COLD SPRING -- A new extra-curricular activity is available to ROCORI students, one that aims to make them great leaders in the future.

The Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) aims to make students into leaders in -- you guessed it -- their family, their career and communities. A good description of it is as a more technical and industry-focused version of the FFA.

Leanna Buettner and Bonnie White are FACS teachers in ROCORI and coordinators for the FCCLA program. Buettner says the program started in 1946 and started on an in-home focus until they pivoted in 1999.

"It was called Future Homemakers of America, and it was there to teach people how to create a home. In 1999 it was changed to FCCLA because we needed to have our focus be on helping people in their careers and communities too."

White says it's great for students since they get exposure to a lot of different aspects through the program.

"Students choose an area that they're interested in. Maybe it's working with children, maybe it's a service project for some area of need within the community."

FCCLA has programs for finances, career advancement, violence reduction and even traffic safety. Students can compete in competitions around these all the way to the national level.

The dues of the students in the program are funded through a grant.

White and Buettner say that each FCCLA chapter once built up, performs community service usually once a month. They say it's a great way for ROCORI students to grow, especially for students who aren't interested in sports.

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