79-FCCLA Series: Affiliating FCCLA

•  Where do we start, how do I begin? Maybe you are a classroom teacher who is just starting, never had it before, or maybe you are new to a current chapter, something that's already in existence, either way, you have to start somewhere. So I'll just start with my own story, I guess, 'cause that's the easiest for my perspective, when I enter in my classroom, I took over for a previous teacher who had a really strong FCCLA chapter, not like crazy award winning national officers or anything like that, but a strong, solid chapter who loved to do community service projects, and so as soon as I entered the classroom, they... This tight-knit group of FCCLA members came up to me and they're like, We're doing FCCLA this year, right?. Like Of course, of course we are. I don't know what that's gonna look like, but it's gonna happen. So my advice would be one, starting to start small and start with those student members, get them to be the leader, ask them what they wanna do... (2:28)

•  We want it to be this easy part of what you're already doing in Family and Consumer Sciences, because all of our competitive events, national programs, projects, things that you could earn money, it's all stuff that you are already doing in family consumer sciences. Everything that we offer is tied to family and consumer sciences national standards, it's tied to our Career Pathways, it's designed to be easy for FCS teachers, and in fact, it's designed to make your program or robust as a family and consumer sciences teacher. So it really is a win-win.  (4:26)

•  Okay, so we've been talking about the set up and getting our students involved in these rubrics and in that integration, but if you're a new, a new FCCLA advisor, where are you getting these rubrics, is there some sort of portal that you're going?... Yes. Portal is the magic word.  Yes, on the on the FCCLA website, so it's FCCLAinc.org. There is the portal, it's like this big huge red box that says Log in, and you actually have two options, you can log in as an advisor into the advisor portal, where you can log in as a student into the student portal, so all of your members once you are affiliated and we'll have access to their own part of the portal. (6:42)

• Affiliate tends to be this intimidating word, but it is not... It just means join, it's a fancy word for joined FCCLA. And so to do that, to be an official member or join member, you go into the portal, if you're brand new to it, you're an advisor, you creating a coach, you put in your usual name, school address, email, contact information, info, just like you would pretty much any other thing that you're joining and then you put your students info in, and this is their names, their email addresses, their grades, that important information, it's secure site, and then that is used to generate to their student pools as well. And then once you do that, you hit submit and then you pay whatever your affiliation rates might be, each state is a little bit different, each state charge is a little bit different, and then there's the National does as well. So it varies throughout the US. (8:17)

•  Can you give five easy tips? A brand new FCC LA advisor going in. Just easy tips.  Absolutely, number one, get members, those students that talk to you, that are excited, that are available, get those members, even if it's just like three core members, get your members is number one, number two, build a relationship with your state advisor, reach out to them, communicate with them, ask them questions, be aware of who your state advisor is, three, integrate your program, put it into what you're already doing in your classroom, you'd be surprised how many of our competitive events, for example, make amazing capstone projects in your classes.  And that you might already be doing a version of it, and so you might not need to alter it a little bit, and now you have rubrics and standards and things that make it even better. Number four, network Join In The FCCLA Facebook group, talk to other advisors in your state, find a mentor, talk to other FCCCA advisers, we all wanna help each other and support one another, and it is an amazing network of advisors, and number five, finally is a tent attend your region meetings, attend state meetings, attend national leading, and when you're there at volunteer, you don't have to compete right away, you could jump in and just come as a volunteer and just see what nationals look like. (13:21)

CONNECT WITH ASHLEY NELSON:
• FCCLA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1506195226130180
• Twitter: @NationalFCCLA
• Pinterest:  NationalFCCLA 
• Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/nationalfccla/

• Email: [email protected]

CONNECT WITH BARBARA:

• FCS Podcast: https://fcspodcast.com
• FCS Tips: https://www.fcstips.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConnectFCSed
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConnectFCSed
• Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/connectfcsed
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/connectfcsed

WHEN DOES IT AIR…
NOVEMBER 24th, 2021