Many people aspire to be rich, no matter what it takes. Whether it is becoming a famous movie star, winning the lottery, or putting out a hit song, many want it for themselves. While some may be looking for the easy way out, the students in FBLA are doing their best to make their dream a reality, no matter how difficult it may be.
FBLA stands for Future Business Leaders of America; a program in which students compete in different events to learn about many different aspects of the business industry. In fact, students can choose from 72 different events, based on which ones spark their specific interest. While it may seem like a walk in the park, there is quite a bit that goes into one of these competitions.
Co-president of the FBLA program, Akshitha Varre, believes that she has a great way of preparing for competitions.
“I prepare for competition mostly through basic research,” Varre said. “The best way to do well in competition is knowing your event as detailed as possible.”
The competitions may be difficult, but there is more to the program than just constantly competing and researching. Competitors often have the opportunity to advance to State, which is usually held in Galveston. Not only that, but if they can make it, students have the chance to go to Atlanta for Nationals.
“My favorite part about FBLA is definitely traveling,” Varre said. “We travel a lot each year for conferences and competitions. Being there with my friends has been so enjoyable.” Varre also talks quite a bit about what goes on during the trips, saying that while they are there for a reason, students still have plenty of free time to have fun with other members.
FBLA is definitely a fun way to get to know the business industry, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come without its challenges. Noah Gunn, a sophomore who advanced to state this year, claimed that it’s important to keep up with research as it’s the only way to make sure that one can be as prepared as possible.
“If I had to give any type of advice to a freshman, I would make sure to tell them to use their time wisely,” Gunn said. “In other words, try not to procrastinate, it’s only going to make their job harder when it comes time for a competition, and they don’t know anything about their event.”
While it definitely has its challenges and commitments, FBLA is a really great club to be a part of. It can not only introduce you to many new people from many different schools, but it also gives students a great opportunity to learn about important and interesting topics.
“I love FBLA because of the amount of knowledge I’m able to gain from it,” Gunn said. “It’s a great opportunity and I’m really happy to be a part of it.”
