It’s Time to Shine, with Arizona FCCLA!
Submitted by Kym Spitali
The Arizona FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) hosted their annual Fall Leadership Conference at the Phoenix Convention Center on November 03, 2011. It was a HUGE success with over 1300 Chapter Members, Officers and Advisors in attendance from more than 75 junior and senior high schools around the state. This year, FCCLA hosted its first annual career based trade show. Exhibits were displayed by industry workers who introduced students to the different jobs available for each content area, beyond the secondary level. Students were fascinated by seeing an ice carver in action, cake decorators, learning knife skills and many more.
Led by Ryan Underwood, owner and founder of Tri Leadership Resources, LLC, students were actively participating a training workshop, involving Leadership and Career Success. Students and teachers participated in workshops that introduced them to the competitive events available to them for Spring Conference, teaching them the process of how and what to do to get started. Industry workers ended our final workshops by introducing students to the careers in their content areas and the requirements and advantages. Students were actively engaged in the workshops and left better prepared to utilize their new skills to improve the leadership experiences available in their own FCCLA Chapters.
The theme for the conference was “It’s Time To Shine, with Arizona FCCLA!” FCCLA has been unknown due to the 1999 name change from Future Homemakers of America
(FHA) to Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). The State Officers felt this is the year FCCLA will “shine” and created the theme based on the upcoming events scheduled for FCCLA. Chapter members definitely shined as they became familiar with the organization and can now introduce it to their communities. Everyone left the conference pumped up and ready to make FCCLA an active part of their campus.
The interactive activities allowed students to recognize personal strengths while building relationships and developing leadership skills. Workshop sessions provided ways for participants to work creatively together to solve problems, manage challenges, improve communication skills, and build confidence. In addition, advisors received training by participating with their students in the different workshops; to better aware themselves of knowledge students will take home with them. The FCCLA Fall Leadership Conference was a great opportunity for students to get engaged and excited about FCCLA, meet individuals from all over the state, make new friends, develop skills and create memories that will last a life time.