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Build your business department and career/technology center enrollments by bringing business and education together through conferences, networking opportunities, and competition. If you are a creative teacher in a business or businessrelated area seeking new ways to bring the curriculum to life, inspire the students to learn, and make your job more interesting, then FBLA is for you. Specifically, FBLA offers teachers: A Chapter Management Handbook filled with ideas designed to motivate and excite students. A five-minute membership recruiting video designed as an introduction to an organization that enhances the business program. A complete PowerPointtm presentation library on a variety of topics including program benefits, recruitment, duties of officers, parliamentary procedures, leadership, and involving business in chapter activities. Free service learning curriculum designed as a tool to implement into business classes. This curriculum is aligned to the NBEA standards. Free school store curriculum complete with camera-ready forms that can be adapted for local chapter use. A New York City stock market tour program which complements NBEA Achievement Standards in Economics and Personal Finance, International Business, and Career Development. A free stock market game that can easily be implemented into any class. A national website (www.fbla-pbl.org) complete with a gated area for advisers, online registration, enhanced ecommerce opportunities, and a comprehensive library that includes educational games, internet projects, lesson plans, grant and program funding opportunities. Grants awarded to local chapters for up to $1,000 for innovative projects that enhance growth, recognition, or support of FBLA. Scholarships to attend the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) University at Babson College, in MA. Skills Certification opportunities including some 250-plus examinations in areas such as MS Access, MS Office Specialist, HTML Programmer, MOUS, etc. Professional Development and Graduate credit. Hotel, car rental, and airline discounts. A newsletter published three times a year designed especially for local chapter advisers.

Career preparation opportunities through conferences, networking with business professionals, and business tours. Leadership development and achievement through a unique certificate program designed to enhance leadership, communication, and business skills. Outstanding Leadership Conferences in cities throughout the country with motivating workshops and nationally known keynote speakers. Challenging competitions in more than 40 different business and skill competitive events. Community service experience with organizations such as the March of Dimes, the Red Cross, etc. Friendship and fun through local, state, and national activities. A magazine, published three times a year, designed specifically for FBLA members. Trophies, plaques, and cash awards for top competitive event award winners. Scholarships, prizes, and internships. Skills Certification opportunities and GMAT practice exams at the National Leadership Conference. Membership opportunities in the National Association of Parliamentarians.

Anyone who wants to be a success in the future, is in grades 9-12, and is in a business or a business-related class.

Provide guidance by directing, chaperoning, and coordinating supervision of chapter activities. Organize the selection process for chapter officers. Hold regular chapter meetings. Most local chapters hold meetings once a month. Delegate assignments to student members. Use a bulletin board or central meeting place to post information on chapter activities and programs. Need an idea? Soar to New Heights with FBLA. Decorate bulletin board background with blue paper and create clouds from white construction paper. Put different phrases related to FBLA on each cloud. (Service, Education, Progress). Cut out different colored hot air balloons and decorate them with the names of different chapter activities that you will conduct throughout the year (Pizza Party, Business Tour, State Conference, National Conference, etc.). If you have a poster, a meeting announcement, or other FBLA information, post it on the bulletin board. Put the title Soar to New Heights with FBLA at the top of the board.

Be knowledgeable of the guidelines for district/region, state, and national competitive events and activities and coordinate participation on all levels. You will receive this information in your Chapter Management Handbook upon submitting your chapter application form, bylaws, and membership dues. District/Region and State information will be sent to you from your state chair or state adviser once your chapter is established.

1.

Make an appointment with your principal/administrator to secure approval to begin an FBLA Chapter. Highlight the benefits to members, the business program, and the goals of FBLA. Develop competent, aggressive business leadership. Strengthen the confidence of students in themselves and their work. Create more interest in and understanding of American Business Enterprise. Encourage members in the development of individual projects that contribute to the improvement of home, business, and community. Develop character, prepare for useful citizenship, and foster patriotism. Encourage and practice efficient money management. Encourage scholarship and promote school loyalty. Assist students in the establishment of occupational goals. Facilitate the transition from school to work. Check out the Membership section of the website (www.fbla-pbl.org) under Recruitment for a PowerPointtm presentation explaining FBLA that can be shown to both administrators and students.

2.

Set a date for your first organizational meeting. Post the enclosed membership poster on a bulletin board or in your business room. Make flyers with catchy slogans and important information to give out in your classes. Take five minutes at the beginning of class to explain the benefits of joining FBLA. Photocopy and hand out the local membership application form found in this kit to recruit members.

3.

Plan the agenda for the first meeting. Make it fun! Begin with an icebreaker such as the following:

The Web. The FBLA adviser will need a large ball of yarn for this activity, which helps students get to know each
other. Gather into a circle. Explain that you will throw a ball of yarn to someone else in the circle, but will hang onto the end of the yarn. When a student catches the yarn, he or she will say his/her name and, in one or two sentences, his/her interests/hobbies. Then, he or she holds on to the yarn and throws the ball to another person in a circle until everyone has participated. The last person throws it back to the adviser. Ask students to look at the yarn design. Does it remind them of a map or a web? Talk about how working together as a team makes a chapter successful.

4.

Arrange for prizes for drawings. Often businesses are happy to donate items such as movie passes, soda, candy, chips, etc. Arrange for food to be served following the meeting. A pizza or sub party works well for an organizational meeting. A sample first meeting agenda could be as follows:

5.

FBLA SAMPLE AGENDA

Welcome Ice Breaker/Get-To-Know-You Activity Benefits of Membership/Goals of FBLA (Use the PowerPointtm Presentation found on the website) Tentative Local Chapter Activities (Check the website for ideas) Question and Answer Nomination of Officers (Most Chapters have a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Reporter) Election of Officers Membership Sign-up/Dues Collection Drawings for Prizes Pizza or Sub Party/Refreshments Adjournment 6. 7. Collect dues before and at the meeting. Give receipts to those students paying dues. Record dues. Hold the first meeting of the FBLA chapter. If you are having food, you may want to arrange to have your meeting in the cafeteria.

Complete the New Chapter/Reactivation Application form found in this information. Attach membership dues for state and nationals with one check made out to FBLA-PBL. Direct membership states only. Non-direct membership states should include one check made out to national FBLA and one check made out to state FBLA. Some chapters also attach a local dues fee which they keep to start off the treasury. (Some advisers offer a special trip or business tour for those students paying dues by a specific date. You could arrange to take them to an amusement park or to tour a business). Enclose a reactivation or new charter fee of $20. Enclose local bylaws. (Download the bylaws template under Membership from the website and fill in the blanks.

NEW CHAPTER ADVISER CHECK LIST

Read through Chapter Start-up. Check out FBLA-PBL website (www.fbla-pbl.org). Secure approval for chapter from principal/administrator. Set date for first organizational meeting. Advertise meeting/prepare bulletin board. Talk about FBLA in classes. Copy and hand out FBLA Local Membership Application Form/recruit. Hold first meeting/elect officers. Collect initial state and national dues (Refer to website for online membership form with state dues amounts). Complete bylaws. Download the sample template from the website (www.fbla-pbl.org). Complete New Chapter/Reactivation Application. Enclose check. Mail to the address on the application form. Receive Chapter Management Handbook and membership cards from National Center. Your charter will be sent from your state chapter. Continue recruiting members. Send in additional members on additional reporting form that came with Chapter Management Handbook.

Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, Inc. (FBLA-PBL) is the oldest and largest national organization for students preparing for careers in business leadership. FBLA-PBL prepares students for real world professional experiences. Members gain the competitive edge for college and career successes. More than a quarter of a million students in 6,000 schools participate in this organization. FBLA will provide you with: Travel Opportunities Challenging Competitions Scholarships and Prizes Leadership Development Community Service Experience Friendship and Fun FBLA takes you to major cities throughout the United States such as Orlando, FL; Nashville, TN; and Dallas, TX. You will get to know people in your state and across the nation at state and nationally sponsored events. Members have the opportunity to compete for awards and recognition on the local, state, and national levels in more than 40 different event categories including web page design, marketing, business plan, public speaking, job interview and much, much more! Become a leader in your school, state, or country when you become an officer. Win money! Travel! Learn to lead! Develop friendships! Earn recognition! All of these adventures and more await you when you become a member of FBLA.

To become a member, please fill out the form below.

Please return to the attention of your local chapter adviser:

______ Yes, I want to join FBLA. Homeroom________________________

Name:_________________________________________________________________ Grade/Class ____________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________ City: ________________________ State _________________ Zip _______________ Phone:_____________________Email:______________________________Birthday: __________ I, __________________________, have enclosed $ __________ for local, state, and national dues.

Complete and return this application to the address below and the following: ____ Membership List ____ Reactivation/New Charter Fee ____ Local Chapter Bylaws ____State and National Remittance (one check payable to FBLA-PBL, Inc). State Check should be made payable to State if not under direct membership.

Upon receipt of this application, the national center will issue you a charter certificate, membership cards, and a Chapter Management Handbook to assist your chapter. I. CHAPTER INFORMATION ) _________________________ ) __________________________

School Name: ________________________________________ School Phone: ( Street Address: ________________________________________Fax Number: (

City: ___________________________________State______ Zip: ________________________________________ Main Adviser: ________________________________________ Email: ____________________________________ Additional Adviser(s): ____________________________________________________________________________ Principal:_______________________________________________________________________________________ I. MEMBERSHIP LIST (You need at least 5 members to start a Chapter) (If additional space is needed, list names on school letterhead, and attach to this application). 1. (President) 11. 2. (Vice President) 12. 3. (Secretary) 13. 4. (Treasurer) 14. 5. (Reporter) 15. 6. 16. 7. 17. 8. 18. 9. 19. 10. 20. Local, state, and national memberships are unified and not available separately. Signed: ____________________________________ (President Signature) III. STATE REMITTANCE Cost per member ____FBLA members @ $ per year = $ Approved: ___________________________________________ (Adviser Signature) $ _____ $ 20 $ _____

IV. NATIONAL REMITTANCE ____ FBLA members @ $6 each per year + New Charter/React Fee ($20) TOTAL $ #

Total Enclosed (State, National, React/Charter Fee) If applicable give charter number

Send application to: FBLA-PBL, Inc.; P.O. Box 79063, Baltimore, MD 21279-0063. For questions call 1-800-325-2946. APPROVED: State ________________ Date _____________ National ____________________ Date _______________ Charter # _________ Sponsoring Chapter: __________________________________ Comments: