Join us on March 7th at the State Capitol
Attendees can expect:
The MN FCCLA Capitol Day Experience
- Learn about how to communicate with your representatives
- Get an inside view on local government and career paths in public service
- Learn about your role in the political process
Schedule:
10:00am – Welcome from our State Officers and Preview of upcoming FCCLA Events
10:15am – Representative Ethan Cha on Leadership and Government
10:30am – Legislative Assistant on Legislative Process
10:40am – FCCLA and FCS Advocacy
11:00am – Tour of the Capitol
12:00pm – Lunch / Meetings with Legislators / Stations for crafting a leave behind message to your rep
Other Details:
- Program in the L’Etoile du Nord Vault (the basement of the capitol – large room in the center), with lunch, tours, and meetings (setup by members or their chapter) to follow.
- Supplies for leaving a hand crafted message with your rep amiable in the Rathskeller cafeteria (just down the hall from the L’Etoile du Nord Vault) after the tour.
- Click here for a map of available parking. options.
Member’s wanting to visit with their representatives will need to make those arrangements on their own.
- Find out who represents you
- Email (most effective) or call them to see if they are available to meet on March 7. Be sure to include your name, postal address and phone number. They will want to know that you’re a constituent. If others from your group are also represented, mention that, and how many, as well. If others want to send an email to, make sure you make it clear that you’re with the same group and can stop by at the same time.
- Attend the FCCLA Capitol Day session for some handouts on MN FCCLA and tips on speaking with your representative.
- Give yourself plenty of time to find their office and get there a little ahead of time. House members have permanent offices in the State Office Building, and Senate members have their offices in the Minnesota Senate Building.
- Be sure to send a follow up thank you letter.
The objectives are:
- To increase a member’s awareness of state government and the political process
- To see first-hand the elected officials’ work
- To develop an awareness of current issues, especially those relating to families
- To explore career options in public service
- To educate local chapters, schools, and communities about the impact of the shadowing experience
This FCCLA program relates to FCCLA STAR Events as Advocacy, Career Investigation, Chapter in Review, Leadership, Promote and Publicize FCCLA, or any number of Illustrated Talks such as Global Call to Action with issues affecting our world.
“Capitol Day was both a really fun and educational experience. The Capitol was outstanding and it was interesting to know about certain architecture and paintings. Along with that meeting, some of our state representatives and senate was a very special experience. We got to learn about the paths they took, the decisions they made, and we got to talk about our own school experience as well. This trip was really fun and connecting with other FCCLA members as well made it amazing.” -Kaylene Patschke
National FCCLA Programs related to this opportunity would be:
- Career Connections: “Access Skills for Career Success” or “Integrate Work and Life”
- FACTS: Advocating for safer driving laws, better education for teen drivers, and “Speaking Up” to the empowerment of teens to speak up for their safety
- Families First: watching careers of public service as they “Balance Family and Career”
- Power of One: “Speak Out for FCCLA” and FCCLA public relations
