“It’s More Than a Cookie”
Family and Consumer Sciences: Building Strong Families, Workforce, and Communities.
SANTA FE, NM 2026
The New Mexico Affiliate of the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences is celebrating Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) in New Mexico through a Certificate of Recognition at the Roundhouse sponsored by Senator Leo Jaramillo.
Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), formerly known as Home Economics, plays a vital role in preparing individuals and families to navigate the growing needs of society while strengthening communities and the workforce. FCS contributes more than “753 billion annually to the US economy and spans more than 350 occupations and 215 industries” (American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, 2025) FCS includes multiple content areas such as Culinary Arts, Hospitality, & Tourism; Personal and Family Finance; Food Science & Nutrition; Health Management & Wellness; Textiles, Apparel, & Retailing; Housing & Interior Design, Education & Training; Human/Child Development & Family Relations.
To further celebrate and highlight FCS programs in New Mexico, Pojoaque Middle School Lorenzo Martinez, Elk Forge 3-D Printing Club made food safe 3-D Cookie Cutters and Laura Smith’s Culinary Arts Program at Pojoaque Valley High School made the New Mexico State cookie, Biscochitos. The biscochitos were made with flour donated from Valencia Flour Mill. Laura Smith, Pojoaque’s FCS teacher stated, “Family and Consumer Sciences is one of the most important subject’s students can take in school; we learn to combine the science of life with the art of living well.”
Family and Consumer Sciences prepares individuals to become competent, caring and confident members of society, promoting critical and creative thinking while connecting academic disciplines like STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to real life applications and includes the math and scientific basis behind skills such as the physics of fabrics, the chemical interactions in baking, calculating recipes, nutrients and calories, geometry for pattern design, microbiology and food safety analysis and formulas.
For students who want to further pursue a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences, Jamie L. Molina, Ph.D., Family and Consumer Science Education Assistant Professor at New Mexico State University explains how the FCS programs at New Mexico State University offer a pathway to FCS careers "Family and Consumer Sciences is a unique field that integrates social, economic, and environmental factors to improve the quality of life for New Mexican families. At New Mexico State University, we translate this discipline into a clear professional trajectory. By providing a direct career pathway from our classrooms to the workforce, we are empowering a new generation of experts in nutrition, human development, fashion merchandising and design, food science, and family and consumer sciences education to solve the real-world challenges facing our state today."
Dr. Dianne Kemp, NMAAFCS, President further highlights the importance of FCS in our communities “As families face economic pressures, health challenges, and evolving workforce demands, FCS provides the tools that promote critical thinking and responsible decision-making. FCS equips individuals with knowledge and practical skills to succeed at home, work, and the community.”
Family and Consumer Sciences is more than a cookie or subject area -it touches every stage of life and it’s a framework for lifelong learning and success.
For more information about Family and Consumer Science programs visit fcs.nmsu.edu