Missouri FCCLA Membership Kit
National and State “Be Part of It!” membership materials were mailed to all 2009-10 affiliated chapters in August 2010. To request a packet, contact the state office.
Courtney Kirby , Missouri's Vice President of Membership from South Shelby High School, is an excellent resource person for chapters interested in increasing membership. She received training at the 2009-2010 National Leadership Meeting in membership promotion and is available to speak to chapters, as her schedule permits. Courtney and her advisor, Dee Kirby, may be reached at South Shelby High School, (573)588-4163.
Chapter Start-Up Checklist
- Review files in the family and consumer sciences department to determine previous FCCLA activities (if any).
- Gather and review information about Family, Career and Community Leaders of America from regional, state and national sources. Contact the state advisor (Christine Hollingsworth) to make sure your school is on the mailing list to receive all Missouri FCCLA mailings. Utilize both the state and national web sites: www. fcclainc.org and dese.mo.gov/divcareered/fccla.htm Request to be put on the regional FCCLA mailing list. Contact the regional advisor yourself or make that request through the state office.
- If your school did not affiliate during the past year (affiliate means paying regional, state and national dues) then request a copy of the membership kit from the state office. This document will give you all the information you need to affiliate and get your chapter started.
- Meet with your school administrator(s) to review policies related to student organizations. Make sure they realize FCCLA is an intra-curricular part of the family and consumer sciences education program. For career education programs, it is a requirement to affiliate and also meets part of the Missouri School Improvement Program Standards.
- Obtain any additional resources you may need to prepare to introduce FCCLA to your students as a part of your curriculum. All students currently enrolled, as well as those who have taken a class before in family and consumer sciences, are eligible members. Determine your chapter structure. Utilize national resources such as the The Essential Guide and Toolkit and the Chapter Handbook to help you in this process.
- After your chapter is formed, send in your regional, state and national dues to the state address as listed on the affiliation form. The state office will then forward your national dues to the national office. Regional dues will be forwarded to the regional treasurer. Once national headquarters receives your first affiliation, your chapter will begin receiving Teen Times. You may affiliate as many times as you wish throughout the year, as additional students wish to become members. (Online affiliation is not available for Missouri chapters.)
- Work with your local officers to establish a chapter program of work and calendar for the year. You will want to schedule local meetings, service activities, and fun times. You will also want to include regional, state, and even national meetings and activities. Don’t forget to utilize those state and national programs as both classroom activities and chapter activities.
- Apply for recognition - yes, even as a first year chapter, or a first year advisor. There are many opportunities on the state and national levels. Some are associated with programs, other with membership. Take advantage of the opportunities for positive public relations!
- Smile! You are just beginning and you don’t have to “do it all.” You are adding to the educational experiences your students have by involving them in FCCLA. Don’t shortchange them - or yourself - by not taking advantage of the many programs and activities available. Don’t forget, you will also receive benefits by being involved. It can be one of the most rewarding things you do!
Do not hesitate to contact the state office, state or regional officers, or other advisors for assistance. We all want you and your chapter to be successful. Your participation makes Missouri FCCLA stronger!
National and State FCCLA Structure
All of the “parts” of FCCLA work together, none are more “important” than the other. Without membership, all the other FCCLA structures would not hold together. Without a national governing body, there is no organized, national structure linking all of the chapters together. So, this chart is not done to show more or less importance, but to show the “flow” of the FCCLA structure.
