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When I joined FCCLA I had no intention of becoming a State Officer. I never even thought I would be an officer for my chapter! But after being on my chapter’s executive council and learning so much more about FCCLA, I knew I wanted to be on the State Executive Council.
It was a scary thought! What would I have to do as an officer? How much time does it take? How do I even apply!? I was scared out of my mind about it, but my adviser pushed me to write up my application. It was the best choice I could have made.
So what do you have to do to apply to be a State Officer? There is an application on our Michigan F CCLA website, www.mifccla.org, which has all the paperwork you need to fill out. You’ll need a recommendation from both your chapter adviser and one of your school administrators (a principal or vice principal). Also, you have to complete one module of the Power of One National Program. The Power of One Award is a nationally recognized award and is the highest award possible in FCCLA. I recommend doing all five modules if you can. It’s a great experience that helps prepare you for being a State Officer.
But is it all worth it? All that paperwork can seem intimidating. I’m here to say: it TOTALLY is. Being a State Officer is an amazing experience. You learn to become a better leader, you help make decisions that affect Michigan FCCLA, you can be a voting delegate at the National Leadership Meeting for the new National Executive Council Officers, you get to attend awesome trainings that take you to Washington D.C., you set up the Fall Leadership Workshops and State Leadership Meeting, and so much more. Most importantly, you make great friends that you’ll have for life in the Council. I have gotten to know some of the coolest people on the Council that I would have never gotten to know if it weren’t for me becoming a State Officer.
Also, you get to learn about and work with multiple other Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO’s) like FCCLA. You go to weekend training camp in May with the organizations to undergo some pretty amazing leadership training, learn great ideas and come up with even more. You get to work with DECA, Business Professionals of America, SkillsUSA, and HOSA. Having these CTSO groups with you as you first enter into FCCLA as State Officers puts you on the spot to know your FCCLA info, but it also lets you learn where FCCLA stands compared to other groups. We are the only CTSO with family as its center, which is very important to other CTSO groups and the state of Michigan.
Okay, so I’ve thrown all of these things we State Officers do at you, but doesn’t it seem like it takes a lot of time? The truth is, it does take more time than your officer position in your chapter, but it doesn’t consume your life. It takes discipline. You can’t procrastinate all the time, something I had trouble with at the beginning of my term, but I’m doing better at. You do have to miss some school, which some people can’t do, but the question I have for you is this: do you want to miss a few days of school for FCCLA and have to make up the work, or do you want regret not running? It takes time out of your life, but when you run for Michigan’s State Executive Council you’re taking on responsibility.
Coming back from the serious stuff, I’m sure you’re wondering what doors open for you if you’re a State Officer. You’re thinking you get to work with other CTSO State Officers, you get to go to great training sessions, and you make great friends, but is that the end?? NO! After a year of being a State Officer for Michigan, you can run for a National Officer position! Yes, I did just say that. You could be a National Executive Council Officer. Extend your FCCLA experience!
Make FCCLA your Ultimate Leadership Experience and run for a State Office. Open doors to more leadership experiences and grow as a leader. Travel all over Michigan, run the State Leadership Meeting, have voting power at the National Leadership Meeting, and gain experience in running the best organization in Michigan
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Running For State Office