Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is an organization that prepares students for both college and their careers beyond. With events in Agriculture, Business Management & Administration, A/V Technology & Communication, Finance, and so on, FBLA introduces students to many different types of careers in the business world.
For students who are interested in careers in business but are not sure where to start, FBLA gives them a chance to venture into different fields and find an event that interests them.
“Joining FBLA is a good start. A lot of people come in not knowing what they want to do, but they find that within the club. It’s an awesome way to dip your toes in the water, getting ready and figuring out if you want to be in business,” says Mikayla Hittle, President of FBLA.
This organization prepares students for professions in the business industry and helps them become better employees by strengthening their skills in public speaking, leadership, and collaboration. Along with developing job skills and business knowledge, students are able to cooperate with peers who have similar interests and are working toward related goals.
FBLA travels across the country to compete in state and national competitions, challenging other teams/districts in events such as 3D Animation, Marketing, Graphic Design, Word Processing, Job Interview, Accounting, and many more. Since FBLA offers such a wide variety of events, it is easy for students to find a skill that they can excel in. For a full list of events, click here.
Along with career preparation, FBLA offers opportunities for scholarships and cash prizes that can range up to $1800 at competitions. During the year, there are three competitions: area, state, and national conferences. At these conferences, FBLA students compete in category-related events, showcasing their skill and business knowledge through speeches, submissions, reports, etc. When members are not doing presentations, there are many activities students can participate in.
“People from the business world come do speeches and tell you about their experiences. There are also a lot workshops to do throughout the day, so you’re pretty much busy the whole time,” Hittle recalled.
During the 2015-16 school year, many TCHS members qualified for the State Leadership Conference, and some advanced to the National Leadership Conference held in Atlanta. FBLA plans to go to Anaheim, Calif. during the 2016-17 school year.
FBLA meetings take place once a month to practice presentations and offer advice or critique. The first meeting will mainly serve to provide introductions for the events and members. For students who are interested in business-related occupations but are not sure where to start, applications for FBLA will be available in room N203.