Features In This Issue:

Pg. 3 Akron FBLA

Pg. 8 Steps to Becoming a State

Officer

Pg. 12 - 24 State Officer Candidacy

Articles
 Chapter Articles
Elizabeth High School FBLA
Business Start-Up

By Courtney Roberts

The Elizabeth FBLA Chapter started a

new fundraising venture in 2010. The
chapter decided to take over the responsibility of our school athletic calendar advertising
fundraiser. This calendar is designed to serve as an advertising tool that local businesses can
use to market their products and services to a well defined market. Prior to this season, a pri-
vate company in California was hired to do this. We proved that our product could be better
than what the “professionals” produced. After several meetings with our school administra-
tors, we won the exclusive contract. Our FBLA members felt that this was an effective op-
portunity to involve our local community in supporting our school, and in the process make
money that would support our chapter and the Cardinal Club, which is a fund that supports
all clubs and athletics at Elizabeth High School. Even with a split in profits, we predict that
our chapter will earn a significant amount of money this year.

The Elizabeth High School Athletic Calendar project was divided up into three different
parts which were composed of a Marketing team, Technology team, and Finance depart-
ment. These different areas allow many members of our chapter to utilize their particular
skills in a very work like environment, while gaining a very real world experience of how a
business would actually work. The Marketing team went out and sold advertisements to
businesses around our community for the calendar. The Technology team designed and cre-
ated the calendar which involved a lot of computer oriented work, primarily involving ad-
vanced Photoshop techniques. The finance team dealt with pricing and kept financial records
of our profits.

The purpose of the Elizabeth High School Athletic calendar is to show a schedule of all of
Elizabeth High School’s athletic events for the given season, while effectively advertising
businesses throughout our community. There are three different calendars per school year;
one for fall, winter, and spring. Advertisements are sold for each season and the proceeds
support various activities that FBLA participates in throughout the year. We distribute 800
poster-sized calendars per season, to students, families, and local businesses. FBLA mem-
bers are responsible for delivery. In addition, we produce an 81/2 X 11 version for student
locker use and a fold-out version that fits conveniently in a wallet.

Elizabeth High School’s Athletic Calendar is clearly an effective way for our community to
support our school and for our FBLA chapter to run a reliable business.
 AKRON FBLA TRICK OR
TREAT ON MAIN STREET
& FALL ACTIVITIES

By Katie Holtorf

As always, Trick or Treat on Main

Street was a huge success. This annual
FBLA community service project pro-
vides a safe, fun afternoon of trick-or-
treating at the local businesses on
Main Street. Over 100 kids attended the event this year dressed up in their Halloween cos-
tumes. FBLA members passed out candy bags with safety tips and escorted groups from
business to business. FBLA also sponsored a Halloween coloring contest at the elementary
school with the winners receiving $5.00 gift certificates to Duckwall’s. Congratulations to
our coloring contest winners!!

Akron FBLA has also raised a total of $413.87 for the March of Dimes Foundation thus
far. This has been done through the “Baby Booth” at the National Radial Engine Expo, and
the “Arrest a Teacher” event held in conjunction with Homecoming week. We have had a
number of other activities this year as well. The month of September was our FBLA re-
cruitment party and our first fundraiser, selling lanyards to all of the students in our high
school. Our chapter numbers have increased exponentially from 34 to 51! Our officers at-
tended the yearly Fall Leadership Conference at NJC and had a great time at the work-
shops. We are currently gearing up for our March of Dimes cake raffle, Christmas party
with extreme dodge ball, district competition, and our participation in the local clothing

Big Sandy Santa Claus

By Big Sandy FBLA Reporter

The Big Sandy High School FBLA chapter started planning and preparing for our
community service project in our meeting on November 5th. Our FBLA chapter packaged
gift bags for the Elementary students in our school. The bags contained gloves, pencils,
erasers, toy cars for the boys, and headbands for the girls. We are looking forward to seeing
all of the smiling faces of the children when they talk with Santa Claus, get a candy cane
and receive our bags. We also invite the community to come and take their pictures with
Santa and the children of the community love it.
 Mountain Valley Trick-or-Treat For Can Goods

By Kameo Yarrow Mountain Valley Chapter Reporter

This year, as a community service project, our Chapter

wanted to do something that was thoughtful for the holi-
days. We "Trick-or-treated” for canned foods on Hallow-
een night and collected nonperishable items to be given
away to needy families at Thanksgiving. Everyone that we visited on Halloween was kind
and gave what they could to help with the activity. In the process we collected enough
canned goods for three families. We even had a member of the community donate twenty
dollars which was used to buy rolls, stuffing and pies. It did not stop here, however, one of
our members called a local potato farmer (Mountain Valley Produce) and asked them to
donate three bags of potatoes and Safeway provided Turkeys. With three gift boxes to give
we sent our Historian, Vice President and another member to deliver the boxes to the fami-
lies in need. All three of the families were very appreciative, and thanked our members for
the gifts. We achieved our goal of helping our community while also encouraging them to
participate in giving for the holidays.

Sterling High School

By Sterling FBLA Reporter

Sterling FBLA members are starting off

the year with great enthusiasm and dedica-
tion. With a new adviser and team of hard
working officers, Sterling FBLA is looking
forward to a successful year. The chapter
members have been showing their dedica-
tion by attending the chapter meetings and work nights, and volunteering to help with the
community service project. For the community service project a group of members went
door-to-door Trick or Treating for canned goods. All the cans were then donated to the lo-
cal food bank, as they are every year.

With the creative new ideas and help of our new adviser, Sterling FBLA is off to a great
start. We hope to meet our goals as individuals and as a chapter throughout the year.
 Smoky Hill FBLA
By Smoky Hill FBLA Reporter
Smoky Hill High School FBLA chapter is
110 strong this year. Our mission is to get
as many of those members involved in so-
cial activities, community service, leader-
ship development, and competition.
Some of the chapter highlights from this
fall include:
Homecoming BBQ/Tailgate Party
During homecoming week, Smoky Hill
FBLA hosted the first annual tailgate party.
Smoky Hill FBLA raised money for the
schools Invisible Children campaign
through the sales of the event. The tailgate
party was a huge success. The parking lot
was packed with students, teachers, par-
ents, and Smoky Hill supporters. Everyone
got excited for the game during the tailgate
party, socializing about homecoming and
getting their faces painted for the game.
Smoky Hill FBLA sold several hundred
hot dogs and hamburgers during the tail-
gate to raise money for Invisible Children.
Extreme Fest
At Smoky Hill’s annual Extreme Fest Car-
nival FBLA held their traditional Fish-
Pong booth. Extreme Fest is held during
homecoming week for all the clubs to par-
ticipate and raise money for Project Mercy.
The FBLA Fish Pong booth was a major hit
at Extreme Fest. Children and adults threw
ping pong balls into cups to try and win a
gold fish. The club was able to raise more
than $300 for Project Mercy
Junior Achievement Stock Market Chal-
lenge
Smoky Hill FBLA sent 16 competitors to
Denver University on Nov. 18th to compete
in the Stock Market Challenge. They
formed 4 teams and competed against 46
other teams from across the metro area.
Students had $500,000 to invest through a
simulated 60 day stock exchange. Students
used a trader with a PDA to sell and trade
their stocks in a real time simulation.
Smoky Hill had both the 1st and 2nd Place
teams in the morning competition, taking
home two BULL trophies and $300 in Best
Buy gift cards.
Smoky Hill FBLA has had a busy fall and
we are planning a bigger spring to come.
 State Officer Articles
2010 National Fall Leadership
Conference,
New Orleans, Louisiana

By Jerrod Montoya
Colorado FBLA State Treasurer

Warm weather and clear, sunny skies wel-

comed nearly thirty Colorado FBLA
members, representing six different local
chapters, into the city of New Orleans,
Louisiana for the 2010 National Fall
Leadership Conference. The conference which took place on November 12th and 13th was
kicked off Friday night by a moving, personal keynote from Alton Jamison. Jamison gave an
account of his experiences growing up, comparing his attitude to mental handcuffs. The con-
stant message that came from his talk was for us all to break away from our own handcuffs
as young adults, students, and student leaders. He also challenged those in attendance to take
the pledge of “I won’t!” to solidify the promise that they wouldn’t let themselves fall into
mental handcuffs along with other bad habits. Jamison concluded his presentation by en-
couraging students to not let their past define their future and to always strive for the best.

The conference continued on Saturday with workshops beginning early in the morning and
running up until the evening hours. Six different workshop sessions allowed students to fine-
tune their leadership skills by attending presentations of a wide variety of topics. Workshops
ranged from networking to officership and even from igniting your dreams to magic. After
the workshops all wrapped up speaker Shannon Pickard helped to draw the conference
closer to its end at the closing session. A complete turnaround from Friday night’s presenta-
tion, Pickard used his humor to entertain the crowd while teaching valuable leadership les-
sons along the way. He demonstrated how breaking out of your comfort zone was essential
to being a good leader and strongly stressed its importance. Once the crowd’s laughter had
subsided from Pickard’s presentation, the closing session concluded with the showing of the
2011 National Leadership Conference promotional video to get members hyped and excited
for this year’s competitions.

As always, the NFLC would not have been completed without the annual Blue Jeans for Ba-
bies social. The dance whose proceeds went to benefit the March of Dimes saw at least half,
if not more, of the conference’s attendees at the event. The fun-filled social was the perfect
ending to another outstanding conference!
Steps To Becoming a State Officer
By Erik Wislinsky
State President

"That's what I want to do! I want to be a State Officer!" These were the words I thought to
myself years ago at my first District Leadership Conference. I remember every detail of that
moment, watching the Vice Presidents from my surrounding districts give their speeches and
motivate the crowd. As soon as the conference was over, I talked to my adviser about run-
ning to be a State Officer.

Running for State Office is a simple process, even though it may be time consuming. By fol-
lowing these steps, you will be prepared and qualified to run as a State Officer Candidate.

The prerequisites for candidacy are: the candidate must be a current sophomore or junior in
high school, have at least a 2.5GPA, be approved by the local chapter adviser, and have held
an office in their chapter or district. So if you've been an involved FBLA member, good stu-
dent, and have an excellent work ethic, you're qualified to run for State Office!

The first thing you will need to do is write an article relating to FBLA or business education
(not chapter related) and submit it to the State Reporter (Michael Gabriel - michaelgab-
riel_fbla@yahoo.com) to be published in the Colorado FBLA Today newsletter. The dead-
line for all articles is March 1, 2011.

Next, complete and submit the State Officer Candidate Application. This is to be sent to
Deborah Ramirez, our State Adviser no later than March 7, 2011 (State Conference Registra-
tion Deadline). The application should include your resume, three specific letters of recom-
mendation, signed forms from the State Officer Guide, your high school transcript, and fly-
ers outlining your qualities and qualifications for a position on the State Officer Team. The
State Officer Guide, which includes details on all of this, may be found on the Colorado
FBLA website under the "State Officers" tab.

The selection process is held at the State Conference, in Vail, on April 17-19. At the SLC,
you will be sequestered with the other candidates. During this time, you will deliver a per-
sonally prepared speech to the selection committee, attend an interview with the selection
committee, take the FBLA knowledge test, and complete group activities with the other
state officer candidates. Your spare time will be spent getting to know the other candidates
and playing team-building games. Make sure to show the selection committee that you are
unique. They will probably have over 20 candidates to choose from, it is imperative that you
stand out from the crowd in a professional way.
Continued on Pg. 8
Steps To Becoming a State Officer
Continued...

And finally, bring your positive attitude! The selection room is going to be full of fun and
activities, you'll need a lot of energy and a smile on your face! And even if you don’t get a
position, I promise you will be happy with the experience. The interview, speech and mate-
rial preparation will surely prepare you for future jobs.

And if I may add one more important tip, be sure to read the "State Officer Guide" for-
wards and backwards. Don’t skip any parts! The guide will be your #1 resource for your
campaign.

If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to contact me or any of the other State Offi-
cers. We would be glad to help!

FBLA.Erik@gmail.com

FBLA’s Got Tallent

By Hali Furley
Colorado FBLA State Vice President
District 1

Everyone has heard of America’s Got Talent, American Idol, America’s Best Dance Crew
and Dancing with the Stars; but this year Colorado Future Business Leaders of America have
decided to see whose “Got the Talent!” During the State Leadership Conference held in Vail
we will be hosting the very first annual, “FBLA’s Got Talent!”

In order to qualify to compete at State Conference, you must send in a tape of your act to
Colorado FBLA by January 21, 2011. All acts then will be judged, and the top ten will per-
form at the conference. There will be a $2.00 fee for admission to watch and all proceeds
will be given to the March of Dimes and the Dave Sanders Fund. You must qualify in an
event, come as an observer, or as a voting delegate to participate in the competition.

I encourage everyone to take a shot at becoming the very first FBLA’s Got Talent winner!
Best of luck to all competitors and thanks for all of the support to the March of Dimes and
the Dave Sanders Fund!
 A New Epidemic
By Jenna Monheiser
Colorado FBLA State Vice President
District 4

Take caution! A new epidemic is about…

Over the past few years the usage of cell phones have skyrocketed, in fact, 57% of teens
view their cell phone as the key to their social life. Your parent’s are disconnecting the home
phone and referring to cell usage only. When your cell phone isn’t in your pocket, you know
you are missing something. You are so dependent on your cell phone that you use it for eve-
ryday tasks. You know your phone like the back of our hand and use the maps, search the
internet, check your e-mail, and even stay connected through Facebook on it! Then again,
you use them in case of emergency, and can stay updated and know where to be and when,
they make our every day asks easier! But remember, there is
a time and a place to use them.

FBLA Chapters across the United States are taking giant

steps toward communicating with its members…one new
form, TEXING! Members have the option of giving their
cell numbers to the adviser or a chapter president, meeting or event reminders are then sent
in a mass text message. Students are able to stay connected with others in a quick and effi-
cient manner. At conferences, messages are sent to chapter members to stay informed of the
events and sessions being held throughout.
Remember though, just because cell phone usage is the new outbreak, you don’t have
to show all “deadly” symptoms. As future business leaders keep your etiquette in mind when
using this device. Here are the impolite places and times to use your cell phones whether
you realize it or not:
· When a waiter or waitress is taking your order at a restaurant
· When in assemblies, workshops, or listening to speakers
· When in the elevator or bathroom
· Private conversations should not take place in public areas where you can be heard,
(keep conversations short and call them back later)
· Try to maintain ten feet from the nearest person when talking on your cell phone
· Don’t answer a phone when in the midst of a conversation,
call them back later.

Use common sense about when and where to use your cell phone,
even if you are just texting.

The cell phone epidemic is out, don’t let these bad symptoms get to you!
State Officer Candidacy
Articles
Platte Valley High School First Annual Bronco Invitational
By Ariana Olson

On Saturday November 20, 2010 the Platte Valley FBLA chapter hosted their first ever
Bronco Invitational. It was designed to be a practice of Districts in order to help members
better prepare themselves so that they may qualify for State. The Bronco Invitational offered
13 live events and 4 skill events to compete in. The cost of $10 included member’s registra-
tion and a lunch consisting of a potato bar and chili.

The keynote speakers were Kay Stroh, a teacher at Platte Valley for the past 22 years, who
shared her personal story with members and inspired them to find the positive in all situa-
tions that they encounter in life, and Officer Brinkworth, a Police Officer from Castle Rock
who emphasized the dangers of drinking and driving, texting and driving, and drug use.
Having keynote speakers helped bring a “District-like” feel to the Invitational as well as mo-
tivating members to work hard in FBLA.

Overall the invitational was thought to be an “awesome and new experience of leadership; it
was a fantastic, affordable opportunity to take advantage of in order to be more successful in
the upcoming competitive conferences.” The Platte Valley FBLA Chapter is hoping to make
the Bronco Invitational an annual event and it is making it open to all FBLA chapters who
would like to have members participate. This is just another way FBLA members are
“Breaking Barriers and Moving Mountains.”

Josh Garcia and Brett Reschke of Monte

Vista High School were awarded honor-
able mention for E-business from the
National Leadership Conference in
Nashville. An error was made at the na-
tional level, and they were not included
in the finals. Nationals apologized and
awarded Brett and Josh an honorable
mention.
Corporate Connection within Communities
By Ashley Clevenger

“What inspires you?” This question is posed in a new television commercial produced by,
John Paul DeJoria, the founder of Paul Mitchell. The advertisement runs for about a minute
and features employees of Paul Mitchell product lines advocating for their favorite causes.
The commercial comes to an end with DeJoria stating that giving back to those around them
is a pillar of the company’s foundation. Macy’s department store holds an annual nation-
wide charity event, Shop for a Cause, where they offer a 20% discount card, usable for the
entire day, if the customer donates $5 or more. The stores then use these donations from
their customers to make generous contributions to a multitude of non-profit organizations.
Paul Mitchell & Macy’s are only a few companies who believe volunteerism to be an es-
sence of their companies’ mission.

Companies taking civic responsibility and encouraging employees and customers to do the
same, stress the importance of service to others and their communities. These companies set
the bar in the business world. In times like these, giving service is vital. Some businesses
recognize this need and take action, plunging in head first, their employees right beside
them, ready to make a change. Others, sadly, are more reluctant to give their time and
money to those in need. Shouldn’t all companies step up to the plate and show the world
around them that there is more to their operations than to rake in millions of dollars each
year?

Many companies in the Arkansas Valley are joining this influential movement to help those
in the communities in which they set up their operations. Swink FBLA and other surround-
ing FBLA chapters are proud to have such caring businesses in our area. One example of a
business that has fulfilled its duty to help fellow citizens quite well is Southeast Mental
Health Service. The business and its employees, along with multiple other volunteers,
worked together to put on this year’s “StressBall Tournament” at Otero Junior College. This
annual tournament is held to raise money for a worthy cause. This year the money was do-
nated to raise breast cancer awareness, a common occurrence in the women in our small
community. The turn out was much higher than expected, meaning that a significant amount
of money was raised for this commendable, prevalent issue. It is businesses like these that
are an inspiration for others in our area to become more involved and show their local cus-
tomers that they really do care.

Continued Pg. 12
Corporate Connection within Communities
Ashley Clevenger: Continued

Another thing that we must consider, as members of the Future Business Leaders of Amer-
ica, is how we can encourage the businesses, which are somewhat shy when it comes to vol-
unteerism, to strive to become active in their communities. We are leaders; a great quality of
a leader is to spread your ideas to others without forcing those ideas upon them. We must
challenge ourselves to make it our goal to convince at least one local business to consider
the benefits of becoming involved in its communities. Movements spread; one act of shar-
ing your ideals can easily transfer onto 20 different people. This same idea comes into play
when trying to make a change in our communities by involving an influential group of peo-
ple, the businesses that employ a large chunk of our fellow citizens. We could be the change
we want to see in our communities, cities, and towns. We could work to increase the number
of members of the business world who are dedicated to their civic responsibility: to help
those who keep their revenue thriving.

Leaders, We Are the Future

By Jaclyn Nienhuser

Don Galer once said, “Integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do.” I be-
lieve this quote means that both what we say and do is important, but it is most important to
follow through with what we say we will do, committing ourselves to strong values and eth-
ics and being a reliable person for those that are holding us to our word. As an FBLA mem-
ber I shall strive to be honest and commit to those values of character that this organization
endeavors to uphold, as future leaders of this unique country. Above all, Americans want a
leader with integrity. Having integrity means possessing honor, virtue, allegiance, and re-
spect. The three most important ideas regarding integrity are known as the three R’s: respect
for self, respect for others, and responsibility for your actions, especially those actions that
are performed in the work place. As leaders, we must act with integrity at all times. The
strength of one’s character rests upon qualities such as personal courage and the endurance
required to stand up against those persons and ideas that are unjust, unethical, or dishonest.
As a member of my home, school, community, church and organizations, I have to be will-
ing to risk aspects in my own life, be willing to compromise with others, and to stand up for
those people that I am leading. To be a leader and to earn leadership, one must maintain the
highest level of character and integrity both on and off duty because you are modeling for a
group. As Future Business Leaders of America, we shall strive to model and uphold positive
character traits and values, for we are the next generation and we therefore hold the future of
business in our hands. Although standing fast to maintain this type of individual integrity is
not easy, upholding these qualities will make one a leader that people will not only follow,
but respect.
Attractive Leadership Qualities
By Heather Brunelli

Colorado’s Future Business Leaders of America need to understand the hard work and traits
that are required to be a triumphant and prominent leader. In today’s rapidly changing world,
leadership prevails everywhere. Leaders are constantly studied by people who look up to
them, requiring them to have the proper ethics throughout their everyday life. Leadership
comes in many different forms however all leaders share the common goal of helping their
group reach success. People who want; to lead, should be able to set the correct direction
for their team while building inspiring visions to help motivate, all while wanting to creat-
ing something new to foster change within their group.

Washington Irving once said, “Great minds have purposes while others have wishes” mean-
ing that only a true leader will chase his dreams, while followers will continue to dream.
Everyone has also heard the phrase, “Good leaders are made not born.” Hard work, motiva-
tion, determination, and a correct vision, are what make a leader. If a person has the passion
and determination to strive for success, he can become a valuable leader. Good leaders de-
velop through practice, not overnight. They continually work to improve their leadership
skills. Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objec-
tive and directs the organization in the correct path, the one towards success.

Some people whom considered themselves leaders give up on simple tasks, take the easy
way out of life and stop believing in themselves. True leadership is about making the correct
decisions, ones that benefit everyone. FBLA members who truly want to reap the benefits
offered by this organization must strive to lead outside of FBLA. They must take informa-
tion learned from conferences and workshops and apply it in everyday life. They need to
lead in all activities, whether that is in the classroom, community or elsewhere. FBLA can
help members instill courage and confidence to strive towards building dreams.
Not a Superhero
By Jennifer Xian

How much meaning does your life have? Can you die tomorrow and not regret a thing? How
many lives have you changed? Those are the questions that I ask myself as I walk in the
hallway of my high school, as I see the countless students drifting through their high school
career without a care and without a dream. Nothing but sadness goes through my head, espe-
cially when I think about their future. I was standing so close to them, yet I could not do
anything to change their pathway. Something as simple as reaching out my hands was like
walking on fire for me. By myself, I did not have the power to change anything. That is why
I joined FBLA. I believe that FBLA would help me grow stronger. FBLA may not be a su-
perhero, but it has the ability to change the future into a better one.

The power of FBLA lies in its emblem. It represents the purposes and beliefs of FBLA.
When the emblem is interpreted as a whole, the meanings of the emblem are hard to grasp.
However, each small part indicates a deep philosophy. In order to understand each idea of
the emblem, a person must examine the parts of the emblem closely.

The emblem starts with the eagle. The eagle represents FBLA’s belief in democracy, liberty,
and the American way of life. The American way of life was created by our ancestors in the
distant past. It was supposed to be an eternal idea that dwells in every American’s heart. It
drives us to be our best. However, in today’s society, most of us don’t know what the pursuit
of happiness is nor do we remember the American Dream. We turn to birds without wings,
with no other direction to go other than down. When people join FBLA and they see the em-
blem, they remember a little bit. The emblem sparks the dying fire inside all of us. The eagle
reminds us that we all have a goal, and that goal is the America way of life, where every-
body is trying their best and pursuing true happiness.

The first word in the border of the emblem is service. In the emblem ceremony, the defini-
tion of service is stated as “the idea that every individual should be interested in and take re-
sponsibility in promoting better social, political, community and family life. Most people
look at this statement and think, “That is a good idea.” However, they seldom take any ac-
tion to show that they understand the meaning of this statement. They talk the talk, but they
don’t walk the walk. It is hard for a regular person to look for service. Looking requires
work. “Why work to look for work?” That is what an average student would think. It is very
easy for a FBLA member to do some service. There is a multitude of activities every month
for members to participate in, such as reading to little kids or helping out in a fundraiser. The
activities are not hard, but they require time. FBLA has done the looking. All students have
to do is join the organization and help with these activities. FBLA has taken the first step. All
you need to do is follow her.
Continued on Pg 15
Not a Superhero
Continued   
 
The next part of the emblem is “the idea that education is the right of every individual in
America.” Our ancestors would bleed tears if they saw how students are wasting their educa-
tion today. Students would spend so much effort trying to find a way to escape from class. If
the effort went into learning, instead of these shenanigans, then school would be more enjoy-
able. People fought and killed for the privilege to go to school. Many states are in a budget
deficit, yet they still supply funding for our education. What are these sacrifices for? It’s defi-
nitely not for students to sleep in class or to ditch class. I support the idea that education is the
right of every individual, but it’s too heartbreaking to witness so many people abusing that
right. FBLA tries to instill the value of an education in each of its members. The world of
business requires a person to comprehend a lot of knowledge. Members of FBLA have no
time to waste to sleep in class. Education and the future go hand in hand; a future would be
impossible without an education.

Progress is the third part of the emblem. In the dictionary, progress is defined as “onward
movement toward a destination.” In FBLA, progress means “challenge of tomorrow which
depends on mutual understanding and cooperation of business, industry, labor, religious, fam-
ily, and educational institutions and by people of our own and other land”. In FBLA, the desti-
nation we move towards is tomorrow. Tomorrow will come no matter what happens; it’s un-
stoppable. One factor that a person can decide is what kind of tomorrow it is. A person can ei-
ther fear their tomorrow or hope for their tomorrow. Tomorrow doesn’t happen because of us,
but it changes because of us. In today’s society, there are too many individuals who have no
care for the future. If they don’t care, then who will shape the future? What’s worse is the fact
that those uncaring individuals will not teach their children about the importance of an educa-
tion. How do we progress with these individuals infesting our society? In order to progress
towards a better society, we must understand, communicate, and cooperate. FBLA teaches its
members about the many components of business and industry. Members understand these
components and apply this knowledge to their future. An improved society comes from a
group of people cooperating together for a common goal. In the process of working together,
people must communicate. Communication avoids confusion and conflict. The goal of FBLA
members is to be simply the best. We achieve that goal by progressing to a better tomorrow.

We end the marvelous emblem with FBLA. FBLA represents the future of the business world.
The organization teaches members the first three parts of the emblem: service, education, and
progress. Each of those parts represents a philosophy that can create a better world. FBLA is-
n’t simply an organization for people interested in entering the business; it is also a great or-
ganization for people to learn about leadership. Through FBLA, members can do community
service, gain experience in various subjects, and put many activities on a college resume.
Continued on Pg. 16
Not a Superhero
Continued

In my opinion, the greatest lesson that FBLA teaches its members is the lesson of leadership.
A leader is not just simply someone who leads people. A leader has the ability to change
lives. During my childhood, I have seen many losers in life. They live from paycheck to pay-
check with nothing of luxury. They gamble, drink, and do drugs. They are a perfect paragon
of a failure. In my moderate school of 850 students, it horrifies me to recognize some of the
students walking on a road to become these failures. A quote from my dad that I remember
well is this, “If you don’t know how to live your life at thirteen, then you won’t know how to
live your life at thirty.” A person learns the best when they are young. So why are we ignor-
ing these kids and letting them waste their life as they please? Why don’t we teach them how
to live their life, so they won’t be making mistakes even after they are thirty? A leader would
recognize this problem and try to fix it. A true leader would go up to a person and talk to
them, instead of watching their back as they step deeper into the hole. FBLA is not a super-
hero. It doesn’t do anything, but the organization changes the future by creating leaders who
act like a superhero.

By Keaton Sloan

Quick, without looking name the three words on top of the FBLA crest. Got them? They are:
Service, Education, and Progress. The words Education and Progress are rather straightfor-
ward; it’s the word Service that often throws people for a loop. The two most common ques-
tions about Service include, ‘’Who am I supposed to serve?’’ and ‘’I’m only in high school,
how is it that I can serve?’’ The first is a simple answer; you serve others. The second, well
that takes a little more explaining.

Believe it or not, there are a multitude of programs specifically targeted for the teenage
scene; you don’t have to be a part of an organized group to help others. You personally can
assist by doing miracle minutes, asking for sponsorships, hosting tournaments, or simply go-
ing door-to-door. Service doesn’t always mean giving financial support; sometimes the most
meaningful donations aren’t ones you can put in your wallet. Set up food, clothing, or blood
drives, work a soup kitchen, make blankets, peer tutor, or organize a community cleanup.
You see, there are plenty of different approaches to service; it’s up to you to get out there and
get involved.

As a final note, remember: service for another is service for yourself. What you do today
could help you to become a better person, gain a greater understanding of the world, develop
skills you otherwise would not have, or even just make a friend. After all…
‘’The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.’’
– Mohandas Gandhi
What Leadership Means to Me
By Kyli Rood

To a freshman everything is so exciting and new: new rules, new people, new classes, and
new clubs. Even though they are now the low man on the totem pole, it is just exciting to
finally be included in the esteemed group that they have so long aspired to be a part of. I felt
this way, and I am almost certain that everyone feels this way when they enter high school.

My freshman year I was presented with the option of joining FBLA. I made, what I believe
to be one of the best decisions of my life thus far. I chose to join the great organization of
FBLA. Though, back then I did not quite know what FBLA was all about.

My perspective of what FBLA is changed one day during the fall of 2008. The rest of my
fellow freshman members and I attended our first District Fall Leadership Conference. One
of the upper classman at my school, Kellsie Nienhuser, was the Colorado State Secretary
that year, so we were especially excited to watch Kellsie in all her glory. It was at that con-
ference that I learned that the organization is about business, but much more than that, it is
about leadership and the qualities a good leader exhibits.

Later that year, after placing 2nd with my team in the business ethics competition at district
level, I attended the Colorado State Leadership Conference at Vail. It was there that I
learned how a true leader acts. While watching the state officers speak so eloquently and act
so elegantly in front of a large crowd with all eyes on them, these somewhat ordinary people
became Idols and had a certain star quality about them.

On the last day of my first State Leadership Conference, when that year’s officers were say-
ing farewell, they stood on the stage with their shoulders held high, while an audiotape of
their voice played in the background saying goodbye. Though some let tears freely flow,
and other stood motionless, their voices all relayed the same message, which was that being
a state officer changed them. It had such a positive impact on their lives. All the state offi-
cers reflected that they were surrounded by some of the best young people in the world and
that they would not have given the experience up for anything. It was in that moment that I
decided I was going to run for, and hopefully one day become, a state officer in this fantastic
organization.

I am now in my junior year, and though many things have changed, I still long to experience
all of the positive adventures that are rewarded to those few that become State FBLA
Officers.
Leadership Lane
By Meghan Calahan

Chaotic, stressful, overwhelming, and influential. Select FBLA members and advisors from
across the United States gather to embrace these four simple words. But to these individuals
they are more than just words; they are the prime definition of one of the most intense lead-
ership experiences in which an FBLA member can be involved; Institute For Leaders.

Antony Jay once said, “The only real training for leadership is leadership.” Words of wis-
dom can only get you so far and IFL is not lacking of these influential words. Instead of
“preaching to the choir” IFL teaches you important leadership, business, and technical skills
that help you to reach your highest business potential. The time old saying of before you can
run, you must first learn to walk is the most profound piece of wisdom there is. You have
heard it from your parents to your advisors and at IFL they don’t simply teach you to run,
they teach you every skill you need to be the most poised, tactical, and determined runner on
the track.

When you reach IFL you should already know how to walk, but for most, running is a bit
more difficult. Your leadership skills are apparent but not toned to perfection. However, in
two tiresome days your outlook on your future can be entirely changed. Leadership isn’t
about taking people where they want to go, it is about leading people where they don’t nec-
essarily want to go, but ought to be.

Walking away from IFL you come to the realization that you are part of a minority, a group
of individuals who will someday stand on top of the world. From young entrepreneurs to
premier officers, you are of a select one percent of the population that will someday reach
out of the box, and simply lead yourself to the top.

FBLA and IFL can only send you on a path full of opportunities, and it is your choice to take
that path. With every skill in hand, IFL leads you in the direction of success. Down a trail of
transformation, an ordinary FBLA member develops into an individual whose future is
clasped firmly in their grip. This path full of opportunities is a challenging trail; but all you
have to do is learn to run.
A Leader is a CEO
By Mykintia Ebron

In order to be a true leader, you must model a CEO. Not a CEO as in Chief Executive Offi-
cer, or a leader of a big company. This CEO represents a chief encouragement officer.
Someone who will pick up another after they have fallen, and continue to help even when
they do not want to help them selves. In other words, it’s a leader.

A true leader says very little and does most of the communicating through actions and emo-
tion. Setting a good example in all that they do makes an impact upon their followers.
When a responsible and outgoing leader is in action followers naturally perform better.

Throughout the time that the leader is setting an example, many times the leader will un-
knowingly touch numerous lives through their ongoing encouragement. The amount of lives
touched are endless because something as little as an act of kindness whether big or small
can change a life, or even encourage others to inspire as well through emotion and action.

Speaking is a good skill to have when striving to become an inspirational leader. But some-
times it is not always about who is the best speaker, but about who has the best character.
Caution is a good step to take while being a leader as well. It is very easy for a leader to be-
come aggressive and hostile only because they have the power and respect.

"The Walker family at the Colorado Mountain Ranch was very appreciative of our contribu-
tion to their rebuilding efforts. They were so pleased to see that students in Colorado were so
caring and willing to help their cause. It was shocking to see the damage that had occurred at
the ranch. The fire burned down the barns and homes of the Ranch workers and family, leav-
ing only the lodge and a few cabins for campers." - Erik Wislinsky
FBLA is an Opportunity that Must be Seized
Olivia Wreford

FBLA is an amazing opportunity for its members. It presents each member with a chance to
become a true leader. Speakers come from across the nation and throughout the business
world to inspire, motivate, and help guide the Future Business Leaders of America towards
the success they seek. Presenters for workshops give extensive and practical advice to count-
less members during conferences; however, how many members truly take to heart what the
presenter is saying?

Too many members of FBLA do not realize the difference between an opportunity and a
guarantee. FBLA provides its members with a chance to take control of their future so that
they can end up wherever it is they intend to be. Be it the Tri team, local or state advisors,
local, state or even national level officers, so many people are putting in countless hours of
effort to give each and every one of the approximately 215,000 members in the high school
division alone the opportunity to kick start their careers. The problem is, not enough of these
members give any effort back.

Many people I know who are in FBLA simply joined to go to conferences and have some-
thing that looked good on their resume. However, the prized few who go the extra mile, and
truly seize the opportunity FBLA has given them, are able to break any barriers they chance
upon.

People give advice at workshops, because they want to help. Presenters and speakers come
to FBLA because they want to give everyone the opportunity they need to grow into the
leader they are striving to become. They want every member to be able to move mountains,
and so they are there to give them the extra push they need. However, they cannot do all the
work. Countless amounts of energy, dedication, initiative, and creativity are needed for any
large undertaking. Any member can truly benefit from FBLA and grow into a successful
leader, but in order to do so they have to seize every opportunity they are presented with,
and then build off it.

FBLA is here to help anyone willing to take the extra step and work to the best of their abil-
ity, and make sure they have fun doing it, too. We must seize the opportunity that FBLA is
presenting us, and take it upon ourselves to work on becoming the best leaders we can be. If
we are willing to do the work, with the help of FBLA, any of us can become leaders, not
only in the business world, but in life in general. So, as Colorado FBLA members, will we
sit back and wait for the mountain to move, or will we seize the opportunity that is FBLA
and move it ourselves?
Are you the L in FBLA?
Tai Zollars

Have you ever wondered what the letters in FBLA really mean? Well, they stand for Future
Business Leaders of America. When you hear these words, what do you think of? Do you
think of a program that helps younger generations exceed to their full potential? Well, that is
what I thought of when I first found out what FBLA stood for. Each letter in FBLA is very
important in making our generation strive to meet their full potential. Each letter represents
something that is essential to making sure our government runs smoothly, however I believe
that there is one letter that stands out among the rest.

To me L-Leaders is the most important letter in FBLA. Throughout history, there have been
many people that are considered leaders in their community. However, what does it actually
mean to be a leader, and what actions did they have to accomplish to receive this desirable
status? Well, to be a leader, there are certain traits that people have.

These traits might include their work ethic, how well they interact with other people, how
they make decisions in life, or even the simplest thing, how they present themselves to oth-
ers. Leaders are found throughout the world in every shape and size. However, many people
can become a leader, but being a leader is way different than being a great leader.

Great leaders go outside the normal and beyond the expectations of other people. They don’t
just go through the motions, but they strive to make sure that they are better than the best.
They have that mentality to make sure that even simple tasks get done with accuracy and
quality. Such examples by these people might be that they write a few extra sentences in an
essay, review their final project one last time, write more words than required for an assign-
ment, or they might even go above and beyond on writing a well developed article.

Great leaders also have to have a special presence. They have that certain swag whenever
they enter a room that makes people aware of who they are. Great leaders also know how to
encourage, and help people in a way that is both reassuring and helpful to receiving a better
end result. Great leaders also have to have the ability to listen to other people’s opinion even
if they do not necessarily agree with them. They have to see both sides of a situation to truly
make the best decision for the issue at hand.

Continued on Pg. 22
Are you the L in FBLA?
Continued

Great leaders also have to have integrity. When given a chance to cheat or do something ethi-
cally wrong, they choose to do the right thing. By doing this, they stay loyal to themselves,
and they stay honest with themselves and what they believe in. They may make mistakes in
life, but they own up to them instead of hiding behind somebody else. Integrity is a very im-
portant trait to have and this can get you far in life.

One of the main reasons why great leaders are different from just regular leaders is because
great leaders show initiative. If they see something that needs to be done, they do it. Great
leaders get the work done, or appoint the tasks to other people to make sure that the task is
complete correctly. They don’t wait around waiting for somebody to take charge, but they are
the person that takes charge and gets everyone organized and on task no matter what the cir-
cumstances may be.

Great leaders are rare, but when found they have a great impact on society. Think about it…do
you think you have what it takes to become a great leader? Are you the L in FBLA? If you
want to become a leader, start now. Start making changes in your community for the better,
you never know, great leadership skills can get you far in life.

By Taylor Brandon

High School and FBLA…what else could someone ask for? Being an FBLA member shows
potential for every student enrolled. As members, we have the roll of being the leaders of
business. As the leaders, we are supposed to be the future of the business life. Showing the
way people grow over the year throughout FBLA is one of the reasons that I would enjoy be-
ing a major leader.

As an officer of my local chapter, I have seen the way that members have gained from the
rolls that they play in the chapter. The members of our local chapter do a lot of community
service and know what the community needs. They fulfill the needs and some of the wants
that the people have. This is a prime example of what FBLA has done for just my chapter. I
have been generating ideas for more community service projects that could go across the state.
I strongly believe that community service is a very important thing for every organization.

FBLA has shown me how to open up to people and be myself. It has shown not only me, but
a lot of other people that they can get out there and meet more people like themselves. At all
kinds of business activities, I have met so many people that just like to have fun and be busi-
ness people. The way that FBLA has taught me to get out and enjoy life and the business
world, paints the picture of why I feel the way I do towards FBLA and the business life.
District Conferences
District 1 Union Colony Civic Center - Greeley February 9

District 2 Johnson & Wales University - Denver January 28

District 3 Northeastern Junior College - Sterling February 3

District 4 Northeastern Junior College - Sterling February 9

District 5 Johnson & Wales University - Denver February 11

District 6 Colorado State University - Pueblo February 9

District 7 Otero Junior College - La Junta February 8

District 8 Adams State College - Alamosa February 8

Two Rivers Convention Center - Grand
District 9 February 7
Junction

State Conference
April 17th - 19th