Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is a nonprofit national career and technical student organization for young men and women in Family and Consumer Sciences education in public and private school through grade 12. Everyone is part of a family, and FCCLA is the only national Career and Technical Student Organization with the family as its central focus. Since 1945, FCCLA members have been making a difference in their families, careers, and communities by addressing important personal, work, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education.

Today over 160,000 members in more than 5,400 chapters are active in a network of associations in 48 states, including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Chapter projects focus on a variety of youth concerns, including teen pregnancy, parenting, family relationships, substance abuse, peer pressure, environment, nutrition and fitness, teen violence, and career exploration. Involvement in FCCLA offers members the opportunity to expand their leadership potential and develop skills for life — planning, goal setting, problem solving, decision making, and interpersonal communication — necessary in the home and workplace.

FCCLA is…

Career and Technical Education

As a federally recognized Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO), FCCLA plays a role in developing youth through classroom integration of FCCLA national programs, competitive events, and service learning projects. FCCLA partners with Career and Technical Education (CTE) instructors in middle schools and high schools to maintain high standards of education and demonstrate student leadership related to the mission and purposes that guide the organization.

Family and Consumer Sciences Education

FCCLA is directly linked to Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) education through classroom instruction and chapter adviser involvement. FCCLA chapter advisers are licensed in FACS education or a related field. National programs are chosen to align with and instruct students in FACS education standards. Through classroom activities, competitive events, and service learning projects, chapter advisers and student member demonstrate the importance of FACS education, with FCCLA integrated seamlessly into the curriculum and life of the FACS classroom. By becoming in engaged in student-directed projects, FCCLA members address real situations that affect real people: their peers, families, and communities.

Student Leadership

Personal growth and leadership development are at the forefront of the FCCLA mission. By completing projects for service learning and participating in competitive events, students gain important leadership skills they take with them for life. Students who have opportunities to demonstrate leadership at every level of the organization. FCCLA chapters and state associations are led by officers who have demonstrated leadership skills in and out of the classroom. Ten student members are chosen to help lead the national organization. This team makes up the National Executive Council (NEC). All of these opportunities develop students as they prepare to move on to the next stage of life. FCCLA truly is The Ultimate Leadership Experience.

Service Learning

Service learning brings community service and classroom learning together. FCCLA facilitates efforts through chapter, state, and national activities. National programs highlight opportunities for chapters to build unique service learning projects for their own communities. These can include projects in nutrition, bullying, family relations, and endless other possibilities. The National Outreach Program is developed by national staff and the NEC to foster service learning opportunities related to the FCCLA mission by bringing together local projects focused on one area of need.

Competitive Events

FCCLA provides an opportunity to learn and lead while competing for chapter, state, and national recognition. Competitions range from individual to team opportunities and are focused on culinary arts, fashion and interior design, education careers, communication skills, financial planning, and other career and life skills. Competitions can include presentations, test-taking, and skill demonstrations that take place at national conferences and most state conferences.