

T h i n g s to D o T h is S e m e s t e r National observances and seasonal activities provide ideas for first sememster activities In addition to FCCLA events, many national observances and seasonal activities provide opportunities to plan FCCLA activities. Consider the following when you are planning your first semester calendar:

www.nationalmentoringmonth.org/ for a toolkit with key messages, digital materials for promoting the month, infographics, and more.

Challenge the Status Quo. Challenge the social

time of year for new beginnings, so celebrate National Hobby Month with a hobby fair. Invite local hobby or sports shops— model plane building, photography, cycling, rock climbing, stained glass, painting, scrapbooking, coin collecting, and so on—to set up exhibits in the school commons or cafeteria to introduce students to some new hobbies.

boundaries at school by sponsoring a Mix It Up at Lunch activity. For resources to help organize the day, visit http://www.tolerance.org/mix-it-up/what-is-mix

Wash Those Hands! Help stop the spread of dis-

eases in your community by raising awareness of the importance of washing hands during National Handwashing Awareness Week, December 7–13. Learn the Four Principles of Hand Awareness and download free materials to spread the word at http://www.henrythehand.com.

Save a Life. The holiday season between Thanksgiv-

ing and New Year’s Day is one of the deadliest and most dangerous times on America’s roadways because of an increase in impaired driving. For that reason, December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Raise awareness in your school and community about the dangers of drunk and drugged driving by urging students to think before they get behind the wheel or ride with an impaired driver.

National Mentoring Month. Research has shown

that a mentoring relationship can play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible decisions, stay focused and engaged in school, and reduce or avoid risky behavior like skipping school, alcohol and drug use, and other negative activities. During National Mentoring Month in January, develop a campaign to encourage students and the adults in their lives to serve as mentors to younger students. Visit

National Hobby Month. January tends to be a great

FCCLA Social 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

FCCLA will bring more than 8,000 of its student leaders, members and advisers to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on July 5-9, 2015 for its National Leadership Conference. The FCCLA National Leadership Conference provides opportunities for students and advisers to come together to hear to inspiring speakers, expand leadership skills, and explore career pathways. The theme for this year’s conference is “Together We Are Healthy” and attendees will focus on peer leadership opportunities to address their generation’s health, wellness, nutrition, and fitness concerns.

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (703) 476-4900 www.FCCLAINC.org