Nikolay Middle School is a haven of learning for 278 students grades six through eight. In sixth grade students have FCS for nine weeks as part of a rotating wheel of exploratory classes. Sixth grade students have 45-minute classes. In both seventh and eighth grade FCS students spend a ninety-minute block of time in the FCS program for nine weeks. The school district affiliates with FCCLA under the middle school membership program that allows all FCS student dues to be covered under one group fee. This eliminates collecting dues each quarter from students who are in the program for nine-weeks and then move onto another class. Therefore, throughout this manuscript, FCS student and FCCLA member are referring to the same population.

Over the years middle level education literature, and the evolution of the early adolescent as a unique learner, has taken me on a professional journey. This pathway directed me to develop a program that is:
- Integrative
- Exploratory In Nature, and
- Challenging.
But how do you accomplish this with learners that have endless energy, peaking hormones, plus short attention spans?

Light up your classroom by exploring concepts using active learning strategies and a variety of assessment devices. An exploratory curriculum has three earmarks as identified by the National Middle School Association. First, it enables students to explore and assess their own interests, aptitudes, skills, talents, and styles. Second, units are taught so the learning extends beyond the four walls of the school into the community. Students encounter opportunities for making contributions to family and society. When these two components are in place the third earmark enables students to identify and get interested in life-long interests and activities. The goal is a well-rounded student with such interests as community service, the arts, and lifetime physical activities.

Students utilizing FCCLA peer education opportunities experience all three earmarks of an exploratory curriculum. FCCLA national programs (Student Body, Financial Fitness, Families First) are a great way for student members to capitalize on their understanding of concepts as they convey these ideas to others, including peers.

When using a camera, an array of specialized skills are needed. FCS programs need to focus on, and / or relate to, family perspectives with each unit taught. Calculating the shutter speed is crucial just as the timing of units represents the priorities of the program. Once a photo clip is recorded the editing begins – students equipped with their brainstorm lists of project ideas are then guided through shared decision making to discover which project will best fit the needs of their group of students. The FCCLA Planning Process provides a student-friendly means to plan and carry out FCS projects.

Action! There is never a dull moment in middle school! By providing students with learning options that get them out of their chairs, learning comes alive!! For example, NMS students have experienced: (a) hosting “A Night On Broadway” dinner theater in collaboration with the vocal music program, (b) participating at the FCCLA National Leadership Meeting in Philadelphia, and (c) talking with Wisconsin’s First Lady Jessica Doyle when she visited NMS to observe school programs that build partnership with community.

The grade 6 FCS class entitled “Life Skills” includes the following units: Family Ties, Eats and Treats, Child Care, It’s Sew Easy, plus Doing for Others. The grade 7 class is entitled “Changes and Choices” and students experience units, such as: Teen Issues, Eating Healthy, Communicating with Others, Incredible Edibles, and Take The Lead. “Success Quest” is the grade 8 program that is team taught with technology education. The focus is career investigation. Grade 8 units are: Tourism, Entrepreneurship, Employability Skills, Career Pathways, Self-Assessment, Getting A Job, and Manufacturing.

FCCLA is an integral part of the FCS program at NMS. The following chart illustrates national programs that are infused into the instructional units.

FCCLA Integration

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How Program Fits Into School Curriculum

At Nikolay Middle School the Grade 8 Success Quest Program filled a void in how we delivered the Wisconsin Developmental Guidance Model. Prior to implementation, there was not a systematic approach to pursuing career investigation with students.

In 2003 Success Quest FCS and Technology Education joined efforts to coordinate common concepts being taught. We were the first team teaching situation at our school, plus we initiated using a 90-minute block for classroom instruction. When working with students developing their job seeking skills we provided an electronic format for their resumes and entitled it their “Walking, Talking Resume”. One student competed at the national FCCLA level and earned a gold medal for their STAR Event.

The Success Quest Program also relies on partnership being built within the community. This enables students to view their learning environment beyond school. A well-developed FCCLA community service project fits perfectly with service learning. By providing choices among learning opportunities, ranging from those that challenge the most gifted students to those at-risk with their learning, the developmental diversity of middle level learners is met. Service learning grants have been completed, along with networking with the Make A Difference Day initiative.

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Motivation to Start Program

As a FCS teacher I became concerned over NMS students:
- Learning in segmented “boxes”, the teaching being discipline specific with lack of multi-disciplinary units and / or integration
- Selecting high school classes with limited thought towards the “bigger picture” of what do I want to accomplish in life.
- Experiencing overlap of concepts in Career and Technical Education classes.
- Spending a majority of their instructional day in “teacher driven” settings where their education was delivered to them versus a “student oriented” environment where options and choices thrive with youth centered leadership as an objective.
- Lack of experience regarding service to others and moving beyond the four walls of the classroom to learn in the community, society, and global perspective.

These concerns motivated me to think about changes infusing FCCLA programs throughout the curriculum. That context would expose all middle school students to experience FCCLA at grades six, seven, and eight. In the past students who pursued a STAR Event on an out-of-class basis received hours of one-on-one coaching. FCCLA needs to reach all middle school learners.

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Wisconsin FCS Education Standards

The National Standards for Family and Consumer Sciences Education in grades six through eight

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By completing the FCCLA Career Scan survey before and after learners completed the Success Quest Challenge we measured an increase in member’s career awareness of 33%, and participation in career exploration activities went up 62%. The 8th grade member’s experiences in career preparation rose 41%, and their understanding of career specialization increased by 13%. A special recognition has been started for members with an 85%, or better, proficiency rating in each program component. The program slogan is “Plug Into Success, Make The FCCLA Success Quest Connection Today!”

The Success Quest Challenge has alerted parents, staff, business, and community leaders that FCS prepares students for the multiple adult roles of family member, worker, consumer, and citizen. Students expand their learning by getting into the community, making business contacts, plus serving the public. It is fun, and yet they also learn a lot about themselves, and how to be successful. The teachers strive to help students improve their work standards. When job shadowing, adults often think students are from the high school. Business leaders are impressed that eighth grade students have their sights set on the future. Adult interviewers want to come back next year. They like improving the youth’s skills. The Cambridge News calls the school now to see what the Success Quest students are up to. And the former village president stated after interviews, “You must have given me the cream of the crop! What great kids with specific direction.” The grade 8 students operated a bakery simulation that produced apple pies for every adult volunteer. These adults were honored at a school assembly.

During the restaurant simulation, 95% of the student identified goals are met the second day of activity. Success was also evaluated using list of preset criteria, and these scores range between 85% and 95%. The most recent Employability Journals by members averaged 82% on cooperation, and 85% on initiative. Job Interviews have averages 89% of success. One student commented, “The benefits of operating a food service business were that it was fun, provided a good lesson in life, enjoyed the people that came to the restaurant, made a money profit, and made us work as a team. Together we accomplished what we were hoping for, SUCCESS”. Our program slogan is “Plug Into Success, Make The FCCLA Success Quest Connection Today!”

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Lesson Ideas
Teen Issues Brochure
Splittsville
Success Quest Worker Profile
Success Quest Script
Success Quest PowerPoint Presentation
Restaurant Assessment

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