Hey again Missouri FCCLA! We all know that affiliation is an important aspect of our beloved organization, so let’s talk about how to get affiliated, the deadlines and dues, and who can get affiliated.
First, who can even affiliate with FCCLA? The answer is anyone who is in middle school through grade 12 and is either taking a Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) class, or has taken a class previously. They are eligible for membership. Let’s not exclude teachers though. Any teachers certified to teach FCS classes can join by being an adviser for their school and chapter!
Now, on to how to get affiliated with FCCLA. If your school has never been associated with FCCLA before (um…what are you doing if you’re not affiliated with FCCLA? Like, come on!), your prospect adviser will need to contact Missouri’s State Adviser, Queen Ashley Witte, to verify that the school hasn’t had a previously affiliated chapter. Next, read through the New Chapter Checklist and New Adviser handbook to fully prepare you and your school for the awesomeness that is to come with FCCLA! Third, send a request for the New Adviser Kit from the National FCCLA at [email protected]. And boom! You now have a brand new chapter!!
Every chapter has to be affiliated each school year. You can do this online, which makes it so much more simple. The deadline to complete the affiliation process is November 1, 2024, and the deadline for the processed payment is December 1, exactly one month later. If you need help with the affiliation process, check out the step-by-step instructions and tutorial videos on the National FCCLA website, under Join > Chapter Affiliation.
But what if your school is struggling to rally up more members? Well, there are a couple of different ways that you could get the attention of your classmates. Your chapter could plan a bake sale, put up flyers, have more community outreach and service, or host social gatherings. One of the best ways to promote something though, I think, is having an active social media presence. Most teenagers these days have some form of social media, so by promoting FCCLA membership on Instagram, Facebook, or any of the other platforms, more people are guaranteed to see it and hopefully make an effort to join FCCLA!
Speaking of getting new members, Missouri’s affiliation numbers have grown significantly just in the past two years. In 2022, we had a total of 293 chapters and 7,563 members. Now, in 2024 we have a total of 317 chapters and 9,001 members! That’s just in Missouri alone. How awesome is that? Let’s try to hit 10,000 this year!
Another benefit to getting affiliated is the conferences you have the opportunity to go to. Fall Leadership Conference (FLC) is coming up just around the corner, so don’t forget to register and look into the events we’re offering at this year’s conference. For the first time ever, FLC will be featuring a variety of skills events, and we’ll be hosting a PJ-THEMED DANCE PARTY to benefit our state service project, the Missouri Network Against Child Abuse. One hundred percent of the $2 entry fees will go directly to the cause!
Hyping up events like this and the State Leadership Conference can also assist you in your effort to gain new members.
So, Missouri: keep affiliating, keep promoting, and keep representing FCCLA in all that you do! For all other information you may need, visit the Affiliation tab on the Missouri FCCLA website right here.
Your Vice President of Scholarships,
Audree Proffitt
