Chapter Social Activity Ideas
by Gatlin Miller, State President
Future Business Leaders of America can have a little fun too, right? Why of course they can! Chapter social activities provide multiple opportunities for your chapter to network with fellow FBLA members, all while having fun and creating lifelong memories. Use one (or more!) of the following ideas in your chapter and experience how a social activity can bond your chapter together.
Chapter Competitive Events
by Neha Arun, State Reporter
Looking for a way to get involved past your own individual or team event? Then a Chapter Competitive Event is right for you! There are four options: American Enterprise Project, Community Service Project, Partnership with Business Project, Local Chapter Annual Business Report.
American Enterprise Project
From the FBLA National Website: This event recognizes FBLA chapters that develop projects within the school and/or community that increase the understanding of and support for the American enterprise system by developing an informational/educational program. The project must promote an awareness of some facet of the American enterprise system within the school and/or community and be designed for chapter participation.
Tips: Incorporate aspects of community service into your project as you consider how you can best promote the American enterprise system in your school and city. Some schools/cities have different needs, such as different age groups, that need to be educated. Consider how you can best serve your community.
Community Service Project
From the FBLA National Website: This event recognizes FBLA chapters that successfully implement community service projects to serve the citizens of their communities. The report must describe one chapter project that serves the community. The project must be in the interest of the community and designed for chapter participation.
Tips: When planning this project, consult with your chapter members on what you feel your community needs, but also consider how you can promote FBLA-related aspects. For example, a business clothing drive or a resume-writing service for homeless people.
Partnership with Business Project
From the FBLA National Website: The purpose of this project is to learn about a business through communication and interaction with the business community.
Tips: This event is very open-ended, so feel free to develop a unique project. Think about what types of business your chapter wants to be involved with. It can be anywhere from a restaurant to an investment company. After selecting a business to partner with, plan how to “communicate and interact” with the business. Do you want to hold a charity event? Provide opportunities for FBLA members to intern or job shadow? Consider what would benefit your chapter and the business the most.
Local Chapter Annual Business Report
From the FBLA National Website: The Hamden L. Forkner Award recognizes FBLA chapters that effectively summarize their year’s activities. The event provides participants with valuable experience in preparing annual business reports.
Tips: The key to succeeding in this chapter event is ensuring that every member of your chapter contributes to planning your Program of Work and stays involved in chapter activities. Think of unique ways to incorporate all the other chapter projects into your Program of Work. There are plenty of ideas on how your chapter can be active on the National FBLA and Illinois FBLA Website.
Always remember, don’t wait until the last minute to get these projects started! The best ideas take a lot of time and planning with your chapter. Good luck!
Running For State Office
by Evelyn Elledge, State Secretary
Running for State Office:
Running for office is a BIG decision but if you think you are ready for the job, here are some tips to help you out.
I hope this helped you because the first time I ran, I was not prepared at ALL. Honestly, I'm surprised I got elected. But because I did, it's taught me SO much about time management, and other qualities and requirements for running for office. If you do decide to run I wish you the best of luck.
State Leadership Conference
by Priyamsa Mikkilineni, State Treasurer
The annual Illinois FBLA State Leadership Conference is right around the corner. Join us during April 5th and 6th in Springfield and join Illinois FBLA for a memorable occasion. It is going to filled with informational workshops, outstanding keynote speakers, and exhilarating competitions. The top four winners in every event at the state conference get to go to the National Leadership Conference held in San Antonio, Texas. The state conference will also be where the 2019-2020 state officers will campaign and be announced during the closing session. Come view the many candidates who are competing at the chance to lead Illinois FBLA to greatness in the upcoming year. Be ready to get your boogie on at the conference because there is a dance at the end to unwind. It helps raise money for March of Dimes, so bring some money to donate. The State Leadership Conference is an amazing way to get involved in FBLA, network, and possibly get a trip to nationals. Hope to see you all there, and good luck to everyone who is competing.
More Parliamentary Procedure Tips
by Darsh Gupta, State Parliamentarian
So you’re back with a developed passion for Parliamentary Procedures? That’s what I like to hear! If you haven’t read through my previous article regarding parliamentary procedures, then I advise you to go ahead and read that before you continue reading this. In this article, I will cover how to further solidify your understanding of parli. pro.
If you have followed my tips from the previous article, then you have already made your exciting journey through the near 700 page parliamentary manual that goes by the name of Robert's Rules of Order 11th edition. The next step would be to learning the role each motion plays and how to properly dispose of them. Keeping the facts in your head straight may be difficult at times. Fortunately, in the back of the Robert’s Rules of Order, there are several condensed guides as to the order or precedence of certain motions, and what the necessary vote to properly adopt or reject a motion. It is highly advised to memorize these details, especially when approaching a test or presentation.
Often times, people just need a quick refresher on certain topics. I find it helpful to brush up on these topics by looking through the Robert’s Rules of Order brief version. This book is a third of the size, and covers majority of the topics of the original version. Another route Parli. Pro. students may take is paying a visit to the Robert’s Rules of Order website. The website plays a similar role to the brief version of the book with the exception that there is a FAQ section. Reading through these Frequently Asked Questions may help you clear up your confusion regarding certain topics. However, there is a disclaimer, only reading this brief version or visiting the website will not give you a firm understanding of the material. Your best bet is starting well in advance, and reading the original book thoroughly. Good luck again Parli. enthusiasts!
Southwestern Area Conference
by Brayden Riley, State VP, Southwestern Area
About the Conference 2019
All conferences in FBLA-PBL are many of the great times when it comes to the competition, events, workshops, speakers, and networking with new people each and every year. Many people come into FBLA-PBL looking for a new organization to help boost many of their business aspects. The area conferences are one of the great ways to do so.
Southwestern Conference
Our conference is well known for our competition, and our amazing members that come from all around. Our conference works each and every year to make it even better each year. Every year, more and more people begin to test their limits by competing in new events, meeting more and more people, and even some running for an office.
Northern Area Conference
by Matthew Droessler, State VP, Northern Area
The Northern Area Conference was held on January 26th 2019 at Grayslake Central High School. At the conference, FBLA members of the Northern Area were able to interact and network with other FBLA members and advisors. Northern Area President Matthew Droessler opened the conference and introduced the Grayslake Central Principal Dan Landrey and the Northern Area officers.
The conference held 8 different times for workshops and had 4 different workshop speakers. The conference also had Laura Lindwell as a keynote speaker during the closing session. Afterward, Battle of the Chapters took place and it was very entertaining to watch each school compete for those final spots on the Area team that would compete at the State Leadership Conference.
The Conference had a total of 8 different people running for various Northern Area Officer positions. After lunch voting delegates voted for the new officers and installation of the 2018-2019 Northern Area officers took place. A new position of Reporter was created and is now occupied. Finally, Awards were passed out and it was amazing to see how people loved competing and worked hard to get first.
Eastern Area Conference
by Adam Grimes, State VP, Eastern Area
The main responsibility of an area officer is to host a local conference, uniting the chapters in the area with competition. An area conference is the preliminary event to the state and national conferences. It’s a great chance for members to test their wit in selected events while competing against other area members. During January I had the privilege to plan and execute a successful area conference; while it may have been stressful at times, it was worth it one hundred percent.
The original date was January 12th, but the conference had to be postponed to the predetermined date of the 26th. I’m glad we planned a backup date because the 2017 and 2018 area conference was cancelled due to not having a backup date. Two weeks after the original date the weather was decent enough to host a conference at Newton Community High School. Approximately 186 members registered for the conference. I expect that number to sharply increase in 2020 due to recruitment efforts.
Overall, the area conference was a great time personally, and I hope the members from my area enjoyed it also. Eastern Area is on a great path to improve every year, and I believe that next year officer team will do a great job! I can’t wait to see my former area grow and develop in 2020, along with the state FBLA program.
Central Area Conference
by Parker Honegger, State VP, Central Area
Walking through the doors for this year’s Central Area Conference I knew our Area was ready to succeed. In the morning all the competitors, judges, and advisors were welcomed with warm doughnuts. As everyone was eating breakfast, teams were practicing and preparing for their upcoming events.
We were thankful this year to Heartland Community College who opened up their buildings for our conference. Compared to previous years we had much more room for events and in the auditorium room.
Once teams began finishing up their competitions, the chapters gathered in the auditorium where they were led though and interactive workshop by Ed Medesevic from State Farm’s Innovation team who graciously offered his time.
At the end of the day the members of our area left with the memories of the award ceremony, the takeaways from the workshop, the nerves right before presenting, and especially the excitement of the installment of next years officers. As the Central Area continues to serve the chapters of Champaign Central, Dee-Mack, Dunlap, Henry-Senachwine, Mahomet-Seymour, Normal Community, and St. Theresa, I am proud to step up for this Area and its future endeavours.
Central Northern Area Conference
by Audrey Zednick, State VP, Central Northern Area
The Central Northern Area Conference took place on January 19, 2019. Leading up to the conference it took a lot of work to plan it out! From deciding lunch to organizing the judges it took a lot of time a work from everybody to plan. For the conference, my advisor, helped an immense amount and helped direct me to what and when everything needed to be done. Firstly, it was important to figure out a speaker for the conference. For the Central Northern Area it was easy because a past Lincoln- Way East alumni was interested in speaking. He is an entrepreneur and was a previous state officer. We soon came up with a tentative schedule that we sent to advisors for them to figure out timing. We also decided that pre ordering pizza was the most efficient way to make sure everyone was fed for lunch. Planning mainly took place in December so that when January hit we were ready and all that had to be done was putting the pieces together. Leading up to the conference, during advisory and any extra time during the school day, we put packets together for chapters and the judges. The week before the conference I finalized everything and made a script to keep everything timely.
The conference went pretty smoothly! The day of, January 19, 2019, there was a big snow storm, however. One of the school had to cancel along with some judges which made some things more difficult, but we were able to move somethings around so that everything worked out. Everyone who came arrived safely even with the weather and the conference was in full swing! We focused on giving updates about the area and introducing the candidates for the next candidacy. Following the opening ceremony everyone went to compete in their events or listen to the speaker. Afterwards lunch was served and was delicious! We ended with the closing ceremony and initiated the new officers. Lastly, we gave out awards which took a little bit to print so we played some games such as a handshake competition while we waited. Overall it was a successful conference due to planning and organization.
Southern Area Conference
by Daniel Song, State VP, Southern Area
The Southern Area Conference was a terrific experience! The conference started at around 9:00 am on January 10. We began the day with opening remarks and had each chapter give their chapter reports for the year. We were happy to see so many active chapters and members making a change in their school and communities. After opening session, the members dispersed to their competitive events. For those who had already tested there was a workshop for them. The speaker was Mrs. Spann and she held a wonderful workshop that left the members excited and inspired for their futures. Once the workshop was over, members went to go get lunch. This included the members who had just competed in their events.
We held our March Of Dimes fundraiser after lunch. This was very effective because students would throw in change that they had just gotten from lunch. We had five Illinois State Officers in attendance, which was very exciting. We were all able to speak to the members during the conference and present key topics like our POW, BAA’s, and different fundraising ideas. Next we had the candidate speeches for offices of the upcoming year. Those went really well and we transitioned into Battle of the Chapters. This was an energizing event that got everyone very involved. The Area Vice President led different ice breakers after Battle of the Chapters concluded. The officers for the 2019-2020 year were then installed with the awards proceeding after this. Closing remarks were given and we wished all of the FBLA members luck in their future endeavors. We were excited to see them represent the Southern Area at the State Leadership Conference in the Spring.
by Gatlin Miller, State President
Future Business Leaders of America can have a little fun too, right? Why of course they can! Chapter social activities provide multiple opportunities for your chapter to network with fellow FBLA members, all while having fun and creating lifelong memories. Use one (or more!) of the following ideas in your chapter and experience how a social activity can bond your chapter together.
- School Lock-In: Depending on your school’s rules and regulations, host a lock-in inside your school! Members can stay up all night long playing basketball inside the gym, eating delicious snacks while binging a Netflix series, or using their skills in the business world to win a game of Monopoly!
- Bunco: This classic dice game may seem boring at first, but once you start playing you’ll never want to stop! Have prices for “The Biggest Winner”, “The Biggest Loser”, or the recipient of “The Most Buncos”! Game details can be found here: https://www.dicegamedepot.com/bunco-rules/
- Dodgeball Tournament: Organize a tournament in your school gym and invite chapters in your surrounding area! Charge an entrance fee per team (usually 4-6 players) and donate the money collected to the March of Dimes Foundation! Also, snacks and refreshments are a must-have for this event.
- The Amazing Race: If you attended this past summer’s Summer Leadership Workshop, you’re familiar with the excitement and fun of “The Amazing Race”! Coordinate this event with your chapter officer team and divide your chapter at random. Then, have each team race to the finish! For more information regarding game rules and details, visit: https://www.totalteambuilding.com.au/activities/amazing-race/
- Video Game Tournament: As Future Business Leaders, many of us aren’t “suited” for games like The Amazing Race and Dodgeball that challenge our athleticism, so bring in some couches and an electronic gaming device for a Video Game Tournament! Have sign-ups before the meeting and create a bracket for games like “Mario Kart” or even “Fortnite”! Charge an entrance fee and keep the raised money for NLC costs or donate the money to a local charity!
- Themed Parties/Seasonal Events: Take advantage of the weather or current holiday season to plan a fun event for your chapter! When the leaves are falling, visit a local corn maze or even a haunted house to get in the Halloween spirit. Also, host a bonfire and roast some s’mores and play Hide-and-Go-Seek! In the winter, take a trip to go ice-skating, or bundle up inside your school for a Winter Holiday Party full of hot chocolate, games, and a “White Elephant Gift Exchange”. Or, in the spring, play Minute-to-Win-It games and have prizes for the winning team.
Chapter Competitive Events
by Neha Arun, State Reporter
Looking for a way to get involved past your own individual or team event? Then a Chapter Competitive Event is right for you! There are four options: American Enterprise Project, Community Service Project, Partnership with Business Project, Local Chapter Annual Business Report.
American Enterprise Project
From the FBLA National Website: This event recognizes FBLA chapters that develop projects within the school and/or community that increase the understanding of and support for the American enterprise system by developing an informational/educational program. The project must promote an awareness of some facet of the American enterprise system within the school and/or community and be designed for chapter participation.
Tips: Incorporate aspects of community service into your project as you consider how you can best promote the American enterprise system in your school and city. Some schools/cities have different needs, such as different age groups, that need to be educated. Consider how you can best serve your community.
Community Service Project
From the FBLA National Website: This event recognizes FBLA chapters that successfully implement community service projects to serve the citizens of their communities. The report must describe one chapter project that serves the community. The project must be in the interest of the community and designed for chapter participation.
Tips: When planning this project, consult with your chapter members on what you feel your community needs, but also consider how you can promote FBLA-related aspects. For example, a business clothing drive or a resume-writing service for homeless people.
Partnership with Business Project
From the FBLA National Website: The purpose of this project is to learn about a business through communication and interaction with the business community.
Tips: This event is very open-ended, so feel free to develop a unique project. Think about what types of business your chapter wants to be involved with. It can be anywhere from a restaurant to an investment company. After selecting a business to partner with, plan how to “communicate and interact” with the business. Do you want to hold a charity event? Provide opportunities for FBLA members to intern or job shadow? Consider what would benefit your chapter and the business the most.
Local Chapter Annual Business Report
From the FBLA National Website: The Hamden L. Forkner Award recognizes FBLA chapters that effectively summarize their year’s activities. The event provides participants with valuable experience in preparing annual business reports.
Tips: The key to succeeding in this chapter event is ensuring that every member of your chapter contributes to planning your Program of Work and stays involved in chapter activities. Think of unique ways to incorporate all the other chapter projects into your Program of Work. There are plenty of ideas on how your chapter can be active on the National FBLA and Illinois FBLA Website.
Always remember, don’t wait until the last minute to get these projects started! The best ideas take a lot of time and planning with your chapter. Good luck!
Running For State Office
by Evelyn Elledge, State Secretary
Running for State Office:
Running for office is a BIG decision but if you think you are ready for the job, here are some tips to help you out.
- Make sure you PLAN.
- Know your platform and have some ideas to implement them.
- Accept all the help you can get.
I hope this helped you because the first time I ran, I was not prepared at ALL. Honestly, I'm surprised I got elected. But because I did, it's taught me SO much about time management, and other qualities and requirements for running for office. If you do decide to run I wish you the best of luck.
State Leadership Conference
by Priyamsa Mikkilineni, State Treasurer
The annual Illinois FBLA State Leadership Conference is right around the corner. Join us during April 5th and 6th in Springfield and join Illinois FBLA for a memorable occasion. It is going to filled with informational workshops, outstanding keynote speakers, and exhilarating competitions. The top four winners in every event at the state conference get to go to the National Leadership Conference held in San Antonio, Texas. The state conference will also be where the 2019-2020 state officers will campaign and be announced during the closing session. Come view the many candidates who are competing at the chance to lead Illinois FBLA to greatness in the upcoming year. Be ready to get your boogie on at the conference because there is a dance at the end to unwind. It helps raise money for March of Dimes, so bring some money to donate. The State Leadership Conference is an amazing way to get involved in FBLA, network, and possibly get a trip to nationals. Hope to see you all there, and good luck to everyone who is competing.
More Parliamentary Procedure Tips
by Darsh Gupta, State Parliamentarian
So you’re back with a developed passion for Parliamentary Procedures? That’s what I like to hear! If you haven’t read through my previous article regarding parliamentary procedures, then I advise you to go ahead and read that before you continue reading this. In this article, I will cover how to further solidify your understanding of parli. pro.
If you have followed my tips from the previous article, then you have already made your exciting journey through the near 700 page parliamentary manual that goes by the name of Robert's Rules of Order 11th edition. The next step would be to learning the role each motion plays and how to properly dispose of them. Keeping the facts in your head straight may be difficult at times. Fortunately, in the back of the Robert’s Rules of Order, there are several condensed guides as to the order or precedence of certain motions, and what the necessary vote to properly adopt or reject a motion. It is highly advised to memorize these details, especially when approaching a test or presentation.
Often times, people just need a quick refresher on certain topics. I find it helpful to brush up on these topics by looking through the Robert’s Rules of Order brief version. This book is a third of the size, and covers majority of the topics of the original version. Another route Parli. Pro. students may take is paying a visit to the Robert’s Rules of Order website. The website plays a similar role to the brief version of the book with the exception that there is a FAQ section. Reading through these Frequently Asked Questions may help you clear up your confusion regarding certain topics. However, there is a disclaimer, only reading this brief version or visiting the website will not give you a firm understanding of the material. Your best bet is starting well in advance, and reading the original book thoroughly. Good luck again Parli. enthusiasts!
Southwestern Area Conference
by Brayden Riley, State VP, Southwestern Area
About the Conference 2019
All conferences in FBLA-PBL are many of the great times when it comes to the competition, events, workshops, speakers, and networking with new people each and every year. Many people come into FBLA-PBL looking for a new organization to help boost many of their business aspects. The area conferences are one of the great ways to do so.
Southwestern Conference
Our conference is well known for our competition, and our amazing members that come from all around. Our conference works each and every year to make it even better each year. Every year, more and more people begin to test their limits by competing in new events, meeting more and more people, and even some running for an office.
Northern Area Conference
by Matthew Droessler, State VP, Northern Area
The Northern Area Conference was held on January 26th 2019 at Grayslake Central High School. At the conference, FBLA members of the Northern Area were able to interact and network with other FBLA members and advisors. Northern Area President Matthew Droessler opened the conference and introduced the Grayslake Central Principal Dan Landrey and the Northern Area officers.
The conference held 8 different times for workshops and had 4 different workshop speakers. The conference also had Laura Lindwell as a keynote speaker during the closing session. Afterward, Battle of the Chapters took place and it was very entertaining to watch each school compete for those final spots on the Area team that would compete at the State Leadership Conference.
The Conference had a total of 8 different people running for various Northern Area Officer positions. After lunch voting delegates voted for the new officers and installation of the 2018-2019 Northern Area officers took place. A new position of Reporter was created and is now occupied. Finally, Awards were passed out and it was amazing to see how people loved competing and worked hard to get first.
Eastern Area Conference
by Adam Grimes, State VP, Eastern Area
The main responsibility of an area officer is to host a local conference, uniting the chapters in the area with competition. An area conference is the preliminary event to the state and national conferences. It’s a great chance for members to test their wit in selected events while competing against other area members. During January I had the privilege to plan and execute a successful area conference; while it may have been stressful at times, it was worth it one hundred percent.
The original date was January 12th, but the conference had to be postponed to the predetermined date of the 26th. I’m glad we planned a backup date because the 2017 and 2018 area conference was cancelled due to not having a backup date. Two weeks after the original date the weather was decent enough to host a conference at Newton Community High School. Approximately 186 members registered for the conference. I expect that number to sharply increase in 2020 due to recruitment efforts.
Overall, the area conference was a great time personally, and I hope the members from my area enjoyed it also. Eastern Area is on a great path to improve every year, and I believe that next year officer team will do a great job! I can’t wait to see my former area grow and develop in 2020, along with the state FBLA program.
Central Area Conference
by Parker Honegger, State VP, Central Area
Walking through the doors for this year’s Central Area Conference I knew our Area was ready to succeed. In the morning all the competitors, judges, and advisors were welcomed with warm doughnuts. As everyone was eating breakfast, teams were practicing and preparing for their upcoming events.
We were thankful this year to Heartland Community College who opened up their buildings for our conference. Compared to previous years we had much more room for events and in the auditorium room.
Once teams began finishing up their competitions, the chapters gathered in the auditorium where they were led though and interactive workshop by Ed Medesevic from State Farm’s Innovation team who graciously offered his time.
At the end of the day the members of our area left with the memories of the award ceremony, the takeaways from the workshop, the nerves right before presenting, and especially the excitement of the installment of next years officers. As the Central Area continues to serve the chapters of Champaign Central, Dee-Mack, Dunlap, Henry-Senachwine, Mahomet-Seymour, Normal Community, and St. Theresa, I am proud to step up for this Area and its future endeavours.
Central Northern Area Conference
by Audrey Zednick, State VP, Central Northern Area
The Central Northern Area Conference took place on January 19, 2019. Leading up to the conference it took a lot of work to plan it out! From deciding lunch to organizing the judges it took a lot of time a work from everybody to plan. For the conference, my advisor, helped an immense amount and helped direct me to what and when everything needed to be done. Firstly, it was important to figure out a speaker for the conference. For the Central Northern Area it was easy because a past Lincoln- Way East alumni was interested in speaking. He is an entrepreneur and was a previous state officer. We soon came up with a tentative schedule that we sent to advisors for them to figure out timing. We also decided that pre ordering pizza was the most efficient way to make sure everyone was fed for lunch. Planning mainly took place in December so that when January hit we were ready and all that had to be done was putting the pieces together. Leading up to the conference, during advisory and any extra time during the school day, we put packets together for chapters and the judges. The week before the conference I finalized everything and made a script to keep everything timely.
The conference went pretty smoothly! The day of, January 19, 2019, there was a big snow storm, however. One of the school had to cancel along with some judges which made some things more difficult, but we were able to move somethings around so that everything worked out. Everyone who came arrived safely even with the weather and the conference was in full swing! We focused on giving updates about the area and introducing the candidates for the next candidacy. Following the opening ceremony everyone went to compete in their events or listen to the speaker. Afterwards lunch was served and was delicious! We ended with the closing ceremony and initiated the new officers. Lastly, we gave out awards which took a little bit to print so we played some games such as a handshake competition while we waited. Overall it was a successful conference due to planning and organization.
Southern Area Conference
by Daniel Song, State VP, Southern Area
The Southern Area Conference was a terrific experience! The conference started at around 9:00 am on January 10. We began the day with opening remarks and had each chapter give their chapter reports for the year. We were happy to see so many active chapters and members making a change in their school and communities. After opening session, the members dispersed to their competitive events. For those who had already tested there was a workshop for them. The speaker was Mrs. Spann and she held a wonderful workshop that left the members excited and inspired for their futures. Once the workshop was over, members went to go get lunch. This included the members who had just competed in their events.
We held our March Of Dimes fundraiser after lunch. This was very effective because students would throw in change that they had just gotten from lunch. We had five Illinois State Officers in attendance, which was very exciting. We were all able to speak to the members during the conference and present key topics like our POW, BAA’s, and different fundraising ideas. Next we had the candidate speeches for offices of the upcoming year. Those went really well and we transitioned into Battle of the Chapters. This was an energizing event that got everyone very involved. The Area Vice President led different ice breakers after Battle of the Chapters concluded. The officers for the 2019-2020 year were then installed with the awards proceeding after this. Closing remarks were given and we wished all of the FBLA members luck in their future endeavors. We were excited to see them represent the Southern Area at the State Leadership Conference in the Spring.
