B. Rustin High School students prove they are the future of business
Bayard Rustin High School students participating in the school’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter got a firsthand look at how to succeed in the business world.
Two students from Bayard Rustin’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) traveled to the 2009 national conference in Anaheim, Calif., in June and took home awards for their business-savvy communication skills.
At the national conference, high school senior Lisa Xu won third place in the business communication category for juniors and seniors, and sophomore Karen Jin won first place in introduction to business communication in the freshman and sophomore category.
The two girls also won awards at both the regional and state levels in order to advance to the national competition.
Bayard Rustin High School marketing and business teacher Carol Otto is the advisor for the school’s FBLA. Otto started the FBLA chapter, which is now in its fourth year, as an opportunity for students to explore the business world. FBLA is a worldwide organization aimed at providing leadership and business educational opportunities to students.
“It’s such a good organization and great experience for students. It teaches them leadership skills and allows them to network with students from across the nation,” Otto said.
Through the organization, students gain the experience of acting and dressing professionally and meeting individuals who work in business. The roughly 30 to 40 students in the school’s FBLA chapter meet twice a month.
Throughout the year, FBLA students compete and showcase their business skills at the regional, state and national levels.
This year, the Bayard Rustin chapter will raise funds for and participate in a Habitat for Humanity service project. Students also participate in social activities and meet with other local FBLA chapters to network.
The next regional FBLA conference is scheduled for January 2010 at Immaculata University, and the state conference is scheduled for April 2010 in Hershey.
In addition to the competition aspect, the conferences allow students to attend business workshops and listen to speakers.
To compete at each level, students complete a 100-question multiple-choice test on subjects such as accounting, parliamentary procedure, business law and situations in business communication, and compete in public speaking events.
Otto thinks FBLA and the competitions offer students experience in handling stress and leadership skills.
Prior to the regional, state and national competitions, Xu and Jin studied business textbooks to prepare.
“These two really worked hard. No student can win at nationals without putting in a lot of effort, and both of them did,” Otto said.
Xu, 17, of Glen Mills, joined the FBLA in her freshman year as an opportunity to explore career options. Xu is the president of both the school’s FBLA chapter and the local FBLA region. She hopes to study economics or political science after high school.
Xu said she was excited to place third at the national FBLA conference. She also earned first place at the regional and state levels in the same category.
“It felt pretty good,” she said. “Last year I was there and placed seventh, so it was an improvement in ranking.”
Xu enjoyed attending the FBLA state, regional and national conferences, and she viewed them as an opportunity to meet other students interested in similar careers.
Jin, 16, of West Chester, joined the school’s FBLA chapter in her freshman year as a way to learn more about the business world.
While attending the conference, Jin learned how to professionally interact with people in a business setting and enjoyed listening to the speakers.
Jin was happy her hard work paid off in the end when she won first place in the introduction to business communication category at all three conferences.
“It was really awesome because I was sitting there wondering how I did. I didn’t think I would get first place, so I was surprised,” she said of the national competition.
Jin encourages other students to join the FBLA if they have an interest in learning about the field of business.
“It’s a lot of fun, and more people should look into it,” she said.
Two students from Bayard Rustin’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) traveled to the 2009 national conference in Anaheim, Calif., in June and took home awards for their business-savvy communication skills.
At the national conference, high school senior Lisa Xu won third place in the business communication category for juniors and seniors, and sophomore Karen Jin won first place in introduction to business communication in the freshman and sophomore category.
The two girls also won awards at both the regional and state levels in order to advance to the national competition.
Bayard Rustin High School marketing and business teacher Carol Otto is the advisor for the school’s FBLA. Otto started the FBLA chapter, which is now in its fourth year, as an opportunity for students to explore the business world. FBLA is a worldwide organization aimed at providing leadership and business educational opportunities to students.
“It’s such a good organization and great experience for students. It teaches them leadership skills and allows them to network with students from across the nation,” Otto said.
Through the organization, students gain the experience of acting and dressing professionally and meeting individuals who work in business. The roughly 30 to 40 students in the school’s FBLA chapter meet twice a month.
Throughout the year, FBLA students compete and showcase their business skills at the regional, state and national levels.
This year, the Bayard Rustin chapter will raise funds for and participate in a Habitat for Humanity service project. Students also participate in social activities and meet with other local FBLA chapters to network.
The next regional FBLA conference is scheduled for January 2010 at Immaculata University, and the state conference is scheduled for April 2010 in Hershey.
In addition to the competition aspect, the conferences allow students to attend business workshops and listen to speakers.
To compete at each level, students complete a 100-question multiple-choice test on subjects such as accounting, parliamentary procedure, business law and situations in business communication, and compete in public speaking events.
Otto thinks FBLA and the competitions offer students experience in handling stress and leadership skills.
Prior to the regional, state and national competitions, Xu and Jin studied business textbooks to prepare.
“These two really worked hard. No student can win at nationals without putting in a lot of effort, and both of them did,” Otto said.
Xu, 17, of Glen Mills, joined the FBLA in her freshman year as an opportunity to explore career options. Xu is the president of both the school’s FBLA chapter and the local FBLA region. She hopes to study economics or political science after high school.
Xu said she was excited to place third at the national FBLA conference. She also earned first place at the regional and state levels in the same category.
“It felt pretty good,” she said. “Last year I was there and placed seventh, so it was an improvement in ranking.”
Xu enjoyed attending the FBLA state, regional and national conferences, and she viewed them as an opportunity to meet other students interested in similar careers.
Jin, 16, of West Chester, joined the school’s FBLA chapter in her freshman year as a way to learn more about the business world.
While attending the conference, Jin learned how to professionally interact with people in a business setting and enjoyed listening to the speakers.
Jin was happy her hard work paid off in the end when she won first place in the introduction to business communication category at all three conferences.
“It was really awesome because I was sitting there wondering how I did. I didn’t think I would get first place, so I was surprised,” she said of the national competition.
Jin encourages other students to join the FBLA if they have an interest in learning about the field of business.
“It’s a lot of fun, and more people should look into it,” she said.
