FBLA Winter Newsletter

8/8/2019 FBLA Winter Newsletter

1/23

eatures In This Issue:

g. 3 Akron FBLA

g. 8 Steps to Becoming a State

fficer

g. 12 - 24 State Officer Candidacy

rticles


2/23

Elizabeth High School FBLA

Business Start-Up

By Courtney Roberts

The Elizabeth FBLA Chapter started anew fundraising venture in 2010. The

chapter decided to take over the responsibility of our school athletic calendar advertisingfundraiser. This calendar is designed to serve as an advertising tool that local businesses canuse to market their products and services to a well defined market. Prior to this season, a pri-vate company in California was hired to do this. We proved that our product could be betterthan what the professionals produced. After several meetings with our school administra-

tors, we won the exclusive contract. Our FBLA members felt that this was an effective op-portunity to involve our local community in supporting our school, and in the process makemoney that would support our chapter and the Cardinal Club, which is a fund that supportsall clubs and athletics at Elizabeth High School. Even with a split in profits, we predict thatour chapter will earn a significant amount of money this year.

The Elizabeth High School Athletic Calendar project was divided up into three differentparts which were composed of a Marketing team, Technology team, and Finance depart-ment. These different areas allow many members of our chapter to utilize their particularskills in a very work like environment, while gaining a very real world experience of how abusiness would actually work. The Marketing team went out and sold advertisements tobusinesses around our community for the calendar. The Technology team designed and cre-ated the calendar which involved a lot of computer oriented work, primarily involving ad-vanced Photoshop techniques. The finance team dealt with pricing and kept financial recordsof our profits.

The purpose of the Elizabeth High School Athletic calendar is to show a schedule of all ofElizabeth High Schools athletic events for the given season, while effectively advertisingbusinesses throughout our community. There are three different calendars per school year;

one for fall, winter, and spring. Advertisements are sold for each season and the proceedssupport various activities that FBLA participates in throughout the year. We distribute 800poster-sized calendars per season, to students, families, and local businesses. FBLA mem-bers are responsible for delivery. In addition, we produce an 81/2 X 11 version for studentlocker use and a fold-out version that fits conveniently in a wallet.

Elizabeth High Schools Athletic Calendar is clearly an effective way for our community tosupport our school and for our FBLA chapter to run a reliable business.

Chapter Articles


3/23

AKRON FBLA TRICK OR

TREAT ON MAIN STREET

& FALL ACTIVITIES

By Katie Holtorf

As always, Trick or Treat on MainStreet was a huge success. This annualFBLA community service project pro-vides a safe, fun afternoon of trick-or-treating at the local businesses on

Main Street. Over 100 kids attended the event this year dressed up in their Halloween cos-

tumes. FBLA members passed out candy bags with safety tips and escorted groups frombusiness to business. FBLA also sponsored a Halloween coloring contest at the elementaryschool with the winners receiving $5.00 gift certificates to Duckwalls. Congratulations toour coloring contest winners!!

Akron FBLA has also raised a total of $413.87 for the March of Dimes Foundation thusfar. This has been done through the Baby Booth at the National Radial Engine Expo, andthe Arrest a Teacher event held in conjunction with Homecoming week. We have had anumber of other activities this year as well. The month of September was our FBLA re-

cruitment party and our first fundraiser, selling lanyards to all of the students in our highschool. Our chapter numbers have increased exponentially from 34 to 51! Our officers at-tended the yearly Fall Leadership Conference at NJC and had a great time at the work-shops. We are currently gearing up for our March of Dimes cake raffle, Christmas partywith extreme dodge ball, district competition, and our participation in the local clothing

Big Sandy Santa ClausBy Big Sandy FBLA Reporter

The Big Sandy High School FBLA chapter started planning and preparing for ourcommunity service project in our meeting on November 5th. Our FBLA chapter packagedgift bags for the Elementary students in our school. The bags contained gloves, pencils,erasers, toy cars for the boys, and headbands for the girls. We are looking forward to seeingall of the smiling faces of the children when they talk with Santa Claus, get a candy caneand receive our bags. We also invite the community to come and take their pictures withSanta and the children of the community love it.


4/23

Mountain Valley Trick-or-Treat For Can Goods

By Kameo Yarrow Mountain Valley Chapter Reporter

This year, as a community service project, our Chapter

wanted to do something that was thoughtful for the holi-

days. We "Trick-or-treated for canned foods on Hallow-

een night and collected nonperishable items to be given

away to needy families at Thanksgiving. Everyone that we visited on Halloween was kind

and gave what they could to help with the activity. In the process we collected enough

canned goods for three families. We even had a member of the community donate twenty

dollars which was used to buy rolls, stuffing and pies. It did not stop here, however, one of

our members called a local potato farmer (Mountain Valley Produce) and asked them to

donate three bags of potatoes and Safeway provided Turkeys. With three gift boxes to give

we sent our Historian, Vice President and another member to deliver the boxes to the fami-

lies in need. All three of the families were very appreciative, and thanked our members for

the gifts. We achieved our goal of helping our community while also encouraging them to

participate in giving for the holidays.

Sterling High SchoolBy Sterling FBLA Reporter

Sterling FBLA members are starting offthe year with great enthusiasm and dedica-tion. With a new adviser and team of hardworking officers, Sterling FBLA is lookingforward to a successful year. The chaptermembers have been showing their dedica-

tion by attending the chapter meetings and work nights, and volunteering to help with thecommunity service project. For the community service project a group of members wentdoor-to-door Trick or Treating for canned goods. All the cans were then donated to the lo-cal food bank, as they are every year.

With the creative new ideas and help of our new adviser, Sterling FBLA is off to a greatstart. We hope to meet our goals as individuals and as a chapter throughout the year.


5/23

Smoky Hill High School FBLA chapter is110 strong this year. Our mission is to getas many of those members involved in so-cial activities, community service, leader-ship development, and competition.

Some of the chapter highlights from thisfall include:

Homecoming BBQ/Tailgate Party

During homecoming week, Smoky Hill

FBLA hosted the first annual tailgate party.Smoky Hill FBLA raised money for theschools Invisible Children campaignthrough the sales of the event. The tailgateparty was a huge success. The parking lotwas packed with students, teachers, par-ents, and Smoky Hill supporters. Everyonegot excited for the game during the tailgateparty, socializing about homecoming andgetting their faces painted for the game.

Smoky Hill FBLA sold several hundredhot dogs and hamburgers during the tail-gate to raise money for Invisible Children.Extreme Fest

At Smoky Hills annual Extreme Fest Car-nival FBLA held their traditional Fish-

Pong booth. Extreme Fest is held duringhomecoming week for all the clubs to par-ticipate and raise money for Project Mercy.The FBLA Fish Pong booth was a major hitat Extreme Fest. Children and adults threwping pong balls into cups to try and win agold fish. The club was able to raise morethan $300 for Project Mercy

Junior Achievement Stock Market Chal-

lenge

Smoky Hill FBLA sent 16 competitors toDenver University on Nov. 18th to competein the Stock Market Challenge. Theyformed 4 teams and competed against 46other teams from across the metro area.Students had $500,000 to invest through asimulated 60 day stock exchange. Studentsused a trader with a PDA to sell and tradetheir stocks in a real time simulation.Smoky Hill had both the 1st and 2nd Placeteams in the morning competition, takinghome two BULL trophies and $300 in BestBuy gift cards.

Smoky Hill FBLA has had a busy fall andwe are planning a bigger spring to come.

Smoky Hill FBLABy Smoky Hill FBLA Reporter


6/23

State Officer Articles

2010 National Fall Leadership

Conference,

New Orleans, Louisiana

By Jerrod MontoyaColorado FBLA State Treasurer

Warm weather and clear, sunny skies wel-comed nearly thirty Colorado FBLAmembers, representing six different localchapters, into the city of New Orleans,

Louisiana for the 2010 National FallLeadership Conference. The conference which took place on November 12th and 13th waskicked off Friday night by a moving, personal keynote from Alton Jamison. Jamison gave anaccount of his experiences growing up, comparing his attitude to mental handcuffs. The constant message that came from his talk was for us all to break away from our own handcuffsas young adults, students, and student leaders. He also challenged those in attendance to takethe pledge of I wont! to solidify the promise that they wouldnt let themselves fall intomental handcuffs along with other bad habits. Jamison concluded his presentation by en-couraging students to not let their past define their future and to always strive for the best.

The conference continued on Saturday with workshops beginning early in the morning andrunning up until the evening hours. Six different workshop sessions allowed students to finetune their leadership skills by attending presentations of a wide variety of topics. Workshopsranged from networking to officership and even from igniting your dreams to magic. Afterthe workshops all wrapped up speaker Shannon Pickard helped to draw the conferencecloser to its end at the closing session. A complete turnaround from Friday nights presenta-tion, Pickard used his humor to entertain the crowd while teaching valuable leadership les-sons along the way. He demonstrated how breaking out of your comfort zone was essentialto being a good leader and strongly stressed its importance. Once the crowds laughter had

subsided from Pickards presentation, the closing session concluded with the showing of the2011 National Leadership Conference promotional video to get members hyped and excitedfor this years competitions.

As always, the NFLC would not have been completed without the annual Blue Jeans for Ba-bies social. The dance whose proceeds went to benefit the March of Dimes saw at least half,if not more, of the conferences attendees at the event. The fun-filled social was the perfectending to another outstanding conference!


7/23

Steps To Becoming a State OfficerBy Erik WislinskyState President

"That's what I want to do! I want to be a State Officer!" These were the words I thought tomyself years ago at my first District Leadership Conference. I remember every detail of thatmoment, watching the Vice Presidents from my surrounding districts give their speeches andmotivate the crowd. As soon as the conference was over, I talked to my adviser about run-ning to be a State Officer.

Running for State Office is a simple process, even though it may be time consuming. By following these steps, you will be prepared and qualified to run as a State Officer Candidate.

The prerequisites for candidacy are: the candidate must be a current sophomore or junior in

high school, have at least a 2.5GPA, be approved by the local chapter adviser, and have heldan office in their chapter or district. So if you've been an involved FBLA member, good stu-dent, and have an excellent work ethic, you're qualified to run for State Office!

The first thing you will need to do is write an article relating to FBLA or business education(not chapter related) and submit it to the State Reporter (Michael Gabriel - [email protected]) to be published in the Colorado FBLA Today newsletter. The dead-line for all articles is March 1, 2011.

Next, complete and submit the State Officer Candidate Application. This is to be sent toDeborah Ramirez, our State Adviser no later than March 7, 2011 (State Conference Registration Deadline). The application should include your resume, three specific letters of recom-mendation, signed forms from the State Officer Guide, your high school transcript, and fly-ers outlining your qualities and qualifications for a position on the State Officer Team. TheState Officer Guide, which includes details on all of this, may be found on the ColoradoFBLA website under the "State Officers" tab.

The selection process is held at the State Conference, in Vail, on April 17-19. At the SLC,you will be sequestered with the other candidates. During this time, you will deliver a per-

sonally prepared speech to the selection committee, attend an interview with the selectioncommittee, take the FBLA knowledge test, and complete group activities with the otherstate officer candidates. Your spare time will be spent getting to know the other candidatesand playing team-building games. Make sure to show the selection committee that you areunique. They will probably have over 20 candidates to choose from, it is imperative that yostand out from the crowd in a professional way.Continued on Pg. 8


8/23

Steps To Becoming a State Officer

Continued...

And finally, bring your positive attitude! The selection room is going to be full of fun andactivities, you'll need a lot of energy and a smile on your face! And even if you dont get aposition, I promise you will be happy with the experience. The interview, speech and mate-rial preparation will surely prepare you for future jobs.

And if I may add one more important tip, be sure to read the "State Officer Guide" for-wards and backwards. Dont skip any parts! The guide will be your #1 resource for yourcampaign.

If you have any questions at all, dont hesitate to contact me or any of the other State Offi-cers. We would be glad to help!

[email protected]

FBLAs Got TallentBy Hali FurleyColorado FBLA State Vice PresidentDistrict 1

Everyone has heard of Americas Got Talent, American Idol, Americas Best Dance Crewand Dancing with the Stars; but this year Colorado Future Business Leaders of America havdecided to see whose Got the Talent! During the State Leadership Conference held in Vailwe will be hosting the very first annual, FBLAs Got Talent!

In order to qualify to compete at State Conference, you must send in a tape of your act toColorado FBLA by January 21, 2011. All acts then will be judged, and the top ten will per-form at the conference. There will be a $2.00 fee for admission to watch and all proceeds

will be given to the March of Dimes and the Dave Sanders Fund. You must qualify in anevent, come as an observer, or as a voting delegate to participate in the competition.

I encourage everyone to take a shot at becoming the very first FBLAs Got Talent winner!Best of luck to all competitors and thanks for all of the support to the March of Dimes andthe Dave Sanders Fund!


9/23

A New Epidemic

By Jenna MonheiserColorado FBLA State Vice PresidentDistrict 4

Take caution! A new epidemic is aboutOver the past few years the usage of cell phones have skyrocketed, in fact, 57% of teensview their cell phone as the key to their social life. Your parents are disconnecting the homephone and referring to cell usage only. When your cell phone isnt in your pocket, you knowyou are missing something. You are so dependent on your cell phone that you use it for eve-ryday tasks. You know your phone like the back of our hand and use the maps, search theinternet, check your e-mail, and even stay connected through Facebook on it! Then again,you use them in case of emergency, and can stay updated and know where to be and when,

they make our every day asks easier! But remember, there ia time and a place to use them.

FBLA Chapters across the United States are taking giantsteps toward communicating with its membersone newform, TEXING! Members have the option of giving their

cell numbers to the adviser or a chapter president, meeting or event reminders are then sentin a mass text message. Students are able to stay connected with others in a quick and effi-cient manner. At conferences, messages are sent to chapter members to stay informed of theevents and sessions being held throughout.

Remember though, just because cell phone usage is the new outbreak, you dont haveto show all deadly symptoms. As future business leaders keep your etiquette in mind whenusing this device. Here are the impolite places and times to use your cell phones whetheryou realize it or not:

When a waiter or waitress is taking your order at a restaurant When in assemblies, workshops, or listening to speakers When in the elevator or bathroom Private conversations should not take place in public areas where you can be heard,

(keep conversations short and call them back later)

Try to maintain ten feet from the nearest person when talking on your cell phone Dont answer a phone when in the midst of a conversation,

call them back later.

Use common sense about when and where to use your cell phone,even if you are just texting.

The cell phone epidemic is out, dont let these bad symptoms get to you!


10/23

State Officer Candidacy

ArticlesPlatte Valley High School First Annual Bronco Invitational

By Ariana Olson

On Saturday November 20, 2010 the Platte Valley FBLA chapter hosted their first everBronco Invitational. It was designed to be a practice of Districts in order to help membersbetter prepare themselves so that they may qualify for State. The Bronco Invitational offered13 live events and 4 skill events to compete in. The cost of $10 included members registra-tion and a lunch consisting of a potato bar and chili.

The keynote speakers were Kay Stroh, a teacher at Platte Valley for the past 22 years, who

shared her personal story with members and inspired them to find the positive in all situa-tions that they encounter in life, and Officer Brinkworth, a Police Officer from Castle Rockwho emphasized the dangers of drinking and driving, texting and driving, and drug use.Having keynote speakers helped bring a District-like feel to the Invitational as well as motivating members to work hard in FBLA.

Overall the invitational was thought to be an awesome and new experience of leadership; itwas a fantastic, affordable opportunity to take advantage of in order to be more successful inthe upcoming competitive conferences. The Platte Valley FBLA Chapter is hoping to makethe Bronco Invitational an annual event and it is making it open to all FBLA chapters who

would like to have members participate. This is just another way FBLA members areBreaking Barriers and Moving Mountains.

Josh Garcia and Brett Reschke of MonteVista High School were awarded honor-able mention for E-business from theNational Leadership Conference inNashville. An error was made at the na-

tional level, and they were not includedin the finals. Nationals apologized andawarded Brett and Josh an honorablemention.


11/23

Corporate Connection within CommunitiesBy Ashley Clevenger

What inspires you? This question is posed in a new television commercial produced by,John Paul DeJoria, the founder of Paul Mitchell. The advertisement runs for about a minuteand features employees of Paul Mitchell product lines advocating for their favorite causes.The commercial comes to an end with DeJoria stating that giving back to those around themis a pillar of the companys foundation. Macys department store holds an annual nation-wide charity event, Shop for a Cause, where they offer a 20% discount card, usable for theentire day, if the customer donates $5 or more. The stores then use these donations fromtheir customers to make generous contributions to a multitude of non-profit organizations.Paul Mitchell & Macys are only a few companies who believe volunteerism to be an es-sence of their companies mission.

Companies taking civic responsibility and encouraging employees and customers to do thesame, stress the importance of service to others and their communities. These companies sethe bar in the business world. In times like these, giving service is vital. Some businessesrecognize this need and take action, plunging in head first, their employees right besidethem, ready to make a change. Others, sadly, are more reluctant to give their time andmoney to those in need. Shouldnt all companies step up to the plate and show the worldaround them that there is more to their operations than to rake in millions of dollars eachyear?

Many companies in the Arkansas Valley are joining this influential movement to help thosein the communities in which they set up their operations. Swink FBLA and other surround-ing FBLA chapters are proud to have such caring businesses in our area. One example of abusiness that has fulfilled its duty to help fellow citizens quite well is Southeast MentalHealth Service. The business and its employees, along with multiple other volunteers,worked together to put on this years StressBall Tournament at Otero Junior College. Thisannual tournament is held to raise money for a worthy cause. This year the money was do-nated to raise breast cancer awareness, a common occurrence in the women in our smallcommunity. The turn out was much higher than expected, meaning that a significant amount

of money was raised for this commendable, prevalent issue. It is businesses like these thatare an inspiration for others in our area to become more involved and show their local cus-tomers that they really do care.

Continued Pg. 12


12/23

Corporate Connection within CommunitiesAshley Clevenger: Continued

Another thing that we must consider, as members of the Future Business Leaders of Amer-

ica, is how we can encourage the businesses, which are somewhat shy when it comes to vol-unteerism, to strive to become active in their communities. We are leaders; a great quality oa leader is to spread your ideas to others without forcing those ideas upon them. We mustchallenge ourselves to make it our goal to convince at least one local business to considerthe benefits of becoming involved in its communities. Movements spread; one act of shar-ing your ideals can easily transfer onto 20 different people. This same idea comes into playwhen trying to make a change in our communities by involving an influential group of peo-ple, the businesses that employ a large chunk of our fellow citizens. We could be the changewe want to see in our communities, cities, and towns. We could work to increase the numberof members of the business world who are dedicated to their civic responsibility: to help

those who keep their revenue thriving.

Leaders, We Are the FutureBy Jaclyn Nienhuser

Don Galer once said, Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do. I be-lieve this quote means that both what we say and do is important, but it is most important tofollow through with what we say we will do, committing ourselves to strong values and eth-ics and being a reliable person for those that are holding us to our word. As an FBLA mem-

ber I shall strive to be honest and commit to those values of character that this organizationendeavors to uphold, as future leaders of this unique country. Above all, Americans want aleader with integrity. Having integrity means possessing honor, virtue, allegiance, and re-spect. The three most important ideas regarding integrity are known as the three Rs: respectfor self, respect for others, and responsibility for your actions, especially those actions thatare performed in the work place. As leaders, we must act with integrity at all times. Thestrength of ones character rests upon qualities such as personal courage and the endurancerequired to stand up against those persons and ideas that are unjust, unethical, or dishonest.As a member of my home, school, community, church and organizations, I have to be will-

ing to risk aspects in my own life, be willing to compromise with others, and to stand up forthose people that I am leading. To be a leader and to earn leadership, one must maintain thehighest level of character and integrity both on and off duty because you are modeling for agroup. As Future Business Leaders of America, we shall strive to model and uphold positivecharacter traits and values, for we are the next generation and we therefore hold the future obusiness in our hands. Although standing fast to maintain this type of individual integrity isnot easy, upholding these qualities will make one a leader that people will not only follow,but respect.


13/23

Attractive Leadership QualitiesBy Heather Brunelli

Colorados Future Business Leaders of America need to understand the hard work and traitsthat are required to be a triumphant and prominent leader. In todays rapidly changing worldleadership prevails everywhere. Leaders are constantly studied by people who look up tothem, requiring them to have the proper ethics throughout their everyday life. Leadershipcomes in many different forms however all leaders share the common goal of helping theirgroup reach success. People who want; to lead, should be able to set the correct directionfor their team while building inspiring visions to help motivate, all while wanting to creat-ing something new to foster change within their group.

Washington Irving once said, Great minds have purposes while others have wishes mean-

ing that only a true leader will chase his dreams, while followers will continue to dream.Everyone has also heard the phrase, Good leaders are made not born. Hard work, motiva-tion, determination, and a correct vision, are what make a leader. If a person has the passionand determination to strive for success, he can become a valuable leader. Good leaders de-velop through practice, not overnight. They continually work to improve their leadershipskills. Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objec-tive and directs the organization in the correct path, the one towards success.

Some people whom considered themselves leaders give up on simple tasks, take the easyway out of life and stop believing in themselves. True leadership is about making the correctdecisions, ones that benefit everyone. FBLA members who truly want to reap the benefitsoffered by this organization must strive to lead outside of FBLA. They must take informa-tion learned from conferences and workshops and apply it in everyday life. They need tolead in all activities, whether that is in the classroom, community or elsewhere. FBLA canhelp members instill courage and confidence to strive towards building dreams.


14/23

Not a Superhero

By Jennifer Xian

How much meaning does your life have? Can you die tomorrow and not regret a thing? Howmany lives have you changed? Those are the questions that I ask myself as I walk in thehallway of my high school, as I see the countless students drifting through their high school

career without a care and without a dream. Nothing but sadness goes through my head, especially when I think about their future. I was standing so close to them, yet I could not doanything to change their pathway. Something as simple as reaching out my hands was likewalking on fire for me. By myself, I did not have the power to change anything. That is whyI joined FBLA. I believe that FBLA would help me grow stronger. FBLA may not be a su-perhero, but it has the ability to change the future into a better one.

The power of FBLA lies in its emblem. It represents the purposes and beliefs of FBLA.When the emblem is interpreted as a whole, the meanings of the emblem are hard to grasp.

However, each small part indicates a deep philosophy. In order to understand each idea ofthe emblem, a person must examine the parts of the emblem closely.

The emblem starts with the eagle. The eagle represents FBLAs belief in democracy, liberty,and the American way of life. The American way of life was created by our ancestors in thedistant past. It was supposed to be an eternal idea that dwells in every Americans heart. Itdrives us to be our best. However, in todays society, most of us dont know what the pursuiof happiness is nor do we remember the American Dream. We turn to birds without wings,with no other direction to go other than down. When people join FBLA and they see the em-blem, they remember a little bit. The emblem sparks the dying fire inside all of us. The eagle

reminds us that we all have a goal, and that goal is the America way of life, where every-body is trying their best and pursuing true happiness.

The first word in the border of the emblem is service. In the emblem ceremony, the defini-tion of service is stated as the idea that every individual should be interested in and take re-sponsibility in promoting better social, political, community and family life. Most peoplelook at this statement and think, That is a good idea. However, they seldom take any ac-tion to show that they understand the meaning of this statement. They talk the talk, but theydont walk the walk. It is hard for a regular person to look for service. Looking requires

work. Why work to look for work? That is what an average student would think. It is veryeasy for a FBLA member to do some service. There is a multitude of activities every monthfor members to participate in, such as reading to little kids or helping out in a fundraiser. Thactivities are not hard, but they require time. FBLA has done the looking. All students haveto do is join the organization and help with these activities. FBLA has taken the first step. Alyou need to do is follow her.Continued on Pg 15


15/23

Not a Superhero

Continued

The next part of the emblem is the idea that education is the right of every individual inAmerica. Our ancestors would bleed tears if they saw how students are wasting their education today. Students would spend so much effort trying to find a way to escape from class. Ifthe effort went into learning, instead of these shenanigans, then school would be more enjoyable. People fought and killed for the privilege to go to school. Many states are in a budgetdeficit, yet they still supply funding for our education. What are these sacrifices for? Its defnitely not for students to sleep in class or to ditch class. I support the idea that education is thright of every individual, but its too heartbreaking to witness so many people abusing thatright. FBLA tries to instill the value of an education in each of its members. The world ofbusiness requires a person to comprehend a lot of knowledge. Members of FBLA have notime to waste to sleep in class. Education and the future go hand in hand; a future would beimpossible without an education.

Progress is the third part of the emblem. In the dictionary, progress is defined as onwardmovement toward a destination. In FBLA, progress means challenge of tomorrow whichdepends on mutual understanding and cooperation of business, industry, labor, religious, family, and educational institutions and by people of our own and other land. In FBLA, the desnation we move towards is tomorrow. Tomorrow will come no matter what happens; its un-stoppable. One factor that a person can decide is what kind of tomorrow it is. A person can ether fear their tomorrow or hope for their tomorrow. Tomorrow doesnt happen because of ubut it changes because of us. In todays society, there are too many individuals who have nocare for the future. If they dont care, then who will shape the future? Whats worse is the fathat those uncaring individuals will not teach their children about the importance of an eduction. How do we progress with these individuals infesting our society? In order to progresstowards a better society, we must understand, communicate, and cooperate. FBLA teaches itmembers about the many components of business and industry. Members understand thesecomponents and apply this knowledge to their future. An improved society comes from agroup of people cooperating together for a common goal. In the process of working togetherpeople must communicate. Communication avoids confusion and conflict. The goal of FBLAmembers is to be simply the best. We achieve that goal by progressing to a better tomorrow.

We end the marvelous emblem with FBLA. FBLA represents the future of the business worlThe organization teaches members the first three parts of the emblem: service, education, anprogress. Each of those parts represents a philosophy that can create a better world. FBLA isnt simply an organization for people interested in entering the business; it is also a great or-ganization for people to learn about leadership. Through FBLA, members can do communitservice, gain experience in various subjects, and put many activities on a college resume.Continued on Pg. 16


16/23

Not a Superhero

Continued

In my opinion, the greatest lesson that FBLA teaches its members is the lesson of leadershipA leader is not just simply someone who leads people. A leader has the ability to change

lives. During my childhood, I have seen many losers in life. They live from paycheck to paycheck with nothing of luxury. They gamble, drink, and do drugs. They are a perfect paragonof a failure. In my moderate school of 850 students, it horrifies me to recognize some of thestudents walking on a road to become these failures. A quote from my dad that I rememberwell is this, If you dont know how to live your life at thirteen, then you wont know how tolive your life at thirty. A person learns the best when they are young. So why are we ignor-ing these kids and letting them waste their life as they please? Why dont we teach them howto live their life, so they wont be making mistakes even after they are thirty? A leader wouldrecognize this problem and try to fix it. A true leader would go up to a person and talk to

them, instead of watching their back as they step deeper into the hole. FBLA is not a super-hero. It doesnt do anything, but the organization changes the future by creating leaders whoact like a superhero.

By Keaton Sloan

Quick, without looking name the three words on top of the FBLA crest. Got them? They areService, Education, and Progress. The words Education and Progress are rather straightfor-ward; its the word Service that often throws people for a loop. The two most common ques-tions about Service include, Who am I supposed to serve? and Im only in high school,how is it that I can serve? The first is a simple answer; you serve others. The second, wellthat takes a little more explaining.

Believe it or not, there are a multitude of programs specifically targeted for the teenagescene; you dont have to be a part of an organized group to help others. You personally canassist by doing miracle minutes, asking for sponsorships, hosting tournaments, or simply going door-to-door. Service doesnt always mean giving financial support; sometimes the mostmeaningful donations arent ones you can put in your wallet. Set up food, clothing, or blooddrives, work a soup kitchen, make blankets, peer tutor, or organize a community cleanup.

You see, there are plenty of different approaches to service; its up to you to get out there anget involved.

As a final note, remember: service for another is service for yourself. What you do todaycould help you to become a better person, gain a greater understanding of the world, developskills you otherwise would not have, or even just make a friend. After allThe best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.

Mohandas Gandhi


17/23

What Leadership Means to MeBy Kyli Rood

To a freshman everything is so exciting and new: new rules, new people, new classes, andnew clubs. Even though they are now the low man on the totem pole, it is just exciting tofinally be included in the esteemed group that they have so long aspired to be a part of. I felthis way, and I am almost certain that everyone feels this way when they enter high school.

My freshman year I was presented with the option of joining FBLA. I made, what I believeto be one of the best decisions of my life thus far. I chose to join the great organization ofFBLA. Though, back then I did not quite know what FBLA was all about.

My perspective of what FBLA is changed one day during the fall of 2008. The rest of my

fellow freshman members and I attended our first District Fall Leadership Conference. Oneof the upper classman at my school, Kellsie Nienhuser, was the Colorado State Secretarythat year, so we were especially excited to watch Kellsie in all her glory. It was at that con-ference that I learned that the organization is about business, but much more than that, it isabout leadership and the qualities a good leader exhibits.

Later that year, after placing 2nd with my team in the business ethics competition at districtlevel, I attended the Colorado State Leadership Conference at Vail. It was there that Ilearned how a true leader acts. While watching the state officers speak so eloquently and ac

so elegantly in front of a large crowd with all eyes on them, these somewhat ordinary peoplebecame Idols and had a certain star quality about them.

On the last day of my first State Leadership Conference, when that years officers were say-ing farewell, they stood on the stage with their shoulders held high, while an audiotape oftheir voice played in the background saying goodbye. Though some let tears freely flow,and other stood motionless, their voices all relayed the same message, which was that beinga state officer changed them. It had such a positive impact on their lives. All the state offi-cers reflected that they were surrounded by some of the best young people in the world andthat they would not have given the experience up for anything. It was in that moment that I

decided I was going to run for, and hopefully one day become, a state officer in this fantasticorganization.

I am now in my junior year, and though many things have changed, I still long to experienceall of the positive adventures that are rewarded to those few that become State FBLAOfficers.


18/23

Leadership LaneBy Meghan Calahan

Chaotic, stressful, overwhelming, and influential. Select FBLA members and advisors fromacross the United States gather to embrace these four simple words. But to these individualthey are more than just words; they are the prime definition of one of the most intense lead-ership experiences in which an FBLA member can be involved; Institute For Leaders.

Antony Jay once said, The only real training for leadership is leadership. Words of wis-dom can only get you so far and IFL is not lacking of these influential words. Instead ofpreaching to the choir IFL teaches you important leadership, business, and technical skillsthat help you to reach your highest business potential. The time old saying of before you canrun, you must first learn to walk is the most profound piece of wisdom there is. You have

heard it from your parents to your advisors and at IFL they dont simply teach you to run,they teach you every skill you need to be the most poised, tactical, and determined runner onthe track.

When you reach IFL you should already know how to walk, but for most, running is a bitmore difficult. Your leadership skills are apparent but not toned to perfection. However, intwo tiresome days your outlook on your future can be entirely changed. Leadership isntabout taking people where they want to go, it is about leading people where they dont nec-essarily want to go, but ought to be.

Walking away from IFL you come to the realization that you are part of a minority, a groupof individuals who will someday stand on top of the world. From young entrepreneurs topremier officers, you are of a select one percent of the population that will someday reachout of the box, and simply lead yourself to the top.

FBLA and IFL can only send you on a path full of opportunities, and it is your choice to takthat path. With every skill in hand, IFL leads you in the direction of success. Down a trail oftransformation, an ordinary FBLA member develops into an individual whose future isclasped firmly in their grip. This path full of opportunities is a challenging trail; but all you

have to do is learn to run.


19/23

A Leader is a CEOBy Mykintia Ebron

In order to be a true leader, you must model a CEO. Not a CEO as in Chief Executive Offi-cer, or a leader of a big company. This CEO represents a chief encouragement officer.Someone who will pick up another after they have fallen, and continue to help even when

they do not want to help them selves. In other words, its a leader.

A true leader says very little and does most of the communicating through actions and emo-tion. Setting a good example in all that they do makes an impact upon their followers.When a responsible and outgoing leader is in action followers naturally perform better.

Throughout the time that the leader is setting an example, many times the leader will un-knowingly touch numerous lives through their ongoing encouragement. The amount of livetouched are endless because something as little as an act of kindness whether big or small

can change a life, or even encourage others to inspire as well through emotion and action.

Speaking is a good skill to have when striving to become an inspirational leader. But some-times it is not always about who is the best speaker, but about who has the best character.Caution is a good step to take while being a leader as well. It is very easy for a leader to be-come aggressive and hostile only because they have the power and respect.

"The Walker family at the Colorado Mountain Ranch was very appreciative of our contribu-tion to their rebuilding efforts. They were so pleased to see that students in Colorado were socaring and willing to help their cause. It was shocking to see the damage that had occurred athe ranch. The fire burned down the barns and homes of the Ranch workers and family, leaving only the lodge and a few cabins for campers." - Erik Wislinsky


20/23

FBLA is an Opportunity that Must be SeizedOlivia Wreford

FBLA is an amazing opportunity for its members. It presents each member with a chance tobecome a true leader. Speakers come from across the nation and throughout the businessworld to inspire, motivate, and help guide the Future Business Leaders of America towardsthe success they seek. Presenters for workshops give extensive and practical advice to countless members during conferences; however, how many members truly take to heart what thepresenter is saying?

Too many members of FBLA do not realize the difference between an opportunity and aguarantee. FBLA provides its members with a chance to take control of their future so thatthey can end up wherever it is they intend to be. Be it the Tri team, local or state advisors,local, state or even national level officers, so many people are putting in countless hours of

effort to give each and every one of the approximately 215,000 members in the high schooldivision alone the opportunity to kick start their careers. The problem is, not enough of thesemembers give any effort back.

Many people I know who are in FBLA simply joined to go to conferences and have some-thing that looked good on their resume. However, the prized few who go the extra mile, andtruly seize the opportunity FBLA has given them, are able to break any barriers they chanceupon.

People give advice at workshops, because they wantto help. Presenters and speakers cometo FBLA because they want to give everyone the opportunity they need to grow into theleader they are striving to become. They want every member to be able to move mountains,and so they are there to give them the extra push they need. However, they cannot do all thework. Countless amounts of energy, dedication, initiative, and creativity are needed for anylarge undertaking. Any member can truly benefit from FBLA and grow into a successfulleader, but in order to do so they have to seize every opportunity they are presented with,and then build off it.

FBLA is here to help anyone willing to take the extra step and work to the best of their abil-ity, and make sure they have fun doing it, too. We must seize the opportunity that FBLA is

presenting us, and take it upon ourselves to work on becoming the best leaders we can be. If

we are willing to do the work, with the help of FBLA, any of us can become leaders, not

only in the business world, but in life in general. So, as Colorado FBLA members, will we

sit back and wait for the mountain to move, or will we seize the opportunity that is FBLA

and move it ourselves?


21/23

Are you the L in FBLA?Tai Zollars

Have you ever wondered what the letters in FBLA really mean? Well, they stand for FutureBusiness Leaders of America. When you hear these words, what do you think of? Do youthink of a program that helps younger generations exceed to their full potential? Well, that iswhat I thought of when I first found out what FBLA stood for. Each letter in FBLA is veryimportant in making our generation strive to meet their full potential. Each letter representssomething that is essential to making sure our government runs smoothly, however I believethat there is one letter that stands out among the rest.

To me L-Leaders is the most important letter in FBLA. Throughout history, there have beenmany people that are considered leaders in their community. However, what does it actually

mean to be a leader, and what actions did they have to accomplish to receive this desirablestatus? Well, to be a leader, there are certain traits that people have.

These traits might include their work ethic, how well they interact with other people, howthey make decisions in life, or even the simplest thing, how they present themselves to oth-ers. Leaders are found throughout the world in every shape and size. However, many peoplecan become a leader, but being a leader is way different than being a great leader.

Great leaders go outside the normal and beyond the expectations of other people. They donjust go through the motions, but they strive to make sure that they are better than the best.They have that mentality to make sure that even simple tasks get done with accuracy andquality. Such examples by these people might be that they write a few extra sentences in anessay, review their final project one last time, write more words than required for an assign-ment, or they might even go above and beyond on writing a well developed article.

Great leaders also have to have a special presence. They have that certain swag wheneverthey enter a room that makes people aware of who they are. Great leaders also know how toencourage, and help people in a way that is both reassuring and helpful to receiving a betterend result. Great leaders also have to have the ability to listen to other peoples opinion eve

if they do not necessarily agree with them. They have to see both sides of a situation to trulymake the best decision for the issue at hand.

Continued on Pg. 22


22/23

Are you the L in FBLA?

Continued

Great leaders also have to have integrity. When given a chance to cheat or do something ethically wrong, they choose to do the right thing. By doing this, they stay loyal to themselves,

and they stay honest with themselves and what they believe in. They may make mistakes inlife, but they own up to them instead of hiding behind somebody else. Integrity is a very important trait to have and this can get you far in life.

One of the main reasons why great leaders are different from just regular leaders is becausegreat leaders show initiative. If they see something that needs to be done, they do it. Greatleaders get the work done, or appoint the tasks to other people to make sure that the task iscomplete correctly. They dont wait around waiting for somebody to take charge, but they arthe person that takes charge and gets everyone organized and on task no matter what the cir-cumstances may be.

Great leaders are rare, but when found they have a great impact on society. Think about ityou think you have what it takes to become a great leader? Are you the L in FBLA? If youwant to become a leader, start now. Start making changesin your community for the better,you never know, great leadership skills can get you far in life.

By Taylor Brandon

High School and FBLAwhat else could someone ask for? Being an FBLA member showpotential for every student enrolled. As members, we have the roll of being the leaders ofbusiness. As the leaders, we are supposed to be the future of the business life. Showing theway people grow over the year throughout FBLA is one of the reasons that I would enjoy being a major leader.

As an officer of my local chapter, I have seen the way that members have gained from therolls that they play in the chapter. The members of our local chapter do a lot of communityservice and know what the community needs. They fulfill the needs and some of the wantsthat the people have. This is a prime example of what FBLA has done for just my chapter. I

have been generating ideas for more community service projects that could go across the staI strongly believe that community service is a very important thing for every organization.

FBLA has shown me how to open up to people and be myself. It has shown not only me, bua lot of other people that they can get out there and meet more people like themselves. At alkinds of business activities, I have met so many people that just like to have fun and be business people. The way that FBLA has taught me to get out and enjoy life and the businessworld, paints the picture of why I feel the way I do towards FBLA and the business life.


23/23

District Conferences

District 1 Union Colony Civic Center - Greeley February 9

District 2 Johnson & Wales University - Denver January 28

District 3 Northeastern Junior College - Sterling February 3

District 4 Northeastern Junior College - Sterling February 9

District 5 Johnson & Wales University - Denver February 11

District 6 Colorado State University - Pueblo February 9

District 7 Otero Junior College - La Junta February 8

District 8 Adams State College - Alamosa February 8

District 9Two Rivers Convention Center - Grand

JunctionFebruary 7

State Conference

April 17th - 19th

FBLA Winter Newsletter

Documents

Transcript of FBLA Winter Newsletter