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Texas FCCLA: Competitive Event Update
October 2018
Texas Competitive Event Guides and Chart
The Texas FCCLA Competitive Event Task Force met Monday to complete the changes made for the 2018-19 school year. Texas FCCLA will continue using the National FCCLA Competitive Event rules (found in the affiliation portal) with the exception of Culinary Arts and the Proficiency Events.

I would encourage all of you to print and carefully read pages 1-40 of the Texas Competitive Event Guide, as it applies to all competitors. This will give you all of the rules and guidelines specific for Texas events. We have also included an FAQ section, that will hopefully answer many of your questions.

The glossary in the back of the guide is a great resource. All italicized words in the National Competitive Event Guide can be found in the glossary. Please look up these terms to ensure you are meeting the rules. For example, a flipchart is defined as "a chart consisting of sheets hinged on one side that can be flipped over to present information sequentially", which means if a flip chart is not allowed in your event, a hinged book display is not allowed.

All changes from the previous year are in red text.

NEW! Proficiency Event: Toys That Teach
Texas FCCLA will be adding a new Proficiency Event this year under the Education and Training Pathway. Toys That Teach will be an individual OR team event. For more information, please review the event in the Texas Competitive Event Guidelines Manual.
All changes have been made in the Texas Competitive Event and Management Manual in red. Please review those documents for complete updates. We have highlighted some of the main ones below:

  • The deadline to register and pay for Competitive Events has been extended to December 3rd (this year), due to December 1st being on a Saturday.

  • Only the top 5 competitors from each region will advance to state.

  • The Online Project Summary form will now be located in the “Surveys” tab of the FCCLA Portal and not as a link on the FCCLA Website.

  • Students MUST remain at the check-in location until check-in time has closed and initial by their final event time.

  • In Culinary Arts, Texas competition will continue to focus on culinary skills/techniques and not be recipe-driven this year as the national rules reflect. Butane burners are required for region, and electric burners (limit 2) will be required for state.

  • Competitors may be added to an EXISTING team (if the rules allow) for a fee of $25 if registered after the deadline.

  • If awards are not picked up or rubric envelopes are not provided at the conference, the chapter will be charged shipping plus a $2.00 fee.

  • Mystery Basket Competition will now be a closed event at state.

  • Cupcake Battle was edited to include an oral presentation.

  • Applied Math for Culinary Management is now only offered in the Occupational category.

  • Students are required to check-in in their official dress or presentation apparel. Students not following dress code for their competitive event will not be allowed to check-in.

  • Students should be in official dress or their competitive event apparel at all times if in the conference area.
Rule that Sometimes Get Overlooked
  • If a student has represented Texas on the National Level, they are not allowed to enter that event CATEGORY the following year. (page 6)
  • Regional, state, and national officers and officer candidates are not eligible to participate in Texas regional or state competitive events. (page 6)
  • There are no refunds for competitive event payments. (page 6)
  • Registration AND payment must be postmarked and submitted to the Texas FCCLA Office (in Austin) BY December 3rd. Online payments can be made with a credit card.
  • Conference registration is NOT the same as competitive event check-in. At least one student per team is required to check-in their event room at the assigned time printed on their event schedule.
  • Event schedules will be posted end of December/early January. They will be update again to account for DROPPED entries the Friday prior to the conference. The schedules MAY be altered again the morning of competition, following check-in. All students will initial their assigned time, and the schedule will be posted outside the door. (page 8)
  • We will not move a team to a certain day or time after the event schedules have been posted online. (page 7)
  • The online project summary form is required for all STAR events except Culinary Arts. It is not required for Proficiency Events. The form can be found in the “Surveys” tab of the FCCLA Portal and not as a link It is not necessary to complete a new form between region and state competition.(page 10)
  • There will not be online orientations on the region or state level as the national rules reflect. The two points designated for this on the point summary forms will automatically be given to all participants at region and state competition.(page 10)
  • The three points designated for “Registration Packet” on the national point summary forms will be given to entries as long as they attend the mandatory check-in on time.
  • There will not be online competitive event testing for Texas region and state competition as the national rules reflect. (page 10)
  • If a student presents a project that does not fall within the guidelines, the student will only be judged on their oral presentation. (page 10)
  • Example: In Life Event Planning, planning a dream event OR a chapter, school or other organization event are not permitted (page 269 of the National Guide). Students who plan an event in one of those areas would only be judged on their oral presentation.
  • Example: In Job Interview, participants must apply for a job that matches their CURRENT skills, education level, and relates to their career interests/goals (page 254 of the National Guide). Students who prepare for a job that require a college degree would only be judged on their oral presentation.
Please make sure that you are aware of the number of teams that are eligible to compete. This will be based on your chapter membership that is submitted in the National Affiliation system as of November 1st. Members can still be added after November 1st, but it will not count towards the number of allotted competitive events.

Lead Consultant Sign Up
We have updated our Lead Consultant sign-up to be online. Please volunteer to sign up at your region, or at another region meeting!.

Over the years, we have less and less advisors signing up to serve. Without Lead Consultants, our events would not be possible!

Common questions...
Q: "Where will my students go?"
A: You can sign them up to serve as room consultants when not competing!

Q: "How will my students be able to contact me?"
A: You can have your cell phone in the event to correspond with your students, and they can also check-in with you outside of the competition room in between presentations.

Q: "I've never done it before and won't know what to do. What if I mess up?"
A: That's okay! We will train you and be available to help with any questions you might have.

Q: "I'm not sure my students can survive without me walking them to their room."
A: Yes, they will! You have prepared incredible students for this conference, and what better way for them to showcase their leader abilities by taking action! Many advisors continue to do this every year, and it has become the norm for their students.

Q: "Why would I spend a day serving as a lead consultant?"
A: You can check out a new event to see how it is ran, gain ideas for your chapter, and earn official CEU credit hours! But best of all, you're helping ensure that all of our students have an opportunity to present their projects and make sure that fair judging and great feedback is being provided.

Please sign up at the link below! If you know of an FCS teacher (present or retired) that would be interested in serving, please send them this link.


Evaluator Sign Up
Our events would be impossible without the help of evaluators to give of their time and review and score competitive entries. We are ALWAYS in need of evaluators and prefer to begin contacting them early to make sure they have availability on their calendar. Please share the link below with possible evaluators, or email their contact information to aeverett@texasfccla.org.


Region Realignment
The Region I, II, and III lines have been altered to help balance out region attendance. All schools that were affected by the change were emailed individually, and have the opportunity to compete in their new regions effective this year. This realignment will be in effect for all schools for the 2019-20 school year.

DON’T MISS OUT ON LIFESMARTS!
Another way your students can compete is through the online program Lifesmarts. Register at www.lifesmarts.org and have your students learn about consumer rights and responsibilities, environment, technology, health and safety and financial education. Maybe you will be lucky to have a team advance to state competition in March and get to represent Texas at national competition in April. We want you to give your students every opportunity you can. This is a great program that ties so many of the TEKS for FCS!