Caney, Oklahoma was selected to receive the 2025 National Runner Up Financial Fitness Award from Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).
Financial Fitness is a peer education program, created by FCCLA, designed to help youth develop skills in money management, consumerism, and financial planning. The award recognizes chapters that promote making, saving, and spending money wisely.
As the national the Caney FCCLA chapter will receive a $500.00 award and will be recognized at the 2025 FCCLA National Leadership Conference, July 5 – July 9, 2025.
The Caney FCCLA project for Financial Fitness was titled 'Thrift and Thrive: Curating Style Without Breaking the Bank' This project Recognized that many students balance part-time jobs to cover essential expenses like transportation, food, and bills, we've observed that limited disposable income often restricts their ability to purchase fashionable clothing.
To address this, we've initiated a program to inspire and educate our student body on how to access and style affordable fashion.
Our project aimed to empower students to embrace fashion on a limited budget by focusing on the following goals and objectives: 1. Educate on Sustainable Fashion Practices: Introduce students to the benefits of sustainable fashion, including thrifting, upcycling, and mindful purchasing, to promote eco-friendly choices and reduce reliance on fast fashion.
2. Enhance Financial Literacy: Provide guidance on budgeting for clothing, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing quality over quantity and making informed purchasing decisions.
3. Foster Creativity and Personal Style: Encourage students to develop their unique fashion sense by exploring and repurposing existing wardrobe items, thereby boosting confidence and selfexpression.
4. Promote Community Engagement: Organize clothing swaps, DIY workshops, and collaborative events to build a supportive community focused on shared fashion interests and sustainable practices.
5. Highlight Ethical Consumption: Raise awareness about the impact of fast fashion on the environment and labor practices, guiding students toward more ethical clothing choices. By achieving these objectives, we aim to cultivate a school culture that values sustainable fashion, financial responsibility, and individual creativity, all within the constraints of a limited budget. This project was a lot of fun and we were excited to win this national award.
