By Dana Klosner-Wehner
“FBLA plays a big part in charity events,” said Kelly, the club presidents and a member for three years. “We participated in the AHRC walk — a group that deals with adults [and children with developmental disabilities.]”
The FBLA also was involved in a walk for Autism and has done charity work for the Ronald McDonald House.
In April, 47 students from the Sewanhaka Central High School District will go to Rochester to compete in the FBLA State Leadership Conference.
Elmont Memorial High School is sending 15 of their 71 FBLA members and H. Frank Carey High School is sending four of its 200 FBLA members.
Students were chosen based on local competitions and written tests.
There will be 700 students from all over New York State competing in 70 categories, said Bobby Russo, FBLA faculty advisor at Elmont.
“FBLA is a national business club that prepares kids for the real world,” Russo said. “They participate in speaking events and written events in subjects including marketing and law. They compete on the local, county, state and national level.”
“Students learn responsibility and being prepared,” said Barbara Blomquist, FBLA advisor at H. Frank Carey High School. “It helps them with the transition of school to work. It helps them with interaction in the community and promotes leadership.”
Just as there is more to the business world than knowing the bare numbers, there is more to the FBLA than being able to tackle facts, figures, and impressing the boss.
“It teaches them how to dress in the business world,” Blomquist added. “[At competitions] there is a strict dress code. Boys must wear shirts, ties, dress pants and dress shoes. Girls must wear skirts or dress pants and blouses. There are no jeans allowed at all.”
For Chanei Patterson, a sophomore and co-vice president at Elmont, the organization has helped her improve her public speaking skills.
“I was in a competition based on basic decision making,” Patterson said. “I was given a business problem and I had to solve it and explain my solution to the judges. The problem was a worker who wasn’t doing his job. I was told not to fire him; I had to come up with how we could improve his position. I said we could have another person supervise him. I had to think outside the box.”
In Rochester, Patterson will be competing in desktop publishing and finance.
Obi Emeagwali, a junior and treasurer of the Elmont FBLA, will be competing in emerging business issues, business law and business ownership in Rochester. He said he has learned how to better articulate certain ideas from participating in the club.
If students come in first or second place in their competitions they will go on to compete on the national level.
“Students gain leadership skills and they learn about competition,” Blomquist said. “They learn that even if they are a big fish in Carey’s pond they are a small fish on the state level.”
“It’s a great experience for the kids,” Blomquist added. “Many times I meet students afterwards. They talk about the trips and the friendships they made. Friendships blossom where you never expected they would.”
