Orlando, Florida-November 17-20, 2016– The RULH Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) chapter and nearly two thousand youth members and adult advisers recently gathered in Orlando, Florida, November [17th-20th , 2016 for the annual National Cluster Meeting. This meeting provided FCCLA members with opportunities to compete in career-applicable skill demonstration competitions ranging from interviewing skills and impromptu speaking to technology used in teaching. Youth teams also participated in events that challenged their knowledge in personal finance, consumer responsibilities, technology, health & safety, and more. By attending NCM, RULH students were given opportunities to demonstrate skills they’ve learned through FCCLA, while also exposing them to a new city, cultures, and situations that they may encounter in their colleges and careers.
“Students nationwide are graduating from high school feeling unprepared for college and careers,” says Sandy Spavone, FCCLA’s Executive Director. “FCCLA aims to address that issue by providing students with leadership training that teaches the soft skills many students are missing - skills that aid their transition into a successful future.”
Colleges and universities around the country are noting the successful impact of FCCLA’s youth leadership training. Johnson & Wales University Denver Campus President, Richard Wiscott, Ph.D. stated, “We find that FCCLA students are very well prepared for the college experience. Because of their involvement with FCCLA and the skills they’ve gained, FCCLA students exhibit good presentation and critical thinking skills in the classroom and tend to be more engaged in the community at large. FCCLA students are also career-oriented—a good match for success at Johnson & Wales University.”
The meeting’s “Unlimited Possibilities” theme drove home the wide range of opportunities available to youth through FCCLA. In addition to competitive events and career exploration, RULH students also networked throughout the meeting with other youth leaders from around the nation, and attended workshops to develop their leadership skills.
About FCCLA
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), is a dynamic and effective national 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. FCCLA has more than 160,000 members and more than 5,500 chapters from 48 state associations, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.