The Species Known as the Future Business Leaders of America
Chris Snider
October 21, 2009
Filed under Student Life, Uncategorized
Want to discover what the future holds for you? Well…too bad, because the school doesn’t have a Divination class. (Those Hogwarts kids always get everything!) What North Augusta does offer is a chance to help students prepare and help them achieve their goals for the future or possibly help them decide their future. According to Jen Harlan, “[FBLA]helps give you a peephole to what the business world will be like, and can help you to decide a job that is right for you.” It is the Future Business Leaders of America.
Frederick and other officers attend the State competition.
Are FBLA people really a different species of high school students? It’s debatable since many FBLA members are also parts of various other clubs. However, they could easily be described as cult-ish since they are one of the largest clubs in the school (there were over 200 people at the last meeting). In fact, they have the largest student officer organization, with thirteen officers. They also meet with other FBLA organizations to prove which of them are the bigger business geeks.
These students are more than just those weird kids that sell cookies and dress up like teachers to go to competitions to prove their geek-itude. They are actually the people most of us students will eventually work for. FBLA President (and possible future American President) Frederick Grimm commented “Laugh now, because we will end up your bosses one day! Then who will have the last laugh?” (The answer: the Joker.)
With that last comment in mind, I should probably clarify the word “geek-itude.”
FBLA people express their "geek-itude."
FBLA members prove who is the more capable in the various areas required to be successful in the business world, which can be a huge asset in the long-run. FBLA often have guest speakers that give advice on how to succeed in the business world, such as advice on how to give an exceptional interview, be a leader, or improve a resume. Through competitions, which are easily the most difficult part of FBLA, members also learn useful skills such as public speaking, marketing and networking.
The major goal of any involved FBLA member is to have the opportunity to go to Nationals. In each competition, there are various areas in which to compete. These competitions can get pretty heated and fierce, which “helps prepare you for the highly competitive environment of the business world,” says Jen. Each state may send three students from each area, which is decided after the results of the State competition, to compete at the national level in some fantastic city. Past cities that
The FBLA not only went to California to compete in Nationals, but to also enjoy their trip. Here they are at Knott's Theme Park.
have hosted Nationals include: Chicago, Atlanta, and Anaheim. This year’s conference is in Nashville. “Students compete on a national level to gain national recognition and cash awards,” says Frederick. Not only did they compete, they also had the chance to visit Knott’s Theme Park and Disneyland.
Do these students still sound like a bunch of cookie-selling geeks? Maybe, but they are still some of the best and brightest that our school has to offer. Let’s face it, they are the people that help make North Augusta look good since they often score remarkably high at the national level.
