Family & Consumer Sciences Education Conference

Friday, September 25, 2026

University of Wisconsin-Stout - Memorial Student Center

Fueling the Flame: Wellness and Resilience for FCS Educators

Our focus for this year's event will be on supporting educators in preventing burnout and rediscovering the passion that brought them to teaching in the first place.

In today’s educational landscape, teachers face increasing pressures—rising workloads, emotional demands, and systemic challenges that can lead to exhaustion and disconnection. Our goal is to create space for honest dialogue, practical strategies, and renewed inspiration.

The UW-Stout Continuing Education and Conferences is happy to host the 2026 Family and Consumer Sciences Education Conference. This will be an in-person event.

During this conference, participants will be able to choose from multiple sessions on exciting new information in the field, as well as sessions presented by classroom practitioners with curriculum ideas to use in your classroom. We intend to provide the ability to explore exhibits with the latest educational resources and materials.

Special Invitation for High School students to visit UW-Stout:
Invite your high school students interested in careers in Family and Consumer Sciences Education to attend the conference and learn more about the field and educational opportunities here at Stout.

The presentation proposal application is open

Submit Presentation Proposal

We are excited to announce Emily Larson as our 2026 keynote!

Emily Larson, CFCS
Family and Consumer Sciences Educator | School District of Amery

Keynote title: The Trials and Smiles of FCS
Building a successful FCS program while juggling the demands of a classroom and life outside of school comes with its fair share of "trials." This session celebrates the grit it takes to reach our most challenging students and the shared "smiles" that remind us why we chose this rewarding career path. By highlighting favorite moments and success stories from teachers across Wisconsin, we will explore FCS teachers' unique niches, helping you discover where you thrive best.

Biography:
Emily Larson has thrived as a Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) instructor at the School District of Amery for 21 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science in FCS Education from UW-Stout and her Master’s in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Central Arkansas. In 2017, utilizing a school referendum and grants, Emily collaborated with architects to transform a 1970s classroom into a state-of-the-art FCS suite, featuring a textile fabrication lab and a commercial culinary facility.

As the founder of the FCS Leadership Academy, Emily integrates service learning, youth-centered leadership, and post-secondary preparation into her curriculum. Her students engage in diverse, hands-on projects, from roasting coffee beans and freeze-drying herbs to managing a school store and catering with a brick fire oven, all while earning industry credentials.

A few highlights of her career include creating lesson plans published by the National Pork Association and being named the 2018 Wisconsin VFW Teacher of the Year. She has been honored with the FCCLA Spirit of Advising and Master Adviser awards, recognized in Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and granted the National Presidential Service Award. Most recently, she was named the 2023 Wisconsin Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher of the Year and a 2024 AAFCS National Merit Finalist.