The official newsletter of California Future Business Leaders of America Volume 61, Issue 2 • Winter 2009
Interview Success Fuel Your Membership!
Adviser Appreciation
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THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
STATE NEWS Your 2009-10 State Officer Team Kavya Shankar State President
Alissa Song
State Vice President (Bay)
Imran Noorali
State Vice President (Central)
Devang Sampat
State Vice President (Gold Coast)
Linxi Wu
State Vice President (Inland)
Miguel Puentes
State Vice President (Northern)
Erik Nguyen
State Vice President (Southern)
Panos Kanellakopoulos State Secretary-Treasurer
David Mao
State Public Relations Officer
Cathy Xu
State Parliamentarian
President’s Corner
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Further, your state officers have put together How-To Guides to assist you in areas such as marketing FBLA to the community, finding a guest speaker, and securing an adviser. Visit the Document Library of cafbla.org to download the guides and read through the useful information. We are in the process of getting a Best Practices Resource Guide compiled with tips on membership recruitment, community service, business development, fundraisers, and socials.
appy Holidays, California FBLA! As we approach the holiday season, let’s all make a New Year’s Resolution to work towards the sucWe have worked towards raising money cess of our individual FBLA chapters as for the March of Dimes with a total of well as California FBLA! $2000 raised from the two Leadership Development Institutes this year and The state officers have been hard at work hope to increase the amount we raise for in membership, member resources, and this organization to exceed the $14,000 service. For membership, I am proud to we raised last year! Help us fight for the announce that California FBLA has won health of babies by participating in our the award for the “Largest Increase in cause. FBLA State Chapter Membership” in the nation, with 919 more members at this With that, I challenge you to continue time of year compared to last year. State to Fuel your Future! I’ll see you all at officers have been compiling member- the 2010 State Leadership Conference ship recruitment tips and have been in Irvine! meeting with chapters that have newly established to ensure that all chapters In Leadership, have the tools to grow and succeed. Kavya Shankar
Table of Contents
Running For Office........................................................................................... 3 CAFBLA Links...................................................................................................4 Fuel Your Membership...................................................................................4 Business Trends................................................................................................ 5 California State Council................................................................................. 5 Cooper at a Glance........................................................... ..............................6 FBLA Deadlines................................................................................................. 7 Seven Tips and Skills for Interview Success............................................8 Mastering the California Awards Program..............................................8 Brief History of FBLA ....................................................................................9 The People Behind F, B, L, and A.................................................................9 Ten Ways to Show Your Advisers You Care!........................................... 10 Marketing FBLA to the Community...........................................................11 Chapter Headlines.......................................................................................... 12
Fuel Your Future! Questions or comments about this publication? David Mao
Public Relations Officer California FBLA Los Osos High School 6001 Milliken Avenue Alta Loma, CA 91739
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 2
STATE NEWS Running For Office By Cathy Xu
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ttention Future Business LEADER! Yes, you! This quick quiz could change YOUR future, so grab a pen and get ready answer these three questions:
1.Is FBLA your favorite extra-curricular activity? A.Yes B.No C.Um, it’s up there . . . I guess?
2.How do you feel about the way FBLA is currently run?
A.It’s great, but there’s definitely room for improvement and more efficiency! B.Meh. C.Um, it’s ok . . . I guess?
3.Fill in the blank: Service, Education, _______
A.Progress! B.Character? Leader? Integrity? Something like that. C.Um?? If you answered A to one or more of the above, we think you have FBLA officer potential! By running for office, you give yourself the opportunity to make huge changes to the way FBLA is run. Also, officers speak on stage at conferences, lead workshops, and You never know if you will succeed until you try. The decision to run for office should be made early. Whether it be local, section, or state office, it is in your advantage to leave yourself enough time to fully develop your platform and campaign. Here’s a helpful checklist to make sure that you’re ready by the time elections roll around:
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1.
Decide which position you’re running for. Is it a local, section, or state position? What talents make you especially suited for your desired position? For instance, thrifty individuals might make good treasurers while tech-savvy members might find their niche in public relations, tech manager, or historian. Also think of what goals you could accomplish in this position. You should compile these ideas into a platform, or an agenda, that you present to set yourself apart from the competition. Also tie these ideas into a campaign theme or slogan that members can associate you with!
2. Get the application and find out the
at your booth, and help you prepare campaign materials. Also, recruit a large group of FBLA members to support you at your booth.
4.
If you are running for section or state office, you also should look into preparing campaign materials. Brochures, candy, pens or pencils, and other giveaways not only attract others to your booth, but they give them something to remember you by! Items like pencils or pins need to be customized and ordered online. Depending on how much you plan on buying, you should carefully budget where your campaign money goes. The amount of each item that you need varies dramatically with each conference, but in previous years 150-300 units of each item is a safe estimate. Finally, try to raise campaign funds by asking your chapter for support or by fundraising.
deadlines. Around this time, several applications for section and state level positions should already be available, since elections take place at the respective conferences. This application is part of the screen5. Final stretch! Faing process; after miliarize yourself the applications with the election come in, you will process. At the openbe interviewed by ing ceremony, your the section or state campaign manager Don’t let anything catch team to determine will give an introyou unprepared! whether you are ductory speech on eligible to run for your behalf, and you office. If you are applying to section or will give your pitch to the entire memstate office, having held local office is bership. Throughout the conference, a requirement. Most applications ask you will talk to members individually for a few short answer questions and as they come to your booth. Later, you your resume. Make your resume more will attend the voting delegate session competitive by participating in state where you will give one final pitch and projects or being part of the California answer any questions the delegates State Council! have before voting. So get your speech ready, prepare for the question-and3. If you are running for section or answer caucus, and get some shut-eye state office, you will need a campaign the night before. manager. This should be a creative and charismatic individual who knows you 6. On the day of the election, talk to well. He or she will speak on your be- every member, not just voting delehalf before your speech, represent you gates, and smile. Good luck!
THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
STATE NEWS CAFBLA Links Make sure to check out these important California FBLA links! California FBLA official website: www.cafbla.org California FBLA Twitter: http://twitter.com/cafbla California FBLA Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2231732099 California FBLA Forum: http://cafbla.prophpbb.com/ Best Practices Resource Packet Submission: http://bit.ly/4RkjGu
Fuel Your Membership
tire world is run like a business. Show points, and earning a certain number them how they can demonstrate their will result in a prize at the end of the technical prowess and future job pro- year. Usually completion of about 75% by Devang Sampat ficiency through competitive events, as of opportunities should earn a reward. well as show a more humanitarian side The incentives can be anything and evthrough state projects such FBLA Goes erything. For example, at my local chapBLA has such a wide variety of Green and March of Dimes. For those ter, members who earn 1000 points by programs that sometimes we for- who wish to simply have fun, describe the end of their senior year, are awarded get what makes the organization the adventure and thrill of attending a an FBLA sash to wear at the graduation so amazing, our members. Without you leadership conference. Show every po- ceremony. Other options include gift there would be no one to win compe- tential member how joining would be cards, FBLA swag, and raffle tickets to titions, complete state and national one of the best decisions of his/her life. a large prize such as an iPod. Of course, projects, and make our name known These same pitches can also be used to there is always that intrinsic motivathroughout the business community. remind members why they joined in the tion – the pride of having accomplished Therefore, membership recruitment first place, and they will something, or learning a should be one of the top priorities of ensure their continued “Remember to new skill. every chapter. support and participation in the organization. Remember to also alalways thank You should not only recruit members, ways thank members but retain them as well. To maximize ef- Once a solid member- members for their for their participation. ficiency, your chapter should have varied ship foundation is creThrow a surprise pizparticipation” pitches to give to different groups. Sell ated, your chapter can za party, have a movie it not as just another club on campus, rise to the top! Encournight, anything to make but an organization that is the stepping- age participation in all them feel special, and stone to achieving your life goals. For events by once more telling each mem- proud of their decision to join the Futhose who wish to enter the business ber how his/her involvement will ben- ture Business Leaders of America. world, sell the experience, connections, efit him/her such as gaining volunteer and internships that FBLA provides. For hours, or learning new skills. Another those who feel that they will never be effective way is to create a point and affected by business, and therefore have incentive system, where participation no reason to join, explain how the en- in various events earns a set amount of
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Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 4
STATE NEWS Business Trends
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By David Mao
ith 2009 coming to a close, it is quite striking to see just how different our society has become in the past year. The first quarter of the year saw a continuation of the economic decline witnessed in late 2008; the DOW saw its lowest point at a shockingly low 6,469.95 in March of this year. Across the nation, people cried “depression,” and not a single person was unaware of the pending economic “disaster.” As a result, confidence in the economy declined, and individuals became more conservative and cautious with their spending habits, even more than in 2008. Furthermore, due to globalization, economies across the seas also suffered. However, we can see now that the economic situation was not beyond repair; since then, the DOW has risen steadily, and with it, the nation’s economic situation. After the lurid economic decline, it seemed that 2009 had met its quota of excitement; however, yet another catastrophe hit the U.S. in April. The swine flu pandemic arrived, and due to the lack of information about the new virus, many were stricken with fear. As the virus climbed up through North America
and slowly travelled across the sea, pub- forced to develop new approaches to vie lic figures across the globe were alarmed; for the individual’s attention. Entities in October, U.S. President Obama even such as Wal-Mart, which successfully declared the swine flu pandemic a “na- changed its approach towards consumtional emergency.” The disease affected ers, have found increased success even everyone in the U.S., whether directly as the economy went down. Now, as or indirectly; even Kavya Shankar, our the national problems are growing relaCalifornia FBLA State President, was tively more stable, businesses will again infected by change to fit the malicious the economy. H1N1 virus, Changing is and fortunatea fundamenly survived. tal part of a As we enter successful 2010, we can business, and safely say that change will the situation happen yet has relatively again in 2010; improved, as future busidue in part to ness leaders, the increased we must also amount of understand information the intricate about the vi- As future business leaders, we need to pay network of attention to current business trends too rus and the reactions and production of causes bea vaccine. tween the ways our nation’s individuals perceive things and the way businesses As public opinions change, businesses react. As we enter 2010, keep in mind must follow. Because of these mo- significant world events, both old and mentous events, individuals have be- new, and how businesses continuously come more careful with their spending; react to them – these are prime examthus, because businesses are inherently ples of the challenges that you will face connected with the public, they were when you enter the business world.
California State Council
The California State Council members of 2009-10 have been chosen! Congratulations to:
Bay Section
Central Section
Gold Coast Section
Inland Section
Northern Section
Southern Section
Jasimine Xu, Los Altos High School
Andrew Aguilar, South El Monte High School Aaron Yang, Maxwell High School
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THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
Joshua Suarez, Tracy High School Alap Patel, Ruben S. Ayala High School Brian Liao, Troy High School
STATE NEWS Cooper at a Glance by Miguel Puentes Chapter: Colusa FBLA Years of Involvement: 4
Most Memorable Experience: Standing on stage at NLC during FBL awards Favorite Competition: FBL Positions Held: Chapter Treasurer, Northern Section Treasurer, CA State Secretary-Treasurer
Accomplishments: Running workshops at LDI, First Place at National FBL Miss the Most: Conferences; being surrounded by peers Advice to FBLA members: You set your own limits. There is no one on this earth but you who can hold yourself back in this world. Remove the obstacles and excuses that you have put in place in your life to maintain the comfort of your existence and you are free. No matter how far you climb you have always yourself to fall back to. Cooper’s involvement in FBLA was accelerated due to the constant support and influence from his advisor, Sue Barrett, and his parents. During his freshman year, he participated in competitions at both the section and state level and also attended the Leadership Development Institute. That year, at the insistence of Mrs. Barrett, Cooper ran for and was elected to the Colusa chapter treasurer position for the next year. Prior to his involvement in FBLA Cooper had had extremely limited public speaking experience. Friends drew him into FBLA, and he became comfortable in his ability to communicate effectively with individuals. However, as he began to play an increasingly greater public role in FBLA he was forced to expand his public speaking performance and stage presence. He attributes the fact that his self-confidence expanded exponentially during high school to his involvement in FBLA. As a sophomore Cooper was elected Northern Section Secretary-Treasurer. He soon realized that instead of addressing 40-50 chapter members during meetings, he would now be in front of a public group on the scale of hundreds
of individuals. He remembers the drip- in front of more people than he could ping fear present during his campaign, have imagined assembled in one place. and the steady influx of confidence fol- FBLA had prepared Cooper for a nalowing each conference. That year he tional presence, for the ability to lead participated at the National Leadership and interact on public scales that would Conference in Denver (coincidentally have forced him into seizure only three his future home) and placed nationally years prior. in Business Calculations. Having fallen in love with FBLA, he chose to run “He learned a new definition of for State Office. Cooper found the campaign trail the most fantastic learning responsibility, and the joy and reand growing experience of warding nature of being a leader.” his life to that point. He was forced to engage with individuals from across the state and Overall, his experience in FBLA provided speak in front of about 5,000 people. a number of invaluable things to CooDuring his entire time in FBLA, being at per’s malleable young self. In addition the state conference became very valu- to the practical skills associated with enable and meaningful. Due to the ability gaging with any size of group, individual to engage with such a diverse set of in- to tens of thousands, he learned a new dividuals all similarly focused on the ex- definition of responsibility, and the joy ternal and future – on something larger and rewarding nature of being a leader. – was life changing to him and helped Furthermore, for a kid coming from a him broaden his potential horizons. town of 5,000 people, a much more encompassing perspective was afforded, That year Mrs. Barrett nearly forced which aided in setting his goals, personCooper to participate in the FBL com- ally and professionally. petition. Her support propelled him to national victory, and he found him- Cooper attributes his acceptance to self at the pinnacle of stage presence, Harvard University to his involvement
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 6
STATE NEWS and accomplishments in FBLA. He says that it gave him the drive, credentials, and skill set necessary to achieve acceptance and excel during his time at Harvard. Cooper double-majored in Engineering Physics and Physics and graduated Magna Cum Laude with this degree. While at Harvard, Cooper received a patent for working in the Nanophotonics laboratory and was also heavily involved with the Business and Operations sides of Model United Nations. He calls this his FBLA replacement. “Running a conference was a familiar and rewarding experience, and my extensive involvement in FBLA served me directly in making MUN a success,” says Cooper. He then founded the Harvard College Culinary Society and helped grow the organization to be the single largest student body organization on campus in just two years. He believes all the years of campaigning and organizing came into play and allowed him to leave this legacy. FBLA helped Cooper foster his interest in entrepreneurship. He had known for some time that he wished to do something novel, to have a notable and meaningful impact on society, preferentially through technical advance. A long-time mentor introduced Cooper to the venture capital world during his junior year at Harvard; he used this connection to earn a consulting role at a startup company (Foro Energy) during the last half of his senior year. Cooper become intensely interested in the growing energy crisis and environmental and social impacts of a hydrocarbon-based fuel supply during his time at Harvard and hoped to influence this particular area of international concern. Foro, the company he earned a consulting role in, planned to develop a novel drilling technology to enable economical geothermal wells for base load power supply.
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Following graduation Cooper moved to Denver, Colorado, to work full time for Foro as a scientist. He’s currently a Project Manager for the company. “FBLA provided me with the means to accomplish my entrepreneurial desires and the early-boost in perspective which opened the world to me. I question whether any of the successes about which I can currently boast would have happened without FBLA.” – Cooper PS: shout-out to Mrs. Barrett, Colusa High FBLA, and, of course, my sister Mimi, who is smarter, more likeable, and has more potential than I.
FBLA Dates January 8 - Section Officer Applications due January 15 - Skills Events Request Deadline (Section) February 1 - State Leadership Conference online regristration opens February 3 - Membership deadline for Section Leadership Conference February 3 - Professional Members Membership deadline for recognition February 7-14 - FBLA-PBL Week February 9 - Skills events due to section directors February 10 - Adviser Appreciation Day February 12 - Various state competitions due February 27 - Section Leadership Conference (Bay, Central, Inland) March 1 - BAA Deadline March 1 - State / National Officer Applications due March 6 - Section Leadership Conference (Gold Coast, Northern, Southern) March 12 - Skills Events Request Deadline March 19 - State Project Forms Due March 25 - Completed skills events due March 25 - SLC Hotel Reservations Due March 29 - LCABR, POW, BAA Chapter,
and Gold Seal due
For all dates, please visit http://bit.ly/6Ox37J
THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
STATE NEWS Seven Tips and Skills for Interview Success
to help you practice by holding mock interviews, and treat it as if it were the real thing.
By Imran Noorali nterviews are always tough. Whether it is a phone, dinner, or face-to-face interview, we find ourselves in loss for words or just overcome with nervousness. Utilize the following seven tips and you will be on your way to interview success.
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As you go through interviews over your lifetime, you will start to see a trend in particular questions. If you prepare ahead of time, you will not waste any time fumbling with your words trying to come up with an answer. But remember, do not memorize your prepared answers.
Be Punctual!
Be Confident: This is the moment you have prepared for
Always arrive early for interviews. By doing so, you show the interviewers that you are genuinely interested in being selected or hired. Remember, fifteen minutes early is leader time.
Do Your Research: Researching background information
on employers is a crucial element for interview preparation. Interviewers will more often than not ask you about the company to see if you are familiar with its function/purpose.
Be Yourself! An interview should feel as if it is a conversation. Don’t memorize the answers you plan to give. If you do so, you will sound mechanical just as you would while giving a speech. Be yourself and go with the flow of the interview.
Practice Makes Better: Just as you would for anything
else, an interview is no exception to practice. Ask your friends
awhile. There is no reason to back down in fear now. Remain confident and everything will go well. Also, it is important to show the interviewer that you are a confident person. Stand tall, make eye contact, and give firm handshakes.
Articulate!
With all of the pressure and nervousness we feel before and during an interview, we become flustered and our words can come out very quickly. It is important to remain articulate when you speak. This means to say every word as slow and clear as possible.
Enthusiasm!
During interviews, we may face stressful situations. However, it is important to be enthusiastic; stay upbeat and give positive statements. By being enthusiastic, you show the interviewer that you have the upmost interest in being a part of the organization/company.
Mastering the California Awards Program
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veryone’s goal in the competitive realm is to be the last one standing on stage during the Awards Ceremony, but with a state chapter that typically has over one thousand individuals competing, what does it take to be successful? Here are some quick tips for success so that you can conquer the California Awards Program. 1.Choose a competitive event in an area that you are passionate about and that you think you would be able to do well in with practice. An appealing competitive event will help make the studying process a lot more engaging. 2.In preparation for the State Leadership Conference, finding a good textbook
By Kavya Shankar
and effectively utilizing it is critical. The luck with your preparation and I hope textbook you use does not matter as to see you on stage this year at the 2010 much as the amount of time you spend State Leadership Conference in Irvine. learning the material in the textbook, particularly the glossary. 3.Take any old tests you or your chapter may have, as well as general multiple tests on google that relate to your competitive event subject. 4.Start studying well ahead of time so you aren’t cramming the night before. All in all, study for competitions may seem tedious, but when you are on stage and you shake the state officer’s hand to receive your plaque, the hours you put in will be well worth it. Good
Jenny Wang from Homestead High School, who won 1st place in Introduction to Business at 2009 NLC, and Jennifer Koh from Homestead High School, who won 4th Place in Introduction to Business at NLC, were emitted from the competitive event recognition section of the last issue of The Californian due to a formatting error. The state officer team would like to take this time to congratulate their remarkable achievements!
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 8
STATE NEWS Brief History of FBLA
separate division in 1958, while the Professional Division was formed in 1979. Wanting to expand even further, FBLA By Panos Kanellakopoulos added the Middle School Level in 1994, in order to make the transition between uture Business Leaders of America- middle school and high school life easier Phi Beta Lambda Inc is a national on the members. career technical student organization with the main Over the years, FBLA has objective of teachbeen recognized by the Asing its members sociation for Career and life skills. Founded Technical Education, Interby Dr. Hamden national Assembly for ColL. Forkner of Colegiate Business Education, lumbia University National Association of in 1940, the first Parliamentarians, National chapter was estabAssociation of Secondary lished on February 3, 1942 in Johnson School Principals, National Business City, Tennessee and Iowa was the first Education Association, and the U.S. Deofficial state chapter. Phi Beta Lambda, partment of Education. the collegiate level of FBLA, became a
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The People Behind F, B, L, and A
nization represents to me: February 19, 2009. This day marked the large scale environmental awareness fair that I By Alissa Song had worked with my co-chair and our entire Project Greenlight team to arcannot imagine my high school ca- chitect as the culmination of our yearreer without FBLA. I have been in- long partnership with the American volved in chapter projects, achieved Automobile Association. state projects, competed at the na- Although the event was stupendous, tional level, and even progressed to be- what really stood out to me most was come an officer of the State Leadership its prequel. We called a team meetTeam. These experiences are all invalu- ing ten minutes before the start of the able to my future in the real world. event; every team member put their However, when I go beyond all of this, hands in for a final break before our what has really left a lasting impact on grand opening. In those ten seconds, I me is the peolooked around the circle, ple I have met, “In those ten seconds, and that is when it hit worked with, me. Throughout just one and befriended we shared a bond of year, the unfamiliar faces throughout my that had entered our friendship, purpose, first project meeting had FBLA journey. transformed into people and unity” There is one who were now a tremenFBLA memory dous part of my life. In that is the epitome of what this orga- those ten seconds, we shared a bond of
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THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
FBLA currently includes over 260,000 members nation wide, as well as chapters in Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Europe. There are also many publications distributed every year, such as the national publication Tomorrow’s Business Leader and The Professional Edge, the national publication for professional members. Some famous alumni FBLA include; Johnny Mathis (singer), Javaris Crittenton (NBA basketball player), and Ronnie Musgrove (former Governor of Mississippi and former FBLA-PBL national officer). Pat Nixon, President Nixon’s wife, was an FBLA adviser during her years as a high school teacher. Who knows? Perhaps your name will be the next one on this list!
friendship, purpose, and unity. It is difficult to express the emotional impact of that moment in words, but it was one that completely transformed my experience in FBLA. There are so many reasons to strive for excellence through FBLA: the excitement of conferences, the expansion of business background, and leadership growth as an individual. Everyone is at a different stage of their FBLA journey. Be sure to utilize this organization as an opportunity to sharpen the skills that will Fuel Your Future. However, FBLA doesn’t conclude with high school. The friendships you build along the way will continue to impact you far beyond your high school career. My advisers, my teammates, and the people who stood beside me on February 19th have played a vital role in shaping the person I am today. They are my encouragement and support, the people behind the letters F, B, L, and A.
STATE NEWS Ten Ways to Show Your Advisers You Care!
adviser will be showered with love the entire day. Encourage your officers to include in their thank you letters a personal memory with your adviser. These memories will make the letters more endearing and interesting.
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3. Poster Surprise
by Linxi Wu
ith Sectional Conferences and Adviser Appreciation Day coming up on February 10th, 2011 is ripe with occassions for you to show your advisers some love. For all the sacrifices they make to make your chapter run smoothly, they certainly deserve appreciation. Although most advisers put in the hours out of unconditional love, a little reminder of their irreplaceable role to your chapter can brighten up their day. Finally, for adviser appreciation, it is truly the thought that counts. Do not worry about spending extravagant amounts for an expensive gift; it is all about the message. If you do have to spend some money, try to divide it up amongst the members or the officers. If everyone contributes $5, you will have more than enough money to create a memorable gift. Below are 10 low-budget ideas to consider:
1. Morning Treats
Find out when your adviser usually gets to school. Buy your adviser some coffee and doughnuts. Get the custodians or another teacher to open up your adviser’s room in the morning and leave the morning treats on their desk with a thank you note.
2. A Day of Love
Have every officer write a thank you letter. Buy some candy to go with each of the letters. Package the candy with the letters, whether in an envelope or a paper bag, and have the person who wrote the letter deliver it to the adviser, one package per period. This way, your
Make at least 20 posters with various messages to your adviser. After your adviser has left afterschool. Get a custodian or another teacher to open up the classroom so you can put the plaster the posters all over. When your adviser comes in the next morning, they will be pleasantly surprised by a roomful of color. Do not forget to leave a thank you letter on their desk while you are at it. If you are feeling extra thankful, you might also add in helium balloons. Careful to get the balloons in the morning or they might deflate.
4. Sing Song Silliness
Write up a song or a rap for your adviser. Try to include some of your memories from a conference or a trip in the lyrics. Make copies of the lyrics for your members and perform it during a meeting. Be sure to record your adviser’s reactions!
5. FBLA Fun
Purchase some accessories or supplies from the official FBLA Marketplace: http://www.fblamarketplace.com/ as gifts. There are FBLA flashdrives, FBLA mugs, and even FBLA candy jars!
6. Car Wash
This can be a little tricky in terms of timing, but try it out. Find out what car your adviser drives. Organize a few members to wash it. Leave a note on the windshield. For example, “We hope we saved you some work. We love you! -LOHS FBLA”
7. Telling T-shirts
Make your adviser a t-shirt with a message. Get creative, get funky! It can be something that commends them: “Certified Awesome” (with the officers signatures), or an FBLA related joke: “Curfew Queen.” Leave a message on the back of the t-shirt, and “force” your adviser to wear for the whole day!
8. In the Spotlight
Submit an application for the Charles Dee Cox Outstanding Local Chapter Adviser award. You will need to fill out a simple information sheet and solicit 3 letters of recommendation for your adviser. The judging is based on years of involvement in FBLA and the level of involvement. This award begins at the section level. You can find more information about this award at http://cafbla.org/Library%20 Documents/2009%20CAP/Outstanding%20Local%20Chapter%20Adviser. pdf
9. Album Galore
Create a scrapbook or a simple album of pictures for your adviser. Collect any pictures members may have of your adviser, and go wild with decorations. Add in the inside jokes, the conference namebadges, and random quotes from members to make it even more meaningful. For a thoughtful twist, you can burn the pictures onto a CD and include it in the package.
10. Dinner Delight
Treat your adviser to have lunch or supper with members and officers! Make sure to reserve ahead of time, and pick a restaurant that your adviser will enjoy. Consider inviting your adviser’s family as well, because that will make for some intimate bonding time for your chapter.
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 10
STATE NEWS Marketing FBLA to the Community by Erik Nguyen
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hy should you market FBLA to the community? The answer to that question is quite simple. Just take a moment to think about all of the potential benefits you could receive from the community. Whether it’s one-on-one business relationships, or a partnership with the local Chamber of Commerce, or sponsorships, the possibilities are endless if you know how to market your chapter to the public. In order to take full advantage of these potential partnerships, you first have to think about how you will market yourself.
How to market
that larger chapters receive. These next four steps should help any chapter, new or old, market themselves to their community effectively.
1. Know your target market and identify benefits
Just like in any new business, the first thing you want to do is identify your target market. Everyone’s community is comprised of different businesses and groups. Your target could be a small business to work with for the Partnership with Business project, a Rotary Club to do service activities with, or a Chamber of Commerce to find internship and sponsorship opportunities. Once you choose a target market, identify what you want from them and what your chapter can offer in return. Remember: networking is always double-sided, so you must be able to provide your target market with something in return for its help. If the proposed relationship benefits both parties, they are far more likely to consider it.
There is no clearcut way to market a chapter to the “Oftentimes, the ben- 2. Be active community, sim- efits a smaller chapter After identifying your target market and ply because every out what chapter is differreceives are signifi- figuring benefits you can ofent. There are fer them, focus on cantly better than the many factors that having a presence in play a role in an benefits that larger the community. This effective marketcould be as simple as ing strategy, from chapters receive” displaying the FBLA how long a chapter logo at all your events has been around, around your community, or as intense to how many members it has. While as designing bumper stickers and more established chapters might have sending copies of your chapter newsa better time at this, there is no realetter to local businesses. Another acson for a newer or small chapter to be tivity chapters could do is to contact deterred by its size. Often times the their Chamber of Commerce and ask benefits a smaller chapter receives are to attend or help out with local mixers. significantly better than the benefits
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This is a great way to show your presence and maybe hand out a few business cards. Businesses definitely want to see youth active in the community, and will look well upon any organization that actively participates in their community.
3. Make your presentation
Prepare some sort of presentation to give to give to your target audience. This could be a PowerPoint, or a simple display board. You want to get across your message in the best way possible. Call the business or organization to set up a meeting and find out what is provided in terms of facilities. Rehearse your presentation a few times. Be sure to make your goal and your benefits clear. On the day of the presentation, be dressed in your formal attire and arrive about 10-15 minutes early to make a good impression.
4. Follow up
Regardless of what happens at the meeting, take the time to follow up with the business. Thank them for the opportunity to meet with a handwritten note, and if they said no, try asking them their reason for saying no so you can improve for next time. If they said yes, make sure to follow through with your promise and commitment.
Additional information
Don’t be scared to attempt to contact other organizations. It doesn’t hurt to try and the benefits are definitely worth it. Marketing your chapter is the next step. If you want additional information, feel free to contact me at southernpresident@cafbla.org or go to the cafbla.org website and download the “How to Market FBLA” Guide.
STATE NEWS Chapter Headlines Sutter Union High School Ben Bogert, Public Relations Officer
S
utter Union High School Future Business Leaders of America held the 1st Annual ‘Hands of Hope Walkathon’ on November 19, 2009, to raise money for the Yuba City Hands of Hope “Teen Room” that they will be designing for this year’s Community Service Project. Twenty-eight chapter members participated in the walkathon at the Sutter High track raising an astonishing $845. FBLA members and officers gathered at the starting line on the track, during their lunch, and had 10 minutes to run/walk as many laps as they could. The member/officer who finished with the most laps received a “movie night” themed gift basket from Sutter FBLA. This was just one of many fundraisers that Sutter High FBLA has planned for Yuba City Hands of Hope.
? Did your chapter do something special too
cafbla.org!
Send your chapter press releases to pr@
Rancho Cotate High School Alexis Montgomery, Public Relations Officer
O
n September 27, Rancho Cotate High School’s FBLA joined forces with the environmental club for a beach clean up at Salmon Creek. The clean-up was a success, and after about one hour of searching the coast the team proved victorious with multiple bags of trash. Then there was lunch: members dispersed into the dunes to eat and socialize. After lunch, the team stayed at the beach for about an hour while interacting through playing football, making sand castles, and having a good time. “There was more to this event than cleaning the beach,” Rancho Cotate FBLA Vice President Waiyee Tam said. “I wanted the members to get to know each other, and I wanted FBLA to develop a relationship with other school-wide organizations. I think we accomplished both.”
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 12
SECTION NEWS Issue 2 – D ecember
THE
Bay Breeze
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Section Calendar ! ! !
Happy Holidays, Bay Section FBLA!
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It was excellent getting the opportunity to meet many of you at OAT Day and the Leadership Development Institute – North. I hope you had a blast at these conferences! Throughout the next several months, I encourage you to continue working hard in achieving chapter projects, state projects, and our section project Champions of Bay.
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Competitions season is also gearing up, so be sure to get those study resources ready! I am excited to see everyone on February 27 at Lynbrook High School for this year’s Bay Section Leadership Conference!
Inside this Issue
Best wishes for this Holiday Season. Alissa Song
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$ SALMON CREEK CLEAN UP By Alexis Montgomery ;/#-'>#4.?-$80/4#/$$$$$$ $$@$ $ $$$$$$$$$$$$$ $ On September 27, Rancho Cotate High School 3)*A04$8/##=$8*#)4$ FBLA joined forces with the environmental club B9$ @$$ for a beach clean up at Salmon Creek. The clean $ $$ up was a success, and after about one hour of searching the coast the team proved victorious 1C-'4#--$;*)4$ with multiple bags of trash. For lunch, members <0/=-"09$ $@$ dispersed into the dunes to eat and socialize. Afterwards, the team stayed at the beach for $ about an hour to play football, make sand castles, 1)2$3#(.'04$8")9.#/$ and have a good time! FBLA members were able B9>).#-$$$$$$$$ D$ to get to know each other better, as well as $ work with other school-wide organizations. E#*)2$&0/$6'&#$0&$F)*2$$ 8'.2$ $D$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$
BUSINESS PLAN WORKSHOP
$
By Angela Gu On Saturday November 14, Monta Vista FBLA held its 6th Annual Business Plan Workshop in conjunction with DECA, another business organization on campus. Members of Bay Section FBLA were all invited to attend an engaging series of workshops held by the Venture Capital Private Equity Roundtable of Silicon Valley on how to create effective business plans and hear from professionals in the business community. In addition to workshops on topics such as marketing and finance, members also had the opportunity to listen to company venture capitalist presentations from Loilo and Tigo Energy. This business plan workshop was once again a success as members learned and gathered information to take back with them and use on their own FBLA competitions.
$ $ $ $ $ $ $
13
Write for the Bay Breeze!
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Winter 2009
SECTION NEWS BAY SECTION CHAPTER UPDATES
Your Bay Section Officer Team:
Rancho Cotate Eric Lu
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
Homestead High School Kathy Sun
Independence High School Debra Pacio Live Oak High School Roger Sanchez
Monta Vista High School Angela Gu
Petaluma High School Scott Vanderlind The Harker School Jeffrey Tan Westmoor High School Christine Kyauk Gunn High School Cynthia Hua Cupertino Middle School Sangeeta Mondal Cupertino High School Michelle Lai Los Altos High School Caleb An
Rancho Cotate FBLA is already off to a great start with over 45 members. They are excited for their continued growth and FBLA's activities in this coming year." Homestead FBLA has launched several committees: Public Speaking, Technology, Go Green, and Business Relations Development Committee. Their most recent volunteering event was Light the Night where members raised over $170 for leukemia. Independence High School FBLA hosted the annual Homecoming Tailgate Food Faire where they sold food before their homecoming football game. This was a great opportunity to promote FBLA. The FBLA chapter sponsored the annual Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive. Cans and donations were collected in front of the local grocery stores. Over 5,000 cans were sorted, packed, and delivered along with a turkey to 125 needy families in the Morgan Hill Unified School District. To help members acquire some fundamental business skills, Monta Vista FBLA has been holding an Ozark Lollipop fundraiser for the past month. By allowing members to freely sell their lollipops to students on campus, many students were able to successfully gain profit to fund for their future FBLA conferences! Petaluma FBLA sold cookie dough to raise money for LDI North. PHS has planned its annual Holiday Fair and Petaluma Chapter FBLA intends to take full advantage of that to further raise money Harker FBLA started its annual online stock simulation with a total of 50 teams competing this year, including teams from the school's Economics classes and DECA chapter. Westmoor FBLA is getting ready for the holidays! They will be selling winter glove grams and hosting a winter photo-op. Also, they will be holding their annual Winter Social. Gunn High School is having a chapter film festival about environmentalism. Cupertino Middle School is creating a business plan for their very own student store. Cupertino High School helped plan the De Vargas Elementary School Pumpkin Festival and the downtown San Jose Christmas in the Park Festival. The chapter also visited the San Jose Mercury News office. Los Altos High School will be selling potstickers at their school Holiday Fair. A social was held to strengthen the bond between members, especially the upper and lower classmen.
RELAY FOR LIFE OF DALY CITY By Christine Kyauk Westmoor FBLA participated in the Relay for Life of Daly City, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society held at Westmoor High School on August 1 and 2. This 24-hour event was a huge success, as FBLA members led teams, manned the registration tables, and helped set up and clean up. Members were able to enjoy the many entertainment acts in between volunteer shifts, which included bands such as Public Gluttony and Reeking Havoc. FBLA members Christine Kyauk, Richard Tai, Manuel Rapada, and Edric Kyauk were team captains of about ten people who fundraised over $1,000 per team. The Relay for Life served as a learning opportunity for FBLA members as well as an experience to enjoy with their friends. Overall, the Relay for Life of Daly City was a huge success as over 150 people from the community participated.
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 14
SECTION NEWS
Central Section Connection Winter 2009
President’s Corner Hello Central Section, I just wanted to start off by congratulating the Central Section members that graduated both the Officer Adviser Training Day at Corcoran High School and the Leadership DevelopmentNorth which was held in Santa Clara. You all are now closer to achieving the Central Section Perfect award which will be awarded at the State Conference. Speaking of the State Conference, the date for this conference has changed from the date originally posted. The state conference will be held in Irvine on April 15-18, 2010. Imran Noorali, Central Section President
OAT Day Recap
Shelina Noorali | Executive Secretary The Central Section has done it again! Indeed, this past October 3rd was truly a blast, and a great head start to fueling your futures! Seventeen schools were present, bright and early at the Corcoran High School Gym for the Officers’ Advisers’ Training Day (OAT). Imran Noorali, our section president, began the conference by welcoming all the chapters and introducing the section officers. After a quick presentation by the section director, Mr. Robert Franklin, and a run through of other preliminary agenda items, each officer presented a workshop on one of the state projects. Through informative yet brief PowerPoints, each officer was able to convey the project’s main points and benefits. As the conference went on, the energy was kept alive through icebreakers. Some of them included the “Get To Know Your Section” icebreaker as well as the teambuilding “Magic Carpet!” activity. Soon enough it was time for Round Table Discussion! Each section officer was assigned a topic to research that would not only benefit the chapters, but also other goals the members may have. Some of these topics included “Running for Section Office” and “Fundraising”. Members were instructed to attend three, twenty minute, Round Table Discussions. In addition, each workshop was complete with handouts and visual aids to better help the members. After an exciting “Boardwalk” activity,
15 THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
courtesy of Corcoran High School FBLA, each chapter headed for lunch outside. Fantastic weather and enthusiastic students were also one of the many reasons for such a successful OAT Day! As lunch came to a close, and after our “Dum Dum Diddy” energizer, Imran and all the advisers attended a meeting. Stephanie Chamberlain, our section Vice President, conducted the FBLA Big Bucks Bingo for all of the remaining members. Through an energetic activity, and an informative PowerPoint, Stephanie was not only able to create a chapter bonding activity, but also individually prepare each member for his or her “Future” degree of the Business Achievement Award. Afterwards, members attended a workshop specifically for their chapter’s officer position. All of the members attending the workshop received an officer packet instructing him or her how to carry on their duties as a chapter officer. After a fun filled and informative day, each officer had successfully completed OAT Day! The graduation ceremony gave each member individual recognition for their positive efforts at OAT Day. Along with a certificate, each member received the FBLA national pin from NLC as a token of appreciation. Overall, this conference was more than just a success; it was an achievement for the Central Section as a whole. Together, as the Central Section officer team, we would like to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication as FBLA officers. We wish you all the best in your chapters and in your individual FBLA year!
SECTION NEWS Central Section Connection Winter 2009 Page 2
Hello FBLA! My name is Betsy Figueroa, your Central Section Treasurer this year. I am currently a Junior at Corcoran High School and it’s my third year in FBLA. I extremely enjoy meeting new people, shopping, dancing, and singing; even though I am not good at singing. I also like traveling and one day I plan to travel all around the world. I am totally looking forward to meeting all of you and together make FBLA the best ever!
Betsy Figueroa
Central Section Officer Elections
By Felipe Garcia, Central Section Historian/ Parliamentarian Do you have great ideas for FBLA, and wish you had the chance to implement them? Well, here is you chance, Central Section Elections are on their way, and you can run to make a difference. Here are four easy steps to reach your opportunity: 1. Fill out your Officer Application (posted on the California FBLA website) 2. Mail Officer Applications postmarked by January 8 to Mr. Franklin, Central Section Director 3. Come for an for interview at Monache High School, 960 North Newcomb St. Porterville, CA, on January 23, 2010, at 10:30 A.M. along with your adviser. 4. Campaign at the Central Section Leadership Conference, at Monache High School, on February 27. Remember, elections are coming up; don’t miss your chance to make a difference!
Central Section Leadership Conference Preview By Betsy Figueroa, Central Section Treasurer
Felipe Garcia Hello Central Section! I am your Central Section Historian/Parliamentarian, Felipe Garcia. Like my good friend Shelina, I am a Sophomore; however, I go to Corcoran High School instead. I play sports like many others: football to be exact (Go Panthers); for those who know the game, I play quick/right guard. This year I am Corcoran’s chapter president, but I am also very active in other clubs. I am a part of our school’s Air Force Junior ROTC officer team where I am a Cadet 2nd Lieutenant. I am also a part of the leadership council for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). All that, and I still balance my grades…don’t worry I am not failing any courses. I hope to see you all at CSLC!
Guess what FBLA? Central Section Leadership Conference is just around the corner. This year you can enjoy it in Monache High School, on February 27. Get ready to compete, to elect next year’s officers, and possibly win valuable prizes in our March of Dimes drawing. In addition, there will be lots of fun activities at the McDermott Field House that afternoon. So get ready because we want you to join us, win prizes, earn recognition, become a possible Central Section leader, and meet new and interesting people. Register today and we’ll see you there!!!
Did You Know…
By Patty Ma, Central Section Recording Secretary Anna Eshoo was once the Central Section President and is now the Pitman Co-adviser. x Manteca High School FBLA was first activated in 1949. x Our Central Section Director, Robert Franklin, has an adorable wiener dog named Gidget. x Did you know we have three reactivated chapters: Tracy High School, Manteca High School, and Caesar E. Chavez High School in Delano, CA. x
Upcoming Dates for 2010 January 8—Central Section Officer Applications postmarked January 23—Central Section Officer Candidate interviews February 9—Central Section Leadership Conference registration postmarked February 27—Central Section Leadership Conference March 16—Central Section Projects due
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 16
SECTION NEWS
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
G LDPOST
Hello everyone! I hope the year is going well for you. For those who attended the Leadership Development Institute, I hope you had a blast; I know I did! If you were unable to attend, do not fret; we have another joint section activity coming up! The magnificent Gold Coast, Inland and Southern sections are holding a Sports Marketing Event at the LA Kings Game on January 9. I encourage you to come and network with people from all over Southern California. Before the game, a business tour of the stadium will be held. And in only two months on the 6th of March, we have our amazing Section Leadership Conference! This year it will consist of equal parts of competitions, fun, and awesomeness. Furthermore, I encourage all of you to embrace the leader within you, and apply for Section Office. It is an exhilarating experience that will enable you to learn lifelong skills that will help you dominate in your career, and leave you much the wiser. Show the world what Future Business Leaders of America are truly about! Hope to see you soon at the Kings Game!
THE
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION SERVING THE GOLD COAST SECTION OF CALIFORNIA FBLA
DEVANG SAMPAT
Issue 2 Winter 2009 December 7
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE By Jennifer Tran (Gold Coast Secretary/Treasure)
Chapters all across Southern icebreakers that sure rocked with the March of Dimes California arrived at the Hyatt the members’ socks off and dance. Regency Irvine on November rallied the crowd to cheer Early Sunday morning, a 21 to attend the long anticipated “FB?!” “LA!” all night long. test drive on written com2009 Leadership Development The Grand Prix was a fantastic petitive events was given to Institute-South. The members, where conference kicked they took sample off with guest tests to test their speaker Cary knowledge. Other Trivanovich, who members attended captured the attenworkshops on skill tion of his audience and presentation with engaging stoevents. Everyone ries and humor at left with the knowlthe general session. edge that will defiFollowed by the nitely fuel their inspiring speech, competitiveness at Southern, Inland and Gold Coast Section Officers pose members attended Section. The confor a picture after closing session various workshops ference ended with presented by the Section Offi- networking session to meet a breakfast buffet and closcers from public speaking to new friends and bond with old ing speech by Cary tips to college admissions, and ones. The ballroom then Trivanovich. While the even graphic design! Attendees opened its doors for hot Salsa memories and friends made let loose for an exciting evening dancing lessons taught by our at the conference were of entertainment. California very own section members priceless; this is just the PBL members led the Grand from Charter Oak. Saturday beginning. Exciting times Prix session with stimulating night concluded on a high note are ahead of us. Members
Going Green on a Whole New Level By: Leslie Chang (Gold Coast Vice President of Service)
Yes, I recycle. I also have a food compost and hybrid, not to mention my reusable lunch box and water bottle. But no, I do not just pull these out when it is time for me to complete the FBLA Go Green State Project; I go green every day. . LA KINGS— January 9 In a world where going Membership Dues—February 3 green is the new thing, it only sense for the future busiGold Coast Section Conference makes ness leaders of America to follow along and do their part in —March 6 saving our earth. The Gold State Leadership Conference Coast Goes Green Chapter Project was established to be —April 15-18 environmentally conscious and
UPCOMING EVENTS
17 THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
to work on increasing awareness and carbon reduction among the world’s upcoming business leaders. How can we fuel our future if we are not even (alternative) fueling our planet? And we wonder why our climate seems to be so erratic. . This section project will ensure that Gold Coast FBLA goes green every day. Chapters who complete the project will receive the first and only ribbon ever to be achieved at the section level: the Go Green ribbon. Chills should run down your spine at the thought of wearing the only ribbon attainable at section, and saying to others: “Yeah, there’s only one
ribbon, and I got it.” Gold Coast FBLA, this is your call to action. Start improving tomorrow, today. More information is available for download on the Gold Coast blog; be sure to read the instructions carefully and complete each task diligently. Contact Leslie Chang at goldcoastvpservice@cafbla.org for questions.
SECTION NEWS Send us your pictures, ideas, inputs, articles and more at goldcoastpr@cafbla.org Students from Walnut High School pose with their plaques
Officer Adviser Training Day By: Angela Chang (Gold Coast Vice President of Membership) On September 26, chapter officers and advisers spent their Saturday at Gabrielino High School “fueling their future” at the Officers’ and Advisers’ Training Day. After introductions and playing a short ice breaker activity, members were dismissed to attend two rounds of workshops. One was specific to their officer positions and the second session was devoted to the state projects. While the chapter officers learned from the section officers, the advisers met to discuss issues specific to their chapter needs. Before lunch, officers were tested on FBLA knowledge including what they had learned at the workshops with a game of FBLA Jeopardy! The one hundred OAT Day attendees quickly got into the competitive spirit as they each fought to gain the most points. The day closed with a delicious Italian pasta lunch, and officers and advisers left with new connections, plans, and confidence for the 2009-2010 FBLA year.
Getting Competitive By: Devang Sampat (Gold Coast President) It's that time of year again. Christmas? Why no, I mean studying time for the Section Leadership Conference! No matter what event you are competing in, there is a way to study for it. For the written examinations, I suggest asking your chapter officers for old tests that you can practice with. Also, be on the lookout for OAT Day at Gabrielino HS comprehensive review books regarding your competition, such as a n y t h i n g o n t h e C o m p T I A By: Leslie Chang (Gold Coast Vice President of Service) certifications if you are competing in a It’s a big deal, the an- this breathtaking event). working experience, and not technology related event. Once you nual Tournament of Roses, This year, Gold Coast to mention a lot of fun! have your materials to study from, find when hundreds of girls FBLA members will have a nice quiet place away from your In addition, Rose Float from all around the Los the opportunity to be part decorating qualifies for the friends, computer, and phone to begin Angeles area congregate in of this float making magic. “Other” section in the Gold studying right now. If you Pasadena in hopes of being procrastinate, you will not be able to Working on the floats is Coast Go Green Chapter selected the next Rose a great bonding and netreach your potential! If you put it off Project, so if chapters Queen. But even till tomorrow, the next day you will are able to provide at more important put it off again and it will lead to a least five people for than the Rose snowball effect of procrastination. each shift on one Court are the Finally, if you need any direction on particular day, they Rose Floats: what to do to get first place, talk to will be able to use magnificent previous competitors who in that event this for their Decemstructures on that have placed. They will give you ber Go Green activwheels that travel fantastic advice on what to do and ity. six miles in the what to study from. So crack open traditional Rose those books, and I'll see you up on Parade (January Work on floats just like these, while stage, receiving that 1st place plaque! 1, 2010 marks meeting other FBLA members!
A Cut Above the Rest!
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 18
SECTION NEWS DECEMBER 2009 | INLAND SECTION VOL 2
President’s Cor ner Hello Inland Section FBLA! As we reach the midpoint of this amazing FBLA year, I would like to thank all the chapters who are doing a great job so far. The state officers are reciprocating your work by launching a series of new guides, recruiting mentor adviser, and creating new channels of communication. Our efforts show: California membership is the best in the nation at this time, and attendance at LDI-South increased to almost 600. Keep up the good work, and renew your energy to finish the year strong. Apply to be a section officer to continue the legacy
Calendar Jan. 8—Section Officer Applications Deadline Feb. 9—Inland Section Conference Registration Deadline Feb. 10—FBLA Adviser Appreciation Day Feb. 27—Inland Section Conference @ Santiago High School, Corona
of Inland Section excellence, and to have fun. Utilize your free time to prepare for Section competition, which is coming up around the corner. E-mail me for any question. And finally, enjoy your time in FBLA. Happy Holidays and have a wonderful New Year! Linxi
Wu,
Ayala High School members take a picture before movie day
President
Centennial High members volunteer at local elementary school
Chapter Highlights What have the other chapters of the Inland Section been up to? Found out! October 17, 2009: Centennial High FBLA members volunteered at a local elementary school’s annual harvest festival. Members helped set up, clean up, and run booths. A booth was also set up to raise awareness of FBLA and for the March of Dimes campaign.
19 THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
G i n ny Wu
November 11, 2009: Ayala High School's FBLA hosted an after school Movie Day with approximately fifty people in attendance. Members watched "An Inconvenient Truth," an informational documentary about global warming by Al Gore. This activity was done following guidelines given by CA FBLA's Goes Green State Project! Members enjoyed snacking on popcorn and drinking punch!
November 14, 2009: Los Osos FBLA members, along with the FBLA members from Rancho Cucamonga High School, participated in the Founder's Day Parade. They held balloons and walked through the parade. December 17, 2009: Letha Raney Intermediate hosted their first school cleanup for FBLA Goes Green State Project!
SECTION NEWS DECEMBER 2009
Competition Preparation - N i c o l e H wa n g Hey, Inland Section, as you know, our section conference is coming up, as well as our first competitive events of the year. The conference will be a great opportunity to network with members from all over the region, but equally important, it will give you a chance to show off your business skills and knowledge. If you have not already started preparing for the competitions, it's never too late to plan now. Here are a few easy tips to follow: Talk to your chapter adviser to choose an event that best fits your interest; reserve thirty minutes to an hour a day to study the test material and take the practice tests online; and make flash cards to aid your
memory, as some competitive events may ask questions that require memorization of technical terms. If you are preparing for a presentation, always remember to practice in front of not only mirrors, but also your family, friends and chapter members. The competition in February is fast approaching, so if you are aiming for the first place prize, start studying now, and ask around for assistance on special preparation tips and advices. Best of luck, Inland!
Running for Office - C h a n c e H a r ve y Running for office is a commitment to say the least, but it can also be one of the best experiences of your high school career. To become an Inland Section officer there are some conditions that must be met and you will be required to campaign for the office that you wish to hold. There are several positions of office that you may run for:
President Vice President of Programs VP of Communications/Tech. Secretary Historian Parliamentarian
There are many great opportunities to be had if you decide to run! It is a great opportunity to become more involved in FBLA. If you are one of those people who feel that you love FBLA and feel you want to go more in depth, then you should definitely consider running for an officer position. For more information about running for office or for deadlines, please feel free to visit our website: inlandfbla.org and cafbla.org
The Leadership Development Institute South was held on November 2122 at the beautiful Hyatt Regency in Irvine. At LDI, the section officers of the Inland, Gold Coast, and Southern section were responsible for creating and organizing different and innovative presentations to present to fellow FBLA members. There were a variety of different workshops ranging from Computer Design, Networking, Etiquette, Time Management, Rocket Arena, Public Speaking, and much more. When the workshops came to an end, LDI held many fun-filled night activities such as the March of Dimes Dance, Grand Prix Icebreakers, and Salsa Dancing Lessons! Also attending the event was a special guest speaker, Mr. Cary Trivanovich who performed his “Dance of Life”, a spectacular dramatic piece, at closing session.
- Catherine Dang LDI and OAT Day Recap This year, Inland Section Officer Training Day (OAT) was held at the University of Riverside. This year’s theme was “Fuel Your Future” We would like to thank the UCR PBL Officers by organizing our entertaining icebreakers. Our section officers organized general FBLA workshops to inform our new school officers more about FBLA. Our OAT Day was a success with fun ice breakers, informative workshops, an amazing lunch and tons of fun!
Sustainability within Chapters As a chapter, continuity is always essential. Your chapter might have seen its membership boom, its funds rise, and its projects completed; however, while this is indeed impressive, the sign of a particularly impressive chapter is its ability to stamp success onto the coming years. While you are working on making this year the best yet, keep in mind that one of your greatest responsibilities is preparing your chapter for success in the future. One of the most important aspects of chapter sustainment is the officer election process. Not only must you make sure that the right people are chosen for the officer position, you must also develop leadership skill in the coming officer team. Every chapter knows about the general election process –
potential officers sign up, they have an interview, they give a speech, all members vote, and the candidate with the most votes is elected as that officer for the coming year. However, this formula might not always be the best way to go. Consider these alterations to the formula: 1.
2.
Decide whether a process is actually necessary: will an interview process give valuable information regarding the candidate, and will this information be used in the selection process? Consider splitting up your election process of the officer positions: for example, you might want to appoint half of the positions through the interview, and publicly elect the other half.
D av i d M a o
3.
Consider allowing the adviser(s) to appoint officer positions: oftentimes, advisers will have valuable insight in how the chapter runs, and understand the skills needed in running a chapter more than the general members Once you decide your officer team, they need to be trained; of course, they do have leadership skills already (that’s why they were elected), but these skills need to be furthered. The summer break is a prime opportunity to develop leadership skills. Consider holding a chapter officer summit – a day of planning and activities to promote bonding within the team, responsibility, and leadership skills. You can also use this day to plan your POW form, and your year’s activities. Also, this year, OAT Day will be occurring before summer, rather than after, giving officers further incentive to start early.
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 20
SECTION NEWS ISSUE 2
XBE INFORMED ABOUT THE
WINTER
DEC 7, 2009
LATEST AND GREATEST
FUEL YOUR FUTURE!
X KEEP UP TO DATE WITH
Issue 2 Compiled by: Eric Chee northernreporter@cafbla.org
EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
X STAY CONNECTED WITH THE FBLA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION
NORTHERN SECTION
Northern Section Conference 2010! The upcoming Northern Section Conference is surely going to be the greatest section conference to date! This year, the Northern Section officer team decided to take this year’s Sections to a new level. At this conference, FBLA members can still expect the various competitive events and, of course, breakfast offered there; however, what is a new addition to this year’s Section experience is the live entertainment! Center High School in Antelope for the first time is going to be holding this year’s Section conference on March 6th. Sections is you’re key to opening the next step in leadership development at the state level. Northern Section chapters will compete in 60+ competitions to qualify for States. But Section conferences however are more than just for competitive events, but also a chance for members to run for office. The Northern Section would love to see many of you on stage this year. One of the most exciting parts of running for office is running for office! Campaigning not only helps you take that next step as a leader, but it’s a great way to get recognized and make new friends. Be sure to fill out the application which can be found on the CA FBLA website to plan your campaign now.
Ÿ 2nd Nature Dance Crew
YOUR OFFICIAL NORTHERN SECTION NEWSLETTER IMPORTANT DATES: • Northern Section Conference ………….………..March 6th • Section Registration forms due …..……………...January 15th • Officer candidate forms due …..…………………….. January 8th • California State Conference ……………..April 15th-18th
Ÿ Dr. Dave Hill, The Hypnotist The new exciting additions to this year’s conference are the entertainers that will be performing after the competitive events. The Northern Section is proud to have Dr. Dave Hill, the hypnotist and 2nd Nature Dance Crew come to our Section conference. Dr. Dave Hill is a professional hypnotist. He's been on Myth Busters, and a couple of nationally syndicated TV talk shows. Watch as your fellow FBLA members transform in doing something they’ve never done before. Who knows, maybe you’ll be one of the the lucky ones on stage! On top of that, prepare to see some amazing popping, locking and breakdancing from 2nd Nature Dance Crew. 2nd Nature has be asked to attend this year’s Sections to show off some of the sickest moves to date. You don’t want to miss it. With all these exciting new features to this year’s Northern Section conference, be sure to save the date. We can’t wait to see everyone this year at Sections, and we wish you good luck at your competitive events!
21 THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
President’s Corner: Miguel Puentes Hello again everyone, I enjoined getting to meet all you who attended the Leadership Development Institute North. That was the greatest LDI that I’ve ever attended and it was thanks to the energetic and enthusiastic members that attended. Its that time of the year when we are getting ready to go into vacation-mode. With finals, last minute shopping and family trips coming soon this time of the year becomes very stressful. Yet I know that you can all handle it. During your Winter vacation I challenge you to complete one of the state projects or even maybe a business degree. So enjoy your break and if you aren’t doing much one day log onto the CA FBLA website and see what you can do. Finally I would like to invite all of you to Center High School on March 6th, 2010, for the Northern Section Conference. I’m excited to announce that this conference will be an unforgettable one. I hope to see you there. Sincerely, Miguel Puentes
SECTION NEWS ISSUE 2
XBE INFORMED ABOUT THE LATEST AND GREATEST
WINTER
DEC 7, 2009
FUEL YOUR FUTURE!
Issue 2 Compiled by: Eric Chee northernreporter@cafbla.org
X KEEP UP TO DATE WITH EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
X STAY CONNECTED WITH THE FBLA NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION
NORTHERN SECTION
Northern Section Members! For Your Consideration. . . . At one of our section meetings, the Northern Section officer team was reflecting on the talents of members in our Section. Running for office at the Section level is fun and sometimes you win, but sometimes you lose. The same is true for making the decision to run for State office. The officers looked into how we could use the talents of a member who runs for State office but does not win. In the process of reviewing our Section Bylaws, we discovered that there is no provision for pulling that person in to serve at the Section level after a statewide campaign which ends in defeat. As a result of that discussion, the Section parliamentarian drafted revised text for our Bylaws which would potentially allow a person to serve at the section level after a failed run at a State office. This fall Mrs. Stalley sent an email to each active chapter in our Section asking the members to cast a ballot—yes or no—on the proposed revision to our bylaws. Please read the changes and take a local vote to pass or reject this revision. It’s your turn to participate in the democratic process! Thank you for your serious consideration of this issue.
GOT A NEWS ARTICLE? Tell us what’s going on in your FBLA chapter to be in the next North Star issue! Submit Your News today! Contact: northernreporter@cafbla.org
YOUR OFFICIAL NORTHERN SECTION NEWSLETTER
Above: Sutter Union High School visited Hands of Hope to host a “hoodie drive”
Sutter FBLA Kicks Off Community Service Project -Ben Bogert, Sutter Union High School Sutter Union High School’s Future Business Leaders of America Officer Team visited the Hands of Hope facility in Yuba City, Ca and delivered 250 hoodies on October 14, 2009. Hands of Hope is a locally chartered nonprofit corporation formed to provide supportive services to homeless families with children, seeking to alleviate the conditions leading to chronic homelessness. Sutter High FBLA hosted a “hoodie drive” for a week and a
half and collected 250 hoodie sweatshirts to donate to the Hands of Hope facility. Sutter’s FBLA Officer Team was able to tour the facility and got a chance to speak with Hands of Hope President Mike Mannshardt and Community Liaison Jan Sheppard. This was just one of many visits to Hands of Hope that Sutter FBLA has planned.
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 22
SECTION NEWS Winter 2009
The Southern Sun
Issue V - Page 1
Commemorating LDI’s Success
The Of�icial Newsletter of CA Southern Section FBLA
FBLA annual leadership institute hosted amid Southern Section Recap the adventures LDI granted ‘fueling your future!’ By Erik Nguyen President
Leadership Development Institute (LDI) South was a huge success. This year we had one of the highest attendance rates, and I hope to see that trend follow for Section and State. For those that went, I hope you all had a great time, as the section officers
of Southern, Gold Coast, and Inland Sections worked hard to put the event together. However, I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about LDI in our newsletter and from all your friends. For those who weren’t able to go, I strongly encourage you to attend next year. Let’s take a glance
at upcoming events. Southern Section is proud to present the LA Kings Sports Marketing Event on January 9. This event will even include a business tour of the Staples Center, including places only the basketball players would be able to visit. More information about this event will arrive soon, so be on
the lookout. Also, next year’s Southern Section Application will be arriving shortly. We are working on publishing those very soon. Please note that the 2009 Southern Section Conference has been moved to March 6. Hope to see each of you there! southernpresident@cafbla.org
Maximize your potential
Find out ways to divide your events to maximize your school’s potential. By Raymond Lee Vice President
show a strong passion and desire for particular events should be given priority. One way your individual chapter sucFurthermore, there are some students ceed is to have as many people qualify and who stand out in their talents. Guide these compete in higher students to the events that they level conferences. would do well in! There are mulTo do so, divide the tiple math-related events, speech numerous numbers events and even language relatof events for stued events that talented students dents based on their should be encouraged to join. willingness, talents One way you can let them and interests. know of these kinds of events Students who will Expanding Interests Unsure is by putting events into differhow to approach the competitive compete should un- events? Conduct some research to ent categories that are easier for derstand that this is expand your knowledge and repre- people to distinguish. another priority they sent your school However, don’t simply let must consider. Like students apply just based on tala class, they should be willing to sacrifice ent and skill. FBLA is here to provide an time and effort to get to know the material. opportunity for everyone, so allow some Fortunately, the fruits of their success spots to be taken by students who want to will be seen once they are recognized on experiment or are interested. top of a podium in front of hundreds of Hope you succeed as a chapter, and see students across our district. Students who you at Southern Section Conference! southernvp@cafbla.org
23 THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
SECTION NEWS Issue V - Page 2
Winter 2009
Five simple steps to an Internship Employers always want to hire people with experience yet how does a prospective employee obtain experience without a job? Fortunately, there is an answer: simply �ind an internship. Advice By Judy Park Secretary/Treasurer
Understand the benefits of an internship:
Some benefits may include job shadowing opportunities, hands-on business experience, boosting your resume, and even as simple as getting paid!
Find businesses that offer internships:
Most difficult step of the whole process. In the order from easiest to hardest, I would suggest...
FBLA Upcoming Events & Deadlines Compiled By Emily Tian Public Relations Officer
Jan. 9 LA Kings Sports Marketing Conference at Staples Center Jan. 15 Skill events, school-site testing forms for section conference - REQUEST DEADLINE Feb. 3 Membership deadline to be eligible for Section Conferences - MONEY RECEIVED Feb. 9 Section Conference Registration RECEIVED
• • • • •
Find connections (relatives, family friends, neighbors, even teachers) Search for established programs (i.e. Bank of America Student Leaders) Visit your school career center or counseling office (resources for internships, jobs, and Regional Occupational Programs) Search the web (tedious, I know) Pick up the phone (newspaper classified ads, Chamber of Commerce directory)
Obtain the internship:
You will probably need to submit a resume and cover letter and go through an interview process. Make sure that your resume and cover letter are professional, and convey your competency and passion for business.
Feb. 7-13 FBLA-PBL Week March 1 Professional Membership Dues Online Registration - DEADLINE March 1 Membership deadline to be eligible for State/National Conferences MONEY RECEIVED March 1 Individual Business Achievement Awards Entries - NATIONAL DEADLINE March 6 Southern Section Conference at University of California, Irvine March 12 State Leadership Conference skill events school-site testing form REQUEST DEADLINE
Complete the internship successfully:
This could include doing things such as wearing appropriate attire, arriving on time, and always following directions.
Get recognition!
Participate in the FBLA Internship Project due March 19. This is a very simple process of turning in your cover letter, resume, and thank you notes, writing a short blurb about your experience, and getting a form filled out by your employer.
Professional Attire If an interview is required, remember to wear professional business attire. Not only will you impress your superviser, but you may have a better opportunity of retaining, if not obtaining, the internship.
A copy of the FBLA Internship Project application and more directions can be found at www.cafbla.org under “Document Library.” southernsectreas@cafbla.org
March 19 State Projects Recognition Forms, American Enterprise Project Entries, Partnership with Business Project Entries, Community Service Project Entries - POSTMARKED March 25 Online Conference Registration closes - State Leadership Conference March 25 State Leadership Conference Hotel Reservations - RECEIVED April 6 All money for State Leadership Conference - RECEIVED April 15-18 State Leadership Conference at Hyatt Regency, Irvine For more deadlines, visit www.cafbla.org southernpr@cafbla.org
Winter 2009 THE CALIFORNIAN 24
SECTION NEWS Winter 2009
Networking in the business world and beyond How to make a lasting �irst impression: make your �irst three seconds count By C.C. Gong Partner w/ Leader
Do you go to see a movie because you saw the trailer on T.V. and it intrigued you? In just that minute of preview, you have already formed a bias about that movie as to whether it looks interesting or not, even though you have only glimpsed less than one percent of the movie. In the same way, people form an opinion, or first impression, about someone within the first three seconds of a new encounter…even if it’s just a glance. These first impressions can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, making those first encounters extremely important, for they set the tone for the all the relationships that follows. So, whether in your career or social life, it’s important to know how to create a good first impression. Make those three seconds count.
Networking is a great way to expand the world you live in. And whether you’re talking about LDI, a club social, or even a party, they’re all prime opportunities to meet new people and build a network of relationships. To do so, you must fight the temptation to just “hang out” with the people you already know. If you’re someone who doesn’t like to network because the thought of talking with people you don’t know intimidates you, consider that somewhere in that sea of strangers is probably a friend waiting to meet you for the very first time. Here are some general tips: Take initiative. Introduce yourself first, and be yourself! Be curious and interested in whom your counterpart is. Give your undivided attention by maintaining steady eye contact. Don’t look over the shoulder.
Use the name of your new acquaintance frequently. Establish a personal connection, but be careful with humor and sensitivities. You don’t want to establish a barrier. Most importantly, have fun! Be enthusiastic and cheerful, and take every opportunity to meet new people. If there’s an awkward pause, just move! Say something along the lines of, “Well it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope to see you around at the conference!” If you’re speaking to a business professional, ask for a business card. If your acquaintance is your peer, ask them for Facebook or Myspace pages, and don’t forget to add them. Connections in the business world are crucial for success. Start building networks now. Who knows? You just might meet them again in the future. southernpartnerwithleader1@cafbla.org
Breaking the ice
Having trouble conjuring interesting meetings? Well, “Die, Boring Meetings, Die!!!” By Samuel Yun Parliamentarian
The best solution to dissolving boring meetings is trying a few icebreakers. Changing the substance of meetings and adding a fun twist will energize a group of teens like ourselves. Below are a few icebreakers’ directions to ease your meetings. Admittedly, a few are outof-the-league in level of craziness, but you’ll find yourself cleansed of those ridiculously tedious meetings! 1.
“Screamers” - used to relieve initial tension and awkwardness. Group students into reasonable sizes, then instruct them to scream as loud as they can (in unison) every time they find themselves looking
2.
3.
into someone else’s eyes. Those who manage to escape the gazes of others are winners. “Animal Farm” - used to randomize students into official teams. All are given specific animals and instructed to make those animal trademark noises/ cries. Students then find others of the same species. At that point, it may be more like a raucous zoo than a meeting – but it can be a fun zoo! “Team Movie Pictionary” - mix of both teamwork and charades. Each team’s members stand in a line facing one direction. The person in the back is given a movie title and must describe that movie (using
25 THE CALIFORNIAN Winter 2009
4.
only body gestures) to the next person in just 5-10 seconds. The next person passes on those same gestures to the person in front, and so on. After the chain of charades is passed to the front, the most front person guesses the name of the movie based on the gestures seen. “Like An Animal” - each student thinks of a favorite animal and three characteristics that best describe that animal. Then, he finds an acquaintance, and tells that person how those three animal characteristics best describe his own personality. You’ll even hear people describe themselves as “fuzzy”! southernparli@cafbla.org
Issue V - Page 3