Future business leaders take on states

FBLA, Future Business leaders of America. A club that emphasizes success and leadership in all walks of life, and prepares students to survive in the business world. The students prepare all fall for the various types of competitions they will participate in for a chance to place at the regional competition.

After competing at Regionals in December, several students from Big Spring’s FBLA chapter have gained the opportunity to move onto the state competition. Students Ava Mowery, Job Pelete, Tyler Owens, Adam Cornman, and Parker Yeakel all moved onto states, which took Place on April 3, and 4.

Business information, Network Concepts, Computer Problem Solving and Parliamentary Procedures make up some of the different competitions that Big Spring students placed in at Regionals, and competed in at States. Pelete said, “I am in the business information group, and I placed third at Regionals. I took a test in order to place for States, and I studied using the FBLA website.” Mowery competed in Parliamentary Procedures and placed third at regionals. “I learn and study all procedures that happen in FBLA (formal) meetings and other history facts involved with the organization. FBLA offers multiple study guides catered to each competition. I studied all the study guides given to me and read about FBLA’s history on their website.”

Different categories have different forms of competition. Some categories, such as the PSA category, require students to create videos that then are submitted and judged against the work of other students. The job interview competition requires that students spend time preparing, and at regionals, sit down for an interview and are scored based on performance. In most other categories, the competition is less complicated, students take an online test and find out their placements at the regional conference. Although the competition is less complicated, it is more fierce. More competitors are in the non performance or presentation categories, which makes placing difficult.

“I came in first at Regionals, [if I place at States] I will move on to Nationals, in Anaheim, California.” Cornman said. The FBLA National conference will be held from June 29 to July 2, and is jam packed with not only competitions, but leadership seminars, and an opportunity to explore Disney Land with fellow FBLA members.

Unfortunately, none Big Spring’s state competitors placed fourth or above to qualify for Nationals, but the younger members of the small group plan o continuing in FBLA throughout their next years of high school, in hopes that they will eventually travel to California for Nationals.