Missouri FCCLA Blog

Hypnotist Brings His “Powers” to State

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 17:20:00 +0000

Brian Powers has been practicing the art of hypnotism for twenty years. He has been working directly with FCCLA for twelve years. Powers bought an entertainment business and started receiving calls for hypnotists. Since he had always had an interest in hypnotism, Powers took up the practice. He works mostly with corporations and businesses, however he also works at cruise ships, proms, and graduations.

At the beginning of the show, I did not believe that I could be hypnotized. The longer the show went on, and the more I laughed, the more I believed. It was obvious the participants were not conscious during the ceremony, except for the few that awakened early. After a long stressful day of competing and attending sessions, I can speak for everyone that a good laugh was needed. Powers explained to me that while making people laugh and feel good is wonderful, it is not his favorite part of being a hypnotist. He states,”I love showing people unusual things that happen in their minds, they become more than they think they can.”
Submitted by Morgan McCart, 2015 Media Team

It’s Time to Meet the Candidates

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 04:59:00 +0000

When asked the question “What made you want to run for state office?”, I got the following responses.

Savannah from Region 12 responds with, “I knew freshmen year when I came to state, and I saw all the red jackets, I knew one day I wanted to wear one.” FCCLA is an organization that Savannah is passionate about and becoming a state officer gave her an opportunity to show that passion. Being on stage is a great way for her to do that. “The most important thing to me is inspiring others the way I was inspired.”

Bryce from Region 1 met state officers in 7th grade and became friends with them. “Ever since then, I became dedicated to FCCLA’s purposes and bettering my leadership skills.” He gets support from friends and advisors.

When asked “What does it take to run for a state office?” I got a lot of responses about long nights of learning FCCLA facts and writing and memorizing “killer” speeches. Running for state office takes a lot of courage, as you’re putting yourself out there, and having to speak in front of thousands of people. Savannah from Region 12 says, “running for state office takes a lot of dedication as you represent everything FCCLA.”

Do you have what it takes to be a state officer?

Contributed by Carissa Gooch, Media Team 2015

About the Author: My name is Carissa Gooch, I'm a junior at Bolivar High School. I'm the Bolivar FCCLA Chapter President and Student Council's Junior Class President. I run track and play volleyball for my school and I enjoy taking pictures, reading and hanging out with friends.

2014-2015 and 2015-2016 State Executive Councils Dinner

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 04:55:00 +0000

Every year at the State Leadership Conference, FCCLA hosts a dinner for the State Executive Council (SEC), advisors, and their friends and family. The purpose of the dinner is to acknowledge and thank the prior and incoming SEC, and recognize recipients of awards and scholarships. For example, there was a tribute to school administrators and advisors; they were nominated as part of the Missouri FCCLA Award Applicant process. Also in attendance were friends and family of the State Executive Council members who were also recognized. As the meal was served and enjoyed, a PowerPoint presentation of the previous year’s SEC was played. The evening ended with an emotional Ms. Donna Sharpe thanking her first SEC for being so hard-working and making her experience enjoyable. Thank you to Ms. Donna Sharpe for all you do for Missouri FCCLA! Contributed by Kate Sweiger

About the Author: Senior at Maysville R-1 High School, Chapter President, planning on attending Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri and majoring in Health Administration.

Stand Your Ground

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 04:35:00 +0000

Joel Penton played 5 years of football for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He was a participant of three Big Ten championship teams as well as a member of the National Championship team. Since his time on the field, he has earned his position as one of the nation’s leading youth motivational speakers. Joel has spoken to nearly half a million people since he has started his career. He hopes to inspire others with his positive message for others to make a commitment to themselves to stand their ground.

Joel brings an inspirational, real-life message to his audience that he hopes will make an impact on many high school students. He talks about peer pressure and how he stayed with his commitment to stay away from anything he knew that could get him into trouble. Even when his friends ditched him and he had no one left, he still never threw away his commitment to himself and it is what lead him to where he is today, playing football on a full ride scholarship for Ohio State. Contributed by Sidney Mortenson, Media Team 2015

About the Author: I am a senior at Tipton High School. I love to spend time with my family and friends outside of school. I plan to attend State Fair Community College on my A+ scholarship with a major in Radiation Therapy.

Making Headlines

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 04:31:00 +0000

Going to a workshop is a great experience, but nothing compares to the adrenaline rush that comes with presenting a workshop. This year, I was able to present my workshop called Making Headlines: How To Put Your Chapter on the Front Page. Loving both chapter public relations and public speaking, the workshop seemed like great practice for any future public speaking ventures I had, and FCCLA is always the perfect audience.

Presenting can be a scary experience at first, but once I got to know the audience through my ice breaker, my fears were lessened. Participating in STAR Events and running for regional office gave me the public speaking skills that allowed me to give this presentation. If not for the skills I have earned through FCCLA, I might have never been able to present a speech in front of a crowd. Being a part of the Ultimate Leadership Experience has given me the leadership skills that I will be able to take through college and the rest of my life. Contributed by Payton Stringer, Media Team 2015

What Motivates You?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 17:54:00 +0000

Today we had the opportunity to observe and interact with Jeanne V. Livers at the Show-Me Motivation workshop as she took us through forms of motivation, demotivators, and even self-motivators. We began by directly testing ourselves through a PowerPoint and handouts to analyze what kind of motivation we each had. After finding out which personality we had, she took us through which each motivational orientation meant and how they affect the workplace and your peers.

Goal oriented, relationship oriented, and learning oriented were the types of motivations that were discussed. I personally was goal oriented which means I tend to reach goals through direct and obvious routes. Relationship oriented would mean that you take part in activities for social means while learning oriented allows you to motivate yourself through the practice of learning itself. We were guided through a slideshow that left us at the end thinking- which motivation is best? Regardless of which motivational path you take, it’s important to stay motivated and focused on your goals. Contributed by Hunter Brown, Media Team 2015

About the Author:

I am a junior at Walnut Grove High School. This is my second year in FCCLA, and I am looking forward to sharing the moments of state convention with members. I love to run and spend time with friends. I'm looking forward to state convention and furthering my knowledge in FCCLA!

STAR Events are stressful even for evaluators.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 17:46:00 +0000

Students and advisors can give harrowing stories about getting ready for regional and state competitions; each person can identify times of stress, anxiety, and frustrations. What everyone should understand is that evaluators also have each of these emotions. The anxiety of doing the right thing for each competitor and treating everyone fairly is a big job that each evaluator takes very seriously.

I was at a basketball game recently where the announcer stated to the audience how seriously the officials considered their job and that no official would make a mistake or treat a player unjustly on purpose. STAR Event evaluators are the same; we take our job seriously and want to serve our FCCLA community in the best way we can. Most of us have seen the heartbreak when a competitor receives a bronze or silver rather than the gold they have dreamed about; as parents and teachers we would all save the competitors this disappointment if possible but we have a job to do!

Today was a perfect example; state STAR events did not disappoint. When time, passion, and heart are put into the presentations we see awesome results. Those who move on to nationals have certainly earned their place. Contributed by Anita Kenkel, Media Team 2015

About the Author:
My name is Anita Kenkel. I have been with the Carl Junction school district for 16 years; I am the coordinator of the Parents as Teachers program part time and I also teach FACS at the high school part time. I have been married for 22 years and have two girls, age 20 and 15. I also have a dog named, Brie. I love to attend high school sporting events and I am a youth group leader at my church. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time with teenagers and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

The NEW Missouri FCCLA Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Missouri FCCLA) — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 05:55:00 +0000

One of the state officers had a bit of free time and decided to give the blog a face lift. We all hope you like the new design! However, some widgets were removed or changed. If there was one you really liked, or you have an idea of a widget that could be added, please email mofccla@gmail.com.

We are all looking forward to a great year of FCCLA! Make sure you are following us on all of our social media sites! Hopefully everyone is starting to work on STAR Events and National Programs! There are so many different opportunities to participate!

Talk to you all soon,
MO FCCLA

The New FCCLA Year

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 16:58:00 +0000

School is now in full swing and so is FCCLA! The SEC has tons of new activities planned for Fall Leadership and the State Leadership Conference! We all are really looking forward to meeting so many new people, and experience so many new things. Check out all of our social media sites to stay up-to-date with all things happening with Missouri FCCLA. We want to increase likes/followers on all of them so don't forget to check them out. Have a great school year, and a successful FCCLA experience!

A Start with STAR Events

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 01:03:00 +0000

Everyone knows that it is difficult at first when you begin something new, whether you are starting at a new school, beginning high school, or joining a new club. The thought of being new at something is sometimes frightening and a little nerve-wracking. Today many FCCLA students are competing in STAR events (Students Taking Action with Recognition), attending workshops, and improving on their career preparation skills. Among the swarm of members walking through the hotel hallway preparing to give speeches or presentations, or even take a test, are those individuals who have never participated in STAR events before. Let’s see how they are holding up. “I was extremely nervous. I definitely did not realize how much planning went into this. I learned that I could be a public speaker if I really tried. Our president strongly encouraged us to do our best even when we wanted to give up. I am extremely grateful for that.” –Brittany Region 13 “Before I decided what to do, my advisor mentioned doing a project on safe and sober driving. I stepped up to the plate and took on this task, not fully aware of what I was getting myself into. With this project, I wanted to educate middle school students on this issue. As they get older, I figured their opinions would be more difficult to change. They would already know a little on driving and whether or not they can see themselves drinking in the future. Sometimes a student will begin these acts because of peer pressure, either in their family or with their friends. I wanted to address this issue with them before this could hopefully happen. I do not normally speak well in front of others, nor do I enjoy doing so. After my principal had me present in front of a few grades several times, I feel more confident in my ability to present as well as in my project itself. I feel like I am making a difference.” -Kayla Region 8 If you are new to STAR events, or even FCCLA, you are not alone. There are many students just like you who are anxious about how well they will perform in their event. This is completely normal. As an experienced STAR event participant, here are some tips to ensure your presentation, speech, or test day runs smoothly. • Have your presentation/speech ready to go at least 30 minutes to an hour before presentation time. • Have your speech memorized and your notecards organized. • Practice your presentation in front of a group and receive constructive criticism. These remarks actually help your presentation style greatly. • Even though your nerves will have escalated through the roof by presentation time, remember to calm down and speak clearly and slowly without dragging it out. Remember, just have a great time and show the judges your passion for your event or cause. 2014 FCCLA State Leadership Conference is meant to unleash your potential and energy. Use this to present your act in the greatest show on Earth! Contributed by Natasha Bailey, 2014 Media Team

Being Bullied

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:51:00 +0000

As we all know it is hard to go up to someone and tell them that the way they treat you is hurtful. It takes courage to stand up to everyone when all they do is hurt you and put you down. Bullying is something that happens all over the world; it happens in the workplace, too. It is one of those things that is hard to face alone. Every year 15 million are bullied and 190,000 of those commit suicide. Taylor and Scott are brothers and wanted to do something to stop bullying. At first, they didn’t think that kids actually got bullied. They submitted a video for their contest; their video was one of those that you see on YouTube where kids hold up signs of words that were said to them that hurt them. Taylor’s principal wanted the boys to present their video at school. At first, the boys didn’t think that the video was that great; however, the principal loved it and wanted the boys to go to other schools and present their video. When they showed the video to their school some of the kids that bullied others felt terrible that they could ever say words that hurt someone. Kids that are bullied don’t usually feel comfortable telling their parents; they feel more comfortable telling other kids that have been though the same thing. Taylor and Scott’s video made it to Nationals and they got invited to the White House in the Federal Department; they were chosen as the national spokespersons. Their video was shown on the Today Show. In the video, Taylor talks about how he became friends with Elizabeth; his friends judged her and they bullied her through Facebook. Tormenting Elizabeth went so far that someone put up a status about how she could kill herself. Taylor heard a story about a kid on the radio; the kid took his life away because he was bullied. Scott didn’t bully Elizabeth; however, he never did anything to help her either. After everyone realized that they were hurting Elizabeth, they apologized. Taylor never imagined that he would be a vicitm, but in his senior year he was bullied. Taylor and Scott have made a big difference all over the world. Contributed by Carmen Lopez, 2014 Media Team Member

Alumni Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:36:00 +0000

At the start, the attendees ate candy that was on the table. Those in charge, had the members put their name, school, and email on a piece of paper. The papers were put in a box and one name was drawn for a door prize. During the ice breaker, the members had to come up with a team name and do a cheer that involved the name. They reported that they recently redid the bylaws because the old ones still said FHA (Future Homemakers of America). They did elections for alumni officers. The new officers were as followed: President, Hilary; Vice President, Derrick; Vice President of Records, Cara; Vice President of Communications, Mikel; Vice President of Membership, Josie; Vice President of Community Service, Caleb; and Vice President of Finance, Tyler. At the end of the night, a guy took the microphone and asked a girl to prom. It was so sweet! Contributed by Michael Reynolds, 2014 Media Team

Parenting- Stresses and Responsibility

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 16:54:00 +0000

Today, at the Missouri FCCLA State Leadership Conference 2014, Rene Howitt gave a presentation in one of our leadership sessions entitled “Changing Our Parenting Experiences”. One of her main focuses was about how as a parent you have to change your perspective about yourself and how you have to become a different type of leader. She talked a lot about how to be a good leader and how to be a bad leader. Good leaders have plans for the future and can see the consequences for their actions. Bad leaders have no clue what is going to happen tomorrow and don’t understand the consequences of their actions. Bad leaders don’t have a plan for their future. One of the quotes that she had found was “Where there is no vision, the people will perish”. This means that if there is no plan as to what the future will hold, people will not succeed in the future. After talking about being a leader she switched over to how to be a parent. When you become a parent, you can no longer be self-centered, self-absorbed, self-serving, or self-indulgent. You now have to be selfless. A lot of times, self-centeredness comes back within 48 hours of a baby being born. Babies and small children are much smarter than people actually think they are. They see what is happening around them and most of the time end up catching on. Little kids won’t talk about what they haven’t seen or heard. Ask any preschool or kindergarten teacher about a child and they can tell you what is happening in that child’s home. Kids talk about what they know and they don’t know if something is good or bad. The main thing she wanted the students to get out of her session was to understand that it is your choice if you become a parent or not and she wanted them to think about parenting. Contributed by Aubrie Dial, 2014 Media Team Member

Take a Walk in Someone Else's Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 16:51:00 +0000

Leadership Sessions The "Walk a Mile" session was about not judging people by what they do in their lives because you don't know what goes on in their everyday lives. Mike Donahue was a great speaker on how words can hurt just as much or more than physical abuse. He talked about how when he was growing up he did drugs not to get high but to feel nothing, to feel numb. He wanted to feel like this because of how his home life was with his father gone and his mother having fits. He told about personal stories and about stories that kids have told him over the years while he has been a speaker. He helped us understand that we shouldn't reach for the bottom shelf, to go for the easier way out but to go for the top shelf, to reach for our dreams. He showed us a slide show with pictures people have given him over the years of why they do what they do to themselves or why they feel like they do. On the other side of it, he was just as funny as he was serious, cracking jokes about how people hide behind their phones. Overall, it was very entertaining and very enjoyable to listen to. Contributed by Bailey Howard, 2014 FCCLA Media Team

"What's Your Dream and Passion?"

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 14:12:00 +0000

Where can you find an international gold medalist in track, a dancer of all decade hit songs, and a reporter for CNN all in one act? The 2014 FCCLA Missouri State Leadership Conference of course! Eddie Slowikowski closed the opening ceremonies with what truly was the Greatest Show on Earth. Eddie started his act by telling a story about his dad. This personal story helped him connect to the audience better. He then went on to tell about being fired from multiple jobs as a teen because he hated working 9-5 hours with a boss. His least favorite job that he was fired from was working as a bus boy at a Holiday Inn. He hated it so much he would go hide in the bathroom thinking that nobody knew he was in there, but one busy day the cook ran in and told Eddie they needed him and to stop hiding out in the bathroom. Eddie eventually found out they were aware of his hiding antics since he started. Teenagers in the crowd could relate very well to the job adventures as we have all had our share. Little did anyone know, however, that this would set the stage for what the moral of what this speech would be about. When he was tired of working for someone, he and a friend became entrepreneurs and opened their own business. This business was a handy man type of occupation that focused on odd jobs. He was excited about being able to work when he wanted without a boss and he earned more money this way than at any of his conventional jobs. Now, looking back on his record of jobs, he realizes that you have to be passionate about a job in order to succeed in it. It was in 1979 when he realized “Dreams in Life Sometimes Come True”. It was in this year that his brother was born and he went to his first junior high dance. He attended this dance with his first girlfriend which soon led to his first kiss. That set the stage and opened his eyes to the world of girls. Throughout his life he has realized things about relationships and the way people behave in them. He presented those ideas in an exuberating way which let him connect to the audience on a more interesting and comical level. He kept the audience guessing with his musical abilities and his awesome dance moves he learned as a little kid by replaying a Michael Jackson video over and over until he had it down. Eddie touched hearts with his last story about a little physically challenged kid. Most of the audience was almost in tears by the end of the story. The moral of this story and most of his speech was, “You might have a plan for life but life might have a plan for us.” Life definitely had a plan for Eddie who, by merely substituting for his sick mother at a leadership conference for a high school, discovered his true passion in life. It hit him at the end of the conference, when advisers came up to him and asked him to visit their school because he was so good, that he could be paid for something he loved doing so much. This leads to the tagline of his life, “Each of us can begin to make miracles happen if we believe it." Contributed by McKayla Green, 2014 Media Team Member What’s your dream and passion?”

Kicking Off the Greatest Show on Earth

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 13:49:00 +0000

Last night, the Opening General Session kicked off the 2014 FCCLA State Leadership Conference, and it was quite the circus. Thankfully, the craziness was all part of the state theme: The Greatest Show on Earth. From the moment the session started, every member in the crowd was pumped. Nearly every region was showing off their creativity and spirit through the many signs they showed off around the conference hall. The members that weren't waving signs were out in the aisles dancing to FCCLA conference favorites: The Cupid Shuffle and the Cha Cha Slide. Opening Session starts the conference and gets all of the FCCLA members excited for three jam-packed days of the ultimate leadership experience. First, the 2013-2014 state officers are introduced, and then the skits begin. Opening Session was full of many hilarious circus-themed skits acted out by the state officers, all relating back to the various topics at hand that night. After the first skit, Leone Herring, director of Family and Consumer Sciences Education at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, was welcomed. She spoke about the importance of career and technical education to high school students, a topic very important to FCCLA members. The conference also hosted Hillary Merick, chairman of Missouri FCCLA Alumni and Associates. Ms. Merick spoke to the crowd about becoming involved as an alumni and the importance of continuing to excel through FCCLA as graduating seniors. Last, Rep. Vicki Hartzler recorded a brief video where she discussed her involvement in FCCLA as a high school student and how it led to her career in public service. Next, our state and national outreach project, No Kid Hungry, was presented. One of the most exciting points in the session was the Miracle Minute, an effort to raise as much money for No Kid Hungry as possible with only having a minute to do so. Alumni members raced around the conference hall carrying buckets, trying to make it so every member had the opportunity to donate. In just one minute, Missouri FCCLA raised over $800 for No Kid Hungry. Last was our keynote speaker, Eddie Slowikowski, who was certainly a crowd favorite. His energizing speech about success and how each of us must learn our purpose captivated all of our members. He had us laughing, crying, and briefly, doing the YMCA. He finished off the conference to a medley of famous dance hits to a standing ovation. Opening General Session ended with every member looking forward to what the rest of State Leadership Conference is to bring. Whether it's STAR Events, workshops, or running for a state or national office, State Leadership Conference has something for everyone. Some achievements in those areas will be recognized tonight at the Business Session, which will be full of awards and more of those fun skits. So don't leave just yet, the circus is back and ready for more on the second day of the State Leadership Conference! Contributed by Payton Stringer, 2014 Media Team Member

STAR Events

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 01:39:00 +0000

Just as there are many activities that you can enjoy in other clubs, FCCLA offers STAR Events to its members. STAR (Students Taking Action with Recognition) Events are competitive events in which members are recognized for proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparation. Members must follow specific guidelines for their event and present a speech along with a board, portfolio, or binder. It takes weeks of preparation for the students to prepare themselves to present. All members must compete at the regional level and from there they can receive gold, silver or bronze. The top winners will advance to state. Here at state, the students give the same speech and presentation to judges and from there they may advance to participate at the national level. FCCLA members compete in STAR Events from all over the country. There are over 20 categories that our members can compete in. Nationals are going to be held in Nashville, Tennessee on July 7-11 2013. This is an amazing experience for young members to meet others from all across the country and it's always fun to meet new people. Many of the kids today have put in a lot of hard work into their projects and all of our STAR Events participants here in Missouri will find out tomorrow morning whether or not they will get the opportunity to travel to Nashville to compete. Contributed by Samantha Pierce, 2013 Media Team Member

National Outreach Project: Share Our Strength

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:27:00 +0000

Every year FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) adopts a National Outreach Project that members can benefit. Our mission statement for the National Outreach Projects is: “to promote and benefit a partner organization by volunteering and/or fundraising and donating funds while gaining FCCLA exposure to business and industries.” This year, our project was Share Our Strength: No Kid Hungry. More than 16 million children live in a household where it is an everyday struggle to put food on the table. This problem causes children to not be the very best that they can be, and that is a threat to America's future. This problem is highly overlooked, and part of being in FCCLA is looking at what most would overlook and caring enough to make a difference, even if it is a little one, it is still a difference.

My chapter has tried very hard to help aid in this project, and in my opinion, we have made a difference for our community. We held a canned food drive at school. If a student brought in a can of food, they could wear their hat for free all day long, or they had to donate a dollar to wear the hat.

Have you ever heard of a weekend backpack program? Well, it is where backpacks are packed full of food that will last an entire weekend and is given out to children whose families need the extra help. Not only is food put inside the backpacks, but a little note that reads something along the lines of, "Have a good weekend! You're great!" I and other FCCLA members from multiple chapters in Region 10 made notes like that to send to the Ozark Food Harvest where the backpacks are assembled. We worked very hard to help and try to make a difference for some of these children.

Five of Missouri's FCCLA chapters have managed to raise $1,800.00 for Share Our Strength. This was all made possible through service learning, education, awareness, and fundraising. It is not easy trying to raise funds for projects like this these days, people are holding onto their money more tightly, and no one can truly blame them, but FCCLA has persevered. By 2015, the national goal is to ensure that no kid goes hungry, you might say that is a hefty goal to achieve, but we say, “Mission Possible”.

Contributed by Jessica McFarland, 2013 Media Team Member

“Real Talk!” with Adolph Brown, III

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:09:00 +0000

Adolph Brown, III, the master educator, author, service leadership consultant, and character education leader came to the FCCLA State Leadership Conference 2013: Mission Possible with one purpose in mind, to talk to us straight about the problems we face.

In an interview before the Opening session, Dr. Brown said that “FCCLA was his favorite national student led organization.” Dr. Brown said he wasn’t just saying this because he was here, but that “FCCLA is [his] favorite because it focuses on the family” and him being a father of 7, “family is everything.”

When asked what is the big take-away students should gain from his talk, Dr. Brown said it was “that leadership starts with personal growth. You don’t have to be the president to be a leader. You don’t need a title to lead.” We can all agree that Dr. Brown talked to us without cutting corners or smoothing anything over. With this Real Talk we can move forward to lead in our families and our communities. https://www.facebook.com/docspeaks?fref=ts Real Talk with Dr. Adolph Brown on Facebook

Contributed by Aric Dale Gooch, 2013 Media Team Member

Parents of FCCLA

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:58:00 +0000

Running for an office in FCCLA is a very big responsibility. You must write a speech first and then present your speech in front of a group of voting delegates. For many people this is very nerve-racking. A study has shown that public speaking is the number one fear in America. There is a dinner held the first night at the State Leadership Conference for all state and national candidates, as well as the outgoing state executive council. Invited to this meeting are any parents, friends, or special guests of the current state council as well as the state and national candidates.

I was fortunate enough to attend this meeting and I was able to meet with two moms that attended this special dinner. The first parent I met was Mrs. Palmer. Rachel Palmer is her daughter and she is currently serving on the state executive council as the Vice President of Public Relations. Mrs. Palmer told me that Rachel has grown as a person and that she is very proud of her daughter. She said that FCCLA has made Rachel the person that she is today and that she would consider Rachel a good influence to others. She said that she loves to come and watch Rachel perform and speak on stage. She said that FCCLA has such a positive influence on young teens and said that Rachel has improved her public speaking skills tremendously.

The second parent that I was able to interview was Mrs. Kara Rankles. Her daughter is running as a national candidate. She said that the state officers always do a wonderful job with speaking at the meetings and in front of hundreds of people. She also talked about the Japanese Exchange Program that her daughter was able to participate in last year. The Japanese Exchange Program is an opportunity where an FCCLA member gets to travel on an all expense paid trip to Japan for four to six weeks as an exchange student. Participants live with a Japanese host family and experience all the things that their culture has to offer. Mrs. Rankles said that her daughter's leadership skills have improved due to FCCLA. Her daughter has held workshops on this program so that she can tell others about her great experiences in hopes that others will get involved. Mrs. Rankles also said that she enjoys attending the conferences so that she can see her daughter in action.

Parents of FCCLA members do not always get recognized because they are behind the scenes most of the time, but they play a big role in the students you see on stage in their red jackets. It was nice to be able to hear from someone that was not in FCCLA in school. Everyone always gives our organization such good feedback. FCCLA holds so many amazing opportunities and the parents of the members that I talked to tonight are taking every opportunity that they can get.

Contributed by Samantha Pierce, 2013 Media Team Member

Leaders to Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:55:00 +0000

This year’s Missouri FCCLA has introduced a new program for up and coming leaders and members who have had leadership positions in the past. The program was adopted from the national level and has been brought to the state level. Missouri State President, Caleb Hearon says that the qualities that makeup a suitable leader to watch would be professionalism and knowing when to lead and knowing when to step down. He says, “Even if you are national president or state president, or even just a chapter president, sometimes it isn’t your time to shine. Sometimes it’s someone else’s time to shine…you have to know how to follow to be a good leader.”

Three high school members and three middle school members will be honored with the title of Leader to Watch. FCCLA members can vote on three students in which they would like to be selected. Hearon encourages members to apply for the program again next year and he says this is one of the additions that has made this year’s State Leadership Conference the best one yet. Winners will be recognized at the Closing Session on Tuesday.

Contributed by Alyssa Glasgow, Media Team Member

Getting Involved with Alumni and Associates

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 04:47:00 +0000

Everyone says high school doesn’t last forever, but with Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America, it can. Alumni and Associates is an organization that keeps you involved with FCCLA even after you graduate. Be a part of one of the best organizations around throughout college!

Alumni and Associates members run the FCCLA store you see at STATE conference and also the one at the Fall Leadership Conference. However, they are better known for fundraising and awarding scholarships to students furthering their education in Family and Consumer Sciences at the collegiate level. Former FCCLA members are always hard at work keeping the FCCLA spark lit around the great state of Missouri.
Getting involved with this dynamic organization is easy. Ask your advisor or check them out on Facebook for more information. There are dues to pay at the National level but none at the State level. Therefore, the broke college student excuse just won’t work for this one! Just remember, even though you are graduating doesn’t mean you have to stop daring to be different.

Contributed by Audrey Shuler, Former State Officer and Media Team Member

F-O-C-U-S

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Speaker Thomas Dismukes has spoken to many different FCCLA members. Here at the Missouri FCCLA State Leadership Conference Thomas says that he loves interacting with the Missouri FCCLA members. “They are high-quality, top notch students with great attitudes.” Dismukes said while he was preparing for his leadership session on Monday morning.

Thomas was the Opening General Session Keynote speaker for the 2012 State Leadership Conference. During the Keynote he told the members to use the word “Focus” as an acronym. F stands for putting “First Things First”. O stands for “Others”, where he meant to put others before yourself. C stands for character, communication, and consumption. The letter U stands for understanding and that you are never too old to learn or understand something new. The letter S stood for source, consider the source, smile, and self. Dismukes advice to all the FCCLA members is to “Hang on. Just hang on.” and to focus.

Contributed by Katie Danforth, Media Team Member

Welcome to the 2012 State Leadership Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:16:00 +0000

On Sunday more than 1800 hundred FCCLA members flooded Columbia, MO for the annual State Leadership Conference. Chapters checked in, picked up their t-shirts, name tags, and their STAR Events competition information. The 2011-2012 State Executive Council continued their long rehearsals, and the incoming Council members were meeting each other, attending workshops, and getting to know more about their new jobs.

This year keynote speaker, Thomas Dismukes, helped students develop a FOCUS on what makes them different. The theme for the conference, Dare 2B Different: Not Just Another Teen Conference is proving how FCCLA members are making a mark all over the state. Finally, at 7:00 PM, the doors opened to the Opening General Session. Members danced, yelled, and even sung a few songs. Caleb Hearon, the State President, opened the meeting and ensured that the rest of the Conference would be one to never forget.

Good luck to the STAR Events participants and the screening of 2012-2013 State Officers later today. Show Columbia how you Dare 2B Different!

Joplin Tornado Disaster Relief Fund

noreply@blogger.com (Debra Price) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:30:00 +0000

Helping people that are in need in our communities is a part of what FCCLA stands for. When an EF-4 tornado hit Joplin, MO on May 23, 2011 it was one of the deadliest tornadoes in over 60 years for Missouri. Almost everything was destroyed. After that day many different people from around the United States wanted to help out with the cleanup and to help rebuild. FCCLA is now a part of that.

Missouri FCCLA State President Caleb Hearon states that here at the State Leadership Conference you too can be a part of the Joplin Disaster Relief Fund. In the FCCLA Store you can purchase a Joplin t-shirt and 100% of the proceeds go toward the organization we are partnering with, Community Foundation of the Ozarks. Also another way you can contribute to the fund is by donating at the dance. At the dance the State Officers will be walking around with buckets, and you can drop your money in the bucket. So go ahead and buy a t-shirt to promote FCCLA and more importantly contribute to the Joplin Tornado Disaster Relief Fund. Together we all can make a difference in our communities.

Contributed by Katie Danforth, Media Team Member