Mar/Apr 2019
Magazine for Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc.
Feature Story:
FCCLA Experiences Help Prepare Members for the Human Services Pathway
In This Issue: FCCLA Partnerships that Focus on Human Services Youth Leaders Members Share Their Journeys in Human Services & Visual Arts and Design
Program Integration
Chapter Projects Focus on Career Pathways
Make your commitment to be a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher official at the 2019 National Leadership Conference!
Sign up when you register for the conference!
For more information, contact adviser@fcclainc.org
WHERE: FCCLA National Leadership Conference, Anaheim CA WHEN: June 30-July 4, 2019 WHO: Seniors who plan to major in FCS Education
Sponsored by:
Teen Times is the national magazine of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, a career and technical student organization that helps young men and women become leaders and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education, or as determined by the state department of education. Lyn Fiscus, Editorial Consultant Emily McPike, Layout/Design
NATIONAL STAFF
Sandy Spavone, Executive Director Nancy Bock, Director of Partnerships Marla Burk, CMP, Director of Conferences Beth Carpenter, Director of Programs Mark Hornby, CPA, SHRM-CP, Director of Operations Karen Patti, Director of Youth Leadership Christine Hollingsworth, Senior Competitive Events Manager Ana Torres, Senior Staff Accountant Charles Carson, Mailroom Manager Kelley Conners, Meetings Manager Ashley Nelson, CFCS, Outreach and Professional Development Manager Caitlin Osbourne, Membership Manager Janet Ryder, Communications Manager Margaret Mainguy, Program Coordinator Jacob Smith, Partnership Coordinator Noelle Barge, Administrative Assistant Coryn Green, Communications and Membership Assistant Michelle Hedrick, Executive Assistant Sara Quinn, Conference Assistant
Table Of Contents 02 03 05 06 09 14 20 24
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is a private, nonprofit national organization of more than 160,000 members incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia. It functions through public and private secondary school systems in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands as an integral part of the Family and Consumer Sciences education program, providing opportunities for enriched learning. Editor’s Note: Please credit Teen Times for information you reprint, excerpt, or photocopy. Use the following statement to credit materials you use from this issue: Reprinted with permission from Teen Times, the national magazine of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Vol. 73, No. 4. Teen Times (ISSN 0735-6986) is published four times per year in September, November, January, and March by Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, Inc., 1910 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1584, (703) 476-4900. A portion of national dues pays for a one-year subscription to Teen Times. Inclusion of an advertisement does not constitute an endorsement of the advertiser’s claims, products, and services. Periodicals postage paid at Reston, VA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTERS: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: Teen Times, 1910 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1584.
Social Media
From the Desk of... Meetings & Events FCCLA Partnerships Feature Story Youth Leaders Spotlight Get Involved Just For Fun
NationalFCCLA
FCCLAinc.org/blog
NationalFCCLA
NationalFCCLA1945
NationalFCCLA
National FCCLA
NationalFCCLA
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America
FCCLA 365 App
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
1
From the Desk of ... It is so hard to believe we are nearing the end of the school year already. It is that time of year when many of you are putting the final touches on your Competitive Event presentation, finishing your membership recruitment for the year, and getting ready to attend your state meetings and the National Leadership Conference. It has been an exciting year watching you, our FCCLA members, embrace the “Believe in Yourself” theme and work in your chapters and communities to use your leadership skills to prepare for your career path.
As we wrap up this year and begin to focus on all that the 2019/2020 school year will hold, we want to thank each of you for your passion for FCS and the career options available through the training you receive through these courses. I hope you feel stronger, more confident, and prepared for your career selection and the positive impact you will have in your family, career, and community.
FCCLA Executive Director
Do you like helping people? Is working with others important to you? Are you innovative and inventive? If so, a career in Human Services or Visual Arts and Design might be for you! Human Services is a career focused on helping and interacting with other people. With possible careers such as a social worker, cosmetologist, therapist, lawyer, and many more, there are several options to consider that fall under this pathway. Visual Arts and Design careers are for creative and visionary minds! Those who like to make and create new things should consider the opportunities in this pathway. Careers in fields such as interior, graphic, and fashion design bring out an individual’s creative side and provide a way for one to be innovative with their ideas. FCCLA is an amazing way to explore these incredible and diverse career pathways. I encourage you to look more into the possibilities and see if it is a good fit for you! Believe in Yourself and your potential! You will be amazing!
FCCLA National President
2 TEEN TIMES March-April 2019
ANAHEIM, CA
JUN 30 - JUL 4
The 2019 FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Anaheim, CA is bringing together more than 8,000 student leaders and advisers to hear inspiring speakers, expand leadership skills, explore career pathways and compete among the nation’s top qualifiers in STAR Events. Believe in Yourself and join us as we shine in red!
For more information visit fcclanlc.com or email meetings@fcclainc.org.
2019
L O O K Y O U R B E S T AT T H E
2 0 1 9 N AT I O N A L L E A D E R S H I P CONFERENCE D R E S S AT T I R E TO FINISH YOUR LOOK
MALE BLAZER
MALE SHIRT
S H E AT H D R E S S M A L E PA N T S
FEMALE BLOUSE FEMALE BLAZER
O R D E R Y O U R B L A Z E R T O D AY Members must purchase their red blazers in advance this year. Blazers will not be available to buy on site at the National Leadership Conference.
HUDSON SKIRT
Contact your adviser today to place your order! Orders placed by advisers before 6/14 have a guaranteed ship date in time for the NLC!
T WIN HILL FOR FCCLA/ ORDER WITH YOUR ADVISER BEFORE 6/14
FEMALE PA N T S
W W W. T W I N H I L L . C O M / F C C L A
FCCLA Partnerships
Partner Power
Community Service is an essential part of our organization, which guides students to develop, plan, carry out, and evaluate projects to improve the quality of life in their communities. Members develop a better understanding of the meaningful role of young people as a resource for community building. Check out our community service partner in the spotlight now!
In the spotlight now‌. FCCLA partners with Access from AT&T to bring necessary affordable Internet access to low-income families in 21 states across the country. Chapters who signed up received a free toolkit to promote Access from AT&T, and were given the opportunity to create and execute school and community promotional events to reach those in need. During the 2017–2018 academic year, FCCLA members were able to reach a total of 11,510 individuals in their communities through this program. This unique program introduces students to the critical role of evaluating their community needs, and we are proud to partner with Access from AT&T to make a difference in the lives of people across the nation.
Our chapter members have been given the opportunity to speak in front of larger groups, step out of their comfort zone to reach out in the community, and provide local families with this ACCESS program. Our members were given insight to the local needs in our community and provided with opportunities for future community service. – Local Adviser
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
5
Feature Story
Connect to Careers through FCCLA: Human Services “What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other?” These words by English novelist George Eliot sum up the attitude of many who seek to work in the field of human services. Human Services is a broad field that covers many different kinds of practice, but each is aimed at helping people meet essential needs. That’s exactly what drew Caitlin Foster, Tennessee FCCLA member, to the field.
I chose human services because, at age 13, my parents were divorced and I started to see a counselor to help me with it. I knew from the start that she would be there for me. She was like my hero.
Caitlin Foster Tennessee FCCLA 6 TEEN TIMES March-April 2019
Feature Story
“I chose human services because, at age 13, my parents were divorced and I started to see a counselor to help me. I knew from the start that she would be there for me. She was like my hero,” says Caitlin. “It was during those counseling sessions that I knew this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to be the person who would be there for someone else who was going through something difficult. I love the idea of just reaching out to someone if they need help and assisting any way I can.” Having a role model like her counselor isn’t the only thing that appeals to Caitlin about Human Services. An inherent interest in psychology is another thing that is motivating her to pursue a degree in this field. “I think psychology is really interesting. I love interpreting how someone feels and if someone is frustrated or going through something difficult, I love having a conversation with them and trying to help them,” she says. The challenge of figuring out the best way to help also is appealing. “Sometimes you have to try different things to find a solution so it’s more of problem solving. You have to be creative and figure out a solution because there’s not just one way,” says Caitlin. “That’s why I love psychology, because there’s so many ways to approach it. There isn’t just one set way like math or science. When you’re dealing with people, there’s never a one-size-fits-all approach to anything, so that’s good.”
Caitlin’s FCS classes have helped her prepare to pursue her career. She is currently in her third semester of early childhood education classes. “My first class was all about child development in the brain and it talked about why children act a certain way. I really loved that part!” she says. “The second part of my class was more interpreted like lesson planning, which I also enjoyed. That’s not exactly what I want to go into as a career, but it was still fun and interesting to learn what children are interested in at each age.” Involvement in FCCLA also has helped Caitlin’s pursuit of her career. “FCCLA has given me a confidence and a motivation that I’ve never seen anywhere else. Everybody is so supportive. FCCLA is in my comfort zone so I feel like I’m home, but it also takes me out of my comfort zone which is good. Speaking in front of big groups of people and meeting people from all over the nation can be nerve racking, but it also helps me for a career that I’m going to pursue someday.” The support of Caitlin’s FCCLA adviser has been motivational as she pursues her career path as well. “She doesn’t focus on psychology but she is the most motivational woman I’ve ever met. And right from the start, she was so encouraging to me.”
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
7
Feature Story
Human Services Job Outlook A career in Human Services is a great option for people who want to use their natural talents to make a difference in the lives of others. Community and social service specialists are in demand, and there’s no shortage of positions available in the Human Services field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the Human Services sector will have faster-than-average expansion by 10 percent for 257,700 added jobs from 2014 to 2024. Careers include such areas as: • Child advocate • C linical mental health counselor • C risis intervention counselor • Disaster relief worker • D omestic violence counselor
• Family services advocate • Grant writer • Health educator • Home health aide • Social worker • Marriage and family therapist • Occupational therapist
• Substance abuse counselor • Probation officer • Public health educator • Rehabilitation case worker • Sociologist • Youth worker
Work environments in the Human Services field include private government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and public corporations.
After high school Caitlin plans to seek a master’s degree in psychology. “I’m debating which field to pursue, but I think I want to go into child psychology, which goes into the realm of FCCLA and why I love Family and Consumer Sciences Education,” she says. “I’ve also really been into psychology ministry just because eventually, I’d like to work in a ministry as a pastor. So my career path hopefully is to get a master’s in psychology and become a psychologist or marriage counselor and help either children or families that are going through divorce. There are so many different areas you can get into, so I don’t want to limit myself to just one, if possible.”
8 TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
• State and local governments are the largest employers of the human services workforce, according to HumanServicesEdu.org. Entry-level positions within the public sector are available with a bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, or the social sciences (e.g., psychology, sociology, etc.). A study published by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), showed the median base salary for government sector social workers came in at above $60,000 per year, while non-profit and private sector social work jobs fell below that. • Nonprofit sector positions fill in many of the services the state is unwilling or unable to provide, such as women’s shelters, homeless outreach, needle exchange programs, and mobile dental services for the poor.
Source: www.humanservicesedu.org
Working at a nonprofit tends to give people a focused purpose, providing one type of service to the community rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Nonprofits are also good places to get started, as its often possible to get an entry-level position without formal credentials. • Private sector positions dominate the areas of sports psychology, couples counseling, clinical psychology, and healthcare social workers. There are private sector companies that specialize in substance abuse and behavioral disorder treatments, and some that provide child care services. If it’s possible to charge enough of a premium to turn a profit at it, the private sector will offer a human services solution. Private sector employers tend to be more qualification-focused than nonprofits, so you can expect to need a bachelor’s degree at minimum for most of these jobs.
Youth Leaders
Program Integration These Chapters have taken Career Pathways and FCCLA National Programs to the next level. Check out these projects that focus on the Visual Arts and Design and Human Services Pathway!
31 Flavors of Kindness Carl Sandburg Middle school has a reputation of being one of the rougher middle schools in their county when it comes to fights and discipline referrals. Part of this is because students inappropriately use social media to share things that happen at school. However, they have a new principal who is very focused on building a positive school culture and the FCCLA chapter wanted to help. The chapter’s goal was to partner with the school’s Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports committee and CSMS Ambassadors to encourage students to be kind to each other for 31 school days. Their objectives were to promote positive behavior by having daily messages, teacher reinforcement, and a reward at the end of the 31-day period.
Identify Concerns:
CSMS students aren’t treating each other with kindness and respect. Set a Goal: We want to encourage CSMS students to be kind to each other over the course of 31 school days. Form a Plan: Work with PBIS to create positive messages to display throughout our school. Teachers will be provided with passes they can share with students who are “Caught Being Kind.” Students with enough Kindness Coupons can attend an ice cream social. Act: Members created Kindness messages that could be displayed on the TVs throughout the school hallways. These kindness encouragements were included each morning on the school’s news broadcast. Members created a bulletin board in the cafeteria where each kindness idea was a new scoop of ice cream. CSMS ambassadors created positive messages for hallways and bathroom mirrors. As students were “Caught Being Kind” they were given kindness coupons toward attending the 31 Flavors of Kindness ice cream social. There were 30 students who participated in the ice cream social. Follow-Up: After the 31 Flavors of Kindness were over, we celebrated with an ice cream social.
Carl Sandburg Middle School Alexandria, VA
We felt this project was a success because it seemed there were fewer disagreements and fights in the hallway, but we’ll have to wait until the end of the school year to see the official data to compare it to previous years. This project helped our Student Services department better understand the healthy relationship and conflict management skills that we learn in FCS classes and that FCCLA has a vested interest in both things.
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
9
Youth Leaders
Ending Hunger One Bowl at a Time Food insecurity is a big problem in our community. Members learned about this great need on our FCCLA trip to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank in Gainesville, GA. During the visit members listened to a presentation that covered all the services this center provides and all the ways we could help. We have a great resource of people at our school and we felt we could make a big difference.
Chapter Goal was to increase the availability of fresh vegetables in the community. Vegetables are the most neglected food group because they are often more expensive than snack food alternatives. The objectives included growing these foods on our own campus using the soil we “made” in our composting structure installed last year. Another objective was to help raise funds for supplies or needed food items at the GMFB and help the organization as much as we could. As a final outcome we wanted the project to provide services and food items to the GA Mountain Food Bank.
Activities 1. Members volunteered at the Food Bank in November. The group sorted cans by expiration date, sorted them into boxes by food group, and then created boxes for church groups containing foods from all the different food groups. 2. Members approached the Home Depot of Flowery Branch with a proposal and budget sheet for building three raised planter beds on our campus. The proposal was for treated lumber, nails, and organic soil to begin the planting process. They agreed to work with us and had the supplies pulled and waiting for us in three days. Their donation was worth more than $300!
5. Members researched what vegetable could be grown during what months, while our raised beds were placed and filled with dirt. Carrots and green onions were planted. Resources for this project included a donation from Home Depot of Flowery Branch to provide materials to build the raised beds and students donated $6 to paint a bowl for the GMFB, Empty Bowl Lunch. Partnerships included: Home Depot of Flowery Branch, GA, construction classes at Johnson High School, and Georgia Mountain Food Bank. This project reached outside the walls of our school and into the entire county. Being concerned with food security, and not just food prep, widens the conventional view of Family and Consumer Sciences. During this project students used their knowledge of healthy foods and their importance in the family. They used research skills to find out the optimal planting time for each type of vegetable. They used their leadership skills to make the appointment with the director of the Food Bank to come to our school for the bowl painting party and their artistic skills in designing flyers for each event.
3. The construction classes at our school agreed to build the raised beds for us. 4. Members planned and implemented a bowl painting party at our school. This “Empty Bowl Lunch” is the annual fundraiser for the GMFB. People in the community pay $30 to attend the luncheon and are given an “empty bowl” as a thank you gift. A $30 donation can provide 150 meals. We painted 12 bowls at our party so that provided 1,800 meals to people in our community!
10 TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
Johnson High School Gainesville, GA
Youth Leaders
Community Career Collaboration According to a report at CNBC, in a survey conducted by Grandstaff career matchmaking firm in September 2016, of 503 job seekers, a majority of those surveyed were unaware of career opportunities and how to apply their personal strengths and skills in the workforce. Seventy-five percent of those job-seekers stated they did not know positions that were suited for them specifically based on their career interest pathways. The James Wood High School FCCLA members and Housing and Interior Design course students did not want to be another failing statistic in society’s job market. Objectives focused on students gaining hands-on workrelated skills and experiences to make them productive job-seekers and future employed citizens. Members used their knowledge of the Career Connection program to “plug-in” to work related to the housing and interior design career cluster. The following goals were set for the community career collaboration project: • Identify and research 20 different housing, interior design, and related career options and education pathways • Collaborate with at least one community partner related to the interior design career pathway • Complete 50 hours of service and industry-related work • Assess each housing and interior design student’s personal skills and career interests as they related to the housing career cluster. In August, the JWHS housing and interior design class and FCCLA members were assigned the task of choosing one FCCLA national program to implement into the classroom. The majority vote was assigned to a classroom service-learning and Career Connection project that would support our local Habitat for Humanity. Student members would be collecting furniture pieces, refurbishing them in the classroom, and sending them to Habitat for Humanity to sell in their “Restore” retail store. The money raised from the furniture pieces would be a direct profit for a Habitat family’s house. For each piece of furniture donated, each student applied their workplace skills by following the interior design process steps. Each student created a refurbished design, budget, materials list, and timeline.
There was a lot of collaboration involved in this Career Connection project. Besides working closely with each other and Habitat, members worked closely with other CTE classes in the school. We consulted tech education classes and shop classes for our designs. We had to borrow facilities, tools, and equipment. When there was a piece missing from the furniture, we were able to use the library’s 3D scanner and printer to replicate the piece needed. Even the school custodian helped students with project construction during his lunch break and our study hall times. Students performed 52 service-learning and job-related skills hours and completed seven pieces of furniture for Habitat for Humanity. • Members were able to identify and explore 30 housing and interior design related jobs. • The chapter collaborated with and partnered with one community organization related to the housing career cluster. • Each student member was able to match their career interests and workplace skills to at least five career options.
James Wood High School Winchester, VA TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
11
Youth Leaders
Rachel Dunbar Georgia FCCLA
What career are you interested in pursuing? I would like to become a dietitian and specialize in working with children/teens with eating disorders. My plan is to major in Nutrition and minor in Psychology.
What makes you want to pursue a degree in this field? I found out that I have Celiac’s Disease so I went to see a nutritionist to help manage it. It really helped me to see what an important role diet is to my overall heath. I also really want to support and help any child or teen with an eating disorder. Being an adolescent is hard enough, but it’s so much harder when you have a mental illness. Kids need a support system and I want to be there for them.
How have your FCS classes helped you to pursue your career? I had to take a class called “Food for Life” where I learned about micro and macro nutrients. I also had to create a meal plan for adolescents—specifically for someone with anorexia. The class introduced me to helping people by developing healthy meal plans. I would not have thought to consider this as career if not for the class.
How has FCCLA helped you to pursue your career? I competed in the Sports & Nutrition STAR Event, which also helped me with public speaking! I used to be really shy, but FCCLA has helped me to become more confident. I am developing my leadership skills and now I am motivated to make a difference!
12 TEEN TIMES March-April 2019
FCCLA Faces
Youth Leaders
How is FCCLA preparing you for a career in Human Services or Visual Arts and Design? Grace Allphin Washington FCCLA I’ve always known helping people is my passion. I was drawn to join FCCLA because of the positive impact the organization has in our community. I was excited to be a part of making a difference, so I selected my projects to benefit the health and safety of my community. I started with peer educating elementary students and their parents about the back seat law for passengers under 13. I also had a great experience when I was able to advocate on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, for CTE education. This year I am taking on the vaping epidemic to make students aware of the dangers of this habit. My success in FCCLA has fostered my decision to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner.
Ashlyn Varghese Oklahoma FCCLA For the past five years, FCCLA has shaped me into a strong leader and public speaker. I started off as a shy member and built my way up to become a district officer. The amazing leadership abilities I have earned through FCCLA will help me build strong communication skills with my professors next year in college and hopefully prepare me to connect with patients as a health care professional. FCCLA has given me the opportunity to understand how to listen to people intently, which is very critical in the medical field, and use that skill to help people. FCCLA is filled with unlimited possibilities that helped me reach places I never have imagined before!
Karly Jacklin Ohio FCCLA As an underclassman, I struggled heavily with balancing my workload with my mental health. My world shifted for the better in a drastic way when I joined FCCLA in my junior year of high school. I felt like I had found a place where people valued me and listened to what I had to say. I found a community of people who believed in me! I was finally inspired to put my heart into my schoolwork again, and I competed in the Career Development Event of Advocacy. I am completely and totally confident in saying that without FCCLA and my Career Development Event, I would not be in the blessed position I am in today. My passion for leading, teaching, and inspiring was reanimated the moment I had a whole community rooting for me, and I am forever grateful that I decided to go for the red!
Angela Smith Georgia FCCLA Through FCCLA, I have competed in various interior design competitions that have allowed me to think and improve my skills as well as expose me the interior design world. Along with the awards I’ve received, I have had chances and experiences like meeting design professors from University of Georgia and SCAD, touring the SCAD facility in Atlanta, earning a free year subscription to Chief Architect and have a blog post written about me by Chief Architect as well. FCCLA has prepared me for the skills I will need after high school and for my career as it has become a creative outlet and an amazing learning experience. No amount of words can describe the amount of growth I’ve had as a member of FCCLA.
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
13
Red Jacket, Red Hot Future
Spotlight
Check out how one member used the skills and experiences gained through FCCLA membership to put herself on the pathway to career success.
What is your story in the Human Services field?
Has anyone inspired you to go into this field?
Both of my parents are teachers. My mom teaches preschool education and my dad teaches college. I have a lot of teachers in my family so it’s always been really cool to see the different ages that they teach. But in the past two years, I also have gotten very interested in equine physical education, which is helping special needs children learn how to ride horses. It is a type of therapy for them. So the past couple of years, I’ve been torn between going into an equine field (which would be really hard but definitely worth it) or an educational field.
Definitely my mom! She’s worked with younger kids as long as I can remember. I used to go to work with her and I really enjoyed that. She has always been very inspiring for me. Another person who motivated me to choose the educational field is my trainer. She has taught me so much about horses over the years and definitely inspired me to pursue this career.
What makes you want to pursue a degree in this field? I think the hard work that has to go into it. It’s a lot of hard work but I definitely feel like it would be really good for me to do it and it would be worth it. When I was younger I wanted to be a vet, but then I really started getting into horses. I love the idea of teaching other people the therapeutic side of working with horses. I know my bond with horses and working with horses has definitely helped me.
What motivates you to go into this field?
Grace Morrison New Jersey FCCLA
A lot of things motivate me. I like the idea of helping special needs kids outside of the classroom, which is how equine physical education fits in. I like the variety in this field too.
14 TEEN TIMES March-April 2019
What do you hope to do ultimately with your degree? I want to educate people. I don’t want to teach people just how to ride a horse, but I want to educate people on the therapeutic nature of horseback riding. Sometimes, when I’m having a bad day, I just go to the barn and go out for a ride. It really helps me. The field of equine physical therapy is definitely a harder career to get into, but I am motivated to try! I would love to start my own business with it someday too.
How have your FCS classes prepared you to go into this field? My chapter adviser is my Family and Consumer Sciences teacher. We talk a lot about the different fields that you can get into. She introduces us to so many things and it really made me realize that I want to help other people. It’s definitely a passion. And I think that’s the biggest thing. My classes introduced me to ways to help other people through the field of Family & Consumer sciences.
How has FCCLA helped you to pursue this career? FCCLA has made me a better leader. I don’t think I would have seen starting my own business as a possibility if I hadn’t gone into FCCLA. It’s giving me confidence in a lot of areas in my life. There’s a bunch of different projects too so it’s just a really good experience. It has really been a life changing experience to be a part of FCCLA.
Red Jacket, Red Hot Future
Spotlight
The Visual Arts and Design career pathway is strongly supported by involvement in FCCLA.
What career are you interested in pursuing? I am most likely going to pursue a career in Interior Design.
What makes you want to pursue a degree in this field? I am very passionate about Interior Design—I love it actually! The creative nature of it really allows me to express myself. It’s very fun, but also challenging. I learn new design styles—like the “eclectic style” which is a modern and traditional style combined. I definitely want a job someday that I am passionate about.
What do you hope to do with your degree? I am planning to get a degree in business, but I hope to work for an interior design company. I would like to have my own business someday.
How have your FCS classes helped you to pursue your career? I went into my FCS classes not knowing anything about Interior Design. It was the first step in learning more about this exciting field! My classes have helped me get to where I am now, including winning first place for Interior Design at NLC!
How has FCCLA helped you to pursue your career? I competed in STAR Events, and having the judges give constructive criticism has been extremely helpful. They have given me feedback so I can improve and it has helped me to become a better designer. I have also gotten better at public speaking and my confidence speaking in front of strangers has definitely been boosted!
Ashley Ficker Belton, Texas
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
15
Spotlight
Alumni & Associates Highlight Where did you grow up and what FCCLA chapter were you in? I grew up in Lexington, Missouri. The chapter is Lexington High School.
What do you currently do in your career? We search for multiple extended family members and kin relationships for older youth in foster care who are most at risk of aging out without an adoptive resource. Our goal is to find these children permanency/supports. The model is built upon intensive concurrent planning executed by a detective-recruiter team. The program uses traditional recruitment strategies supplemented by case file mining to research and locate all known and unknown relatives, making personal contact with all appropriate family members. This multi-faced approach significantly increases the resource options available for a child’s permanent placement, especially for those children labeled as hard to place or unadoptable.
What were some of your previous professional experiences?
Ashlynn Stiles Extreme Recruiter Independence, Missouri
Before being hired on at FosterAdopt-Connect, I worked as a preschool teacher for five years. I had worked with children for a very long time. However, I was quickly able to obtain the skills and knowledge of the foster care system once I began working here. I have been with this agency for almost five years and I absolutely love what I do.
How did your FCCLA experience help you prepare for your career? FCCLA helped prepare me for my career by teaching me leadership skills and helping me build characteristics that I would need to become successful within the Human Services field and society as a whole.
Why did you choose to go into the Human Services career pathway? I have always wanted to help others and make a difference within the community. My degree is in Child and Family Development and working with children and families is a huge passion of mine. Since I was young I have been outgoing and personable. Therefore, I wanted to use those skills/characteristics and apply them to my career.
What is your favorite part of your job? This is a tough question. There are multiple things that I love about my job! I get to work with children and families. I help children, who are at risk of aging out of care, find a “forever family.” The best part is attending the adoption hearings after we have found a forever family and seeing the children and families so happy and overjoyed. I know that I when I go to bed at night, I have positively made a difference in someone’s life.
What was your favorite experience in FCCLA? My favorite memories of FCCLA involve activities we did at our school and leadership opportunities through events like our regional meeting.
Want to learn more about FCCLA Alumni & Associates? Contact us at membership@fcclainc.org. 16 TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
Spotlight Where did you grow up and what FCCLA Chapter were you in? I grew up in Howells, Nebraska (population 552) and I was a member of the HowellsDodge Chapter.
What was your favorite opportunity as an FCCLA member? My favorite opportunity was serving FCCLA as the 2016–2017 National Vice President of Finance and as a two-year member of the National Board of Directors. I went to my first FCCLA meeting for the free spaghetti dinner and never expected to take the lead in the organization. A dream was created at that meeting to say “why not” and take every opportunity available turned into being installed as a National Officer and Board of Directors member in San Diego, CA, at NLC 2016. Simply taking the leap of faith allowed me to be a part of a dynamic National Executive Council, advocate for FCCLA and FCS education on the national level, and travel around the country promoting the leadership and career development of FCCLA!
How did your FCCLA experience help you prepare for your career? A major part was participation in the Career Investigation STAR Event. In my freshman year STAR Event, I completed my project on investigating the career of a surgeon, which allowed me to complete an in-depth analysis of their career and interview a surgeon as well. After that project, I became more interested in the Human Services/Health field, started shadowing and attending workshops at my local medical school, and decided what my future career and mission in life would be. The added leadership experience of serving on the NEC and Board of Directors allowed me to gain skills that I now apply to and grow through leadership positions I currently hold at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
Carter Bracht College Student Lincoln, Nebraska
Why did you choose to go into the Human Services industry? I chose to go into the Human Services industry because I have a yearning to help others with problems they can’t solve themselves. Going to medical school to become a surgeon will allow me to complete just that. Furthermore, I get to offer support for patients and their families on some of the worst days of their life and help end ailments and suffering. The Human Services industry will allow me to complete my mission in life while applying all the skills I gained in FCCLA.
What do you hope to do with your degree? I am currently a Biochemistry, Pre-Medicine student at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln with minors in Chemistry, Communications, and Humanities in Medicine. After I graduate, I plan to attend medical school to earn my Doctorate of Medicine while dual enrolling in an MBA program with an emphasis in Health Care Administration in order to make a difference in the lives of patients in both the operating and board room. My hope is to become a cardiothoracic surgeon by the end of my training.
How has FCCLA helped you to pursue your career? FCCLA gave me the ability to say “why not,” dream big, and believe I can achieve whatever I set my mind to. My high school journey started out as a timid freshman and ended with a graduate who was ready to take on the world and carry out his mission of helping others through medicine. I gained leadership skills through my officer positions, career experience through my STAR Event, and advocacy skills through discussions with the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, US Department of Education, and State Senators and Congressmen. With FCCLA, I was able to dream large and find my unlimited possibilities!
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
17
Spotlight
Class Acts
Each issue, we interview Family and Consumer Sciences educators to learn more about the impact of FCS and how they advance the field. This time, we asked three FCS educators this question:
What are you doing to help advance the field of Family and Consumer Sciences education? My students consider me to be untraditional and a bit crazy, but that’s a good thing! I want my class to be a fun experience where students can be themselves and be creative. I always try to have a positive attitude and a smile to start each class. I am always striving to provide my students with fun, hands on experiences. Project-based learning is the foundation of my class and I create projects that engage my students and encourage them to take charge of their learning. I have them create custom meal plans for athletes, design their own schools, plan events for special education students, and incorporate FCCLA all along the way. — Megan Hibner
I believe I am helping to advance the field of Family & Consumer Sciences Education by being personable to all students I encounter. Not only do I teach FCS, I try to emulate what we stand for in my classroom. I also try to show the kids my passion for the content I teach and in turn they create their own desire to excel in my classes. Through service projects and community outreach, students see the beneficial aspects FCS provides to the community. Unlike other subjects, students are able to see the tangible evidence of the effect FCS can have on families, future careers, and our community. — Michelle Irvine
As society and technology evolve, so does Family and Consumer Sciences Education. I encourage my students to be engaged through interactive presentations, handson activities, and project-based learning. My students’ engagement helps advance the field of Family and Consumer Sciences Education by providing students the opportunity to develop their career readiness skills for today’s society. —Miranda Bright
18 TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
Our Favorite Social Media Posts
Be sure to tag us @nationalfccla for the chance to be featured in the next issue!
Just For Fun
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
19
Get Involved
STAR Events with a Human Services or Visual Arts and Design focus can help members develop and refine skills for career success in those fields. Here are some examples to help prepare you for the future! Making a positive difference in the family and community is a large part of why individuals choose a career in Human Services. From creating projects to protecting children’s safety, serving the homeless, or hosting career fairs, members impact individuals and communities through the Chapter Service Project (Display or Portfolio) STAR Event. In this event, more than 1.8 million people were reached during the 2017–2018 school year!
Concerned about environmental issues that adversely impact human health and well-being? Issues such as recycling, water availability, chemical safety in the home, energy efficiency, and food waste were topics for the 2018–2019 school year in the Environmental Ambassador STAR Event.
Have you ever watched a “TED” talk? These short speeches often powerfully illustrate an issue of concern and provide the listener with some ideas to make change. FCCLA has two STAR Events that help members do something similar. In Illustrated Talk, members research and prepare a speech about a wide variety of topics including family violence, substance use, social media use in teens, or foster care. In Digital Stories for Change, members do something similar, but use an annual topic, and create a video that tells the story. 20 TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
Get Involved
Do you watch television award shows just to see who’s wearing which designer? Or do you binge watch design shows to see the latest interior trends? If either of these appeal to you, you may want to check out some of the design-related STAR Events!
Fashion Construction and Fashion Design STAR Events will test your technical and creative sewing or design abilities. Recycle and Redesign will challenge you to take a used fashion, home, or other post-consumer item to recycle into a brand-new product. A lamp made from a discarded bicycle frame? Why not? Interior Design places you in the role of a student designer, creating sample boards and designs based on an annual design scenario. Will your design meet the clients’ expectations?
An online presence is a must for any FCCLA chapter. Practice your website design skills by creating a chapter website promoting your FCS program, membership information, activities, and member awards. You can use a website builder or create your own design. Your FCCLA Chapter Website project entry may end up being your ticket to a National Leadership Conference!
To learn more about how competing in STAR Events can help further your career success, contact your chapter adviser. TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
21
Get Involved
Get Involved Chapter Projects Opportunities to develop skills in the visual arts and design pathway are all around us—it’s just a matter of finding the right project for your chapter. Take a look at Oak Canyon Jr. High School’s “Monster Dolls” plan and start brainstorming ideas for your next chapter project!
Identify a Concern: We need a class project to practice manufacturing skills, but we also want to do some service for a local organization.
Set a Goal: As a class, we’ve decided to make monster comfort dolls for the Children’s Justice Center that can be given to children in stressful circumstances. The dolls need to be of high quality, which is more important than quantity, but we also need to use the mass production skills we are learning in class to produce the monster dolls quickly.
22 TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
Get Involved
Form a Plan: Who: FCS Exploration Class Members What: Design and manufacture monster comfort dolls to benefit the Children’s Justice Center When: Once designs are decided upon, manufacturing must be completed during the 90-minute class period. Where: Oak Canyon Jr. High School How: The class will split into groups of four to design prototype dolls that can be easily produced in a quality manner. The College and Career Awareness classes will then vote for their favorite doll to choose the designs that the class will create. To encourage creativity, quality prizes will be awarded for the top-voted doll. Once designs are chosen, each group will set up a manufacturing line and make at least two identical dolls during the class period. Quality dolls are expected to be uniform with clipped threads and strong seams. Cost and Resources: Costs need to be minimal, so we will use leftover materials. There are a lot of felt scraps leftover from previous class projects that are too small to use on big projects, so we will use them for the monster dolls.
Act: The project went really well! Students were excited to create the dolls for a cause and the voting by College and Career Awareness classes made them try harder to produce quality, creative dolls. All of the groups created their two dolls and we took them to the Children’s Justice Center soon after.
Follow Up: Students were able to see connections to careers in manufacturing as they studied the design and manufacturing process. College and Career Awareness students want to take Family and Consumer Science classes and learn the skills used to make the dolls. Sewing, art, time management, and organization skills learned in FCS classes were applied to the project. Students also explored textiles and determined the best fabrics to use for their designs.
Did you know? Your chapter’s project could also be featured in Teen Times when you submit a program award application. If you have a great project you’d like to share with your fellow chapters, be sure to submit a program award application! To learn more, visit http://fcclainc.org/programs/awards-scholarships.php
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
23
Just For Fun
Then and Now Human Services and Visual Arts and Design careers have something in common — helping people! You may see the clear connection to helping people through the Human Services field in careers as teachers, social workers, or counselors. But do designers, who work with textiles, CAD drawings, or graphic design do the same? Yes! Everything they design is used by a person. Their designs can help someone achieve independence, create comfort, or serve as inspiration and encouragement. This is another reason why these career fields are part of the Family and Consumer Sciences education curriculum. All industries experience change over time — fashions change, hairstyles change, and communities change. But helping people, that doesn’t really change. You can be proud of your membership in FCCLA, because believing in yourself and making a difference through FCCLA never goes out of style.
24 TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
From Left to Right: Glow necklace changed color from yellow to blue | FCCLA emblem removed from cell phone | Yellow wrist band changed color to green | TShirt logo removed from shirt | Blue bracelet removed from wrist | Glow necklace changed color from pink to orange
Spot the Changes Just For Fun
Can you find six differences we’ve made between the images below?
TEEN TIMES | March-April 2019
25
HIP ERS
LES
S SON
E RV I C E S NITY e? U M hang C e COM ad th
a ow C H ? D it y LEA m un m o C ur n Yo i d e Ne s th e i t a Wh
n Yo
a pt ur Ch
er Le
TO BE THE
CHANGE REGISTER AT
Lead2Feed.org