Table of Contents

Fall Leadership Conference Pictures

Seasons Greetings from the Florida PBL President

A Message from the Florida FBLA President

Get Ready…Get Set… Competition Time!

Community Service - Children‟s Miracle Network

How to Start a PBL Chapter

Is the Middle Level catching up? We Sure Hope So!

Networking is the art of building alliances

Fleming Island High School FBLA

FIU PBL hosts the FBLA Officer Training

Jefferson High School in Full Swing

Braddock FBLA Helps the Soldiers

LaBelle High School FBLA

USF‟s PBL Closes a Successful Fall Semester

Mater Academy is Loving those Locks

LaBelle Middle School FBLA
Fall Leadership Conference
Pictures
Seasons Greetings from the
Florida PBL President
Seasons Greetings! I hope all of you that attended our State Fall Leadership Conference had a wonderful time. And I would like to thank all of those who attended the National Fall Leadership Conference,
you represented you state well and I heard nothing but great things about our Florida chapter. this
Communicator your state officers will be giving helpful hints in running a successful PBL chapter. There
will be tips on how to host a large event, starting a new chapter, selecting the right competitive event
and much more. I hope all of you are getting ready for competitions and looking forward to your district
competitions. We have so much planned for the upcoming State Leadership Conference and I hope to
see all of you there to Get Tuned In! Also, don‟t forget to keep raising money for both the March of
Dimes and The Children‟s Miracle Network
As always if you need anything from me please feel free to contact me at pblpres@floridafbla-pbl.com
Theodore Mook
Florida PBL State President
A Message from the Florida FBLA President
The Holiday Season is rushing by and the new year is almost here! While all of the hard work of
membership recruitment may seem over, there is still much to do. Every activity that FBLA hosts is a
reflection of our organization, and therefore must be treated as such. Keep in mind that as your group
plans and participates in events this upcoming year, that someone is always going to be looking at you
as FBLA and not simply you. Recruiting and retaining members is a rolling process and everything that
we do creates an image for students who are deciding whether or not to join our organization. This
past year has been a rough time for membership due to the stalling economy and so now is the time
for us to work the hardest in letting the world know that we are simply best!
Furthermore, I have to emphasize the utilization of the Florida FBLA state-wide conference calls.
Being from one of the far ends of Florida, Pensacola, I completely understand the importance of communication within our organization. What members need to understand, is that although the district,
state, and national officers teams are in place each year, they can only do so much without interaction
from everyone. Members, officers, and advisers must take advantage of these benefits, and participate
in the scheduled conference calls, or other means of communication that is put in place throughout the
year. They must send an email to the teams occasionally and be willing to ask for help. After all, that is
what this group is all about: building a team to help get us to our successes in life.
We are The Future Business Leaders of America. The LARGEST student run, business organization
in the world! Have you ever thought about how profound that is? Get involved with everything that is
offered through the success of FBLA, and remember that there is only so much the State Officer Team
can do until you get tuned in.
Taylor Kelly
Florida FBLA State President
Get Ready…Get Set…
Competition Time!
It is finally that time of the year once again: time to choose YOUR competition to compete in.
The year has passed by tremendously fast, district competitions are right around the corner, what do
you do? When choosing a competition to participate in, you must find that one that is right for you. As
a member with big ambitions, you will seek to compete in a competitive event in which you have the
“overall edge” to succeed in. Choosing a competition isn‟t easy. Sometimes, it can even be time consuming. However, here are a few helpful tips that will guide you on your path as you “Get Tuned In” to
become “Simply the Best”:
* Look through the Chapter Management Handbook and select something that appeals to you
* Make sure to feel comfortable with the event you want
* When choosing an event, you can have the advantage when choosing one that relates to a field of
study “you” are pursuing
* Be confident when choosing speaking or performance events
* Make sure to input a tremendous amount of practice and study time
* When choosing a team event, make sure that the partners that are chosen all have the same equal
time, dedication, and ambition
* In the end, have fun and get recognized!
Jose Betancourt
Florida PBL State Secretary
Community Service
Children’s Miracle Network
A big component of FBLA is serving the community. When your chapter engages in community
service activities. There are thousands of people in your community that need your help and hundreds
of organizations that provide opportunities for a large group to complete a community service project.
For example, Habitat for Humanity, the National Association for Down Syndrome, National Autism Association, etc., all have activities planned each year to engage groups to raise awareness about a cause or
help those in need. The FBLA National Community Service project, the March of Dimes, also has numerous opportunities to get your school involved. An easy way to support March of Dimes is to collect
money from the classes and send it to the March of Dimes through FBLA.
Moreover, don't forget the Florida FBLA community service project: Children‟s Miracle Network.
Children‟s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children‟s
hospitals. Countless individuals, organizations and media partners unite with Children‟s Miracle Network
hospitals to help sick and injured kids in local communities. Donations to Children‟s Miracle Network
create miracles by funding medical care, research and education that saves and improves the lives of
17 million children each year. Plan an activity at your school or raise money to donate to this noble
cause. Community Service is extremely rewarding in every aspect. Get involved today!
Alicia Barroso
Florida FBLA State Secretary
How to Start a PBL Chapter
Members and Advisers,
The 2009-2019 state officer teams want to take this opportunity and thank everyone for a job well
done this fall term. FBLA members ask yourself these simple questions. 1) Are you a senior? and 2) Do
you want to continue your FBLA experience? If you answered yes to both, then your next step would be
joining the collegiate division of FBLA which is Phi Beta Lambda (PBL). If the college/university you
plan to attend doesn‟t have a PBL chapter, don‟t worry! Here are the simple steps in starting a chapter
at your college/university:
 Go to www.fbla-pbl.org
 Once on the national site, under “Join,” click the “PBL” right below it. This will provide you with a form to request a Chapter Organization Packet, or COP.
 Download the COP and fill it out.
 It takes only three members, and a faculty adviser to start a chapter.
 You will also be required to pay a $20.00 activation fee, which you can easily cover
with local chapter dues.
 Additionally, you will need chapter bylaws. Suggested chapter bylaws may be found
in the document library.
 Mail in your COP and activation fee.
 Congratulations! You‟re an official charter!
If you have any questions along the way, do not hesitate to contact your fellow state officers. We are
here to help you. Just remember that starting a chapter is really great way in making the state of Florida Simply the Best!
Chirag Pravinchandra Shah
Florida PBL District 1 Vice President
Is the Middle Level catching up?
We Sure Hope So!
The FBLA Middle Level is the fastest growing portion of Future Business Leaders of America; Hillsborough West is a prime example of this rapid growth. I was invited to attend their Rally on November 3 rd
and was shocked not only at the number in attendance, but also from the large representation of the
Middle Level members. Hillsborough‟s District recently split into two separate pieces due to the size of
the members; over half of the room was comprised of Middle School Members! Talking to each table
individually I learned how Future Business Leaders of America has helped them in many ways by building self-confidence, eased the anxiety of starting high school, and by introducing them to different career fields. They also expressed to me how being a current member of FBLA will aid them in finding
their niche, making new friends, and guarantee that they won‟t get lost in the crowd once they enter
high school. Another thing they were all very proud of was the number of Middle School Members from
their District that competed and placed at States, and how they were ready to compete and win more
awards. I was introduced to the Vice-President of the District, he was professional, well spoken, oh and
one more thing, he was in 8th grade. He assured me that he had competition and like any other voting
process he campaigned, delivered a speech, and was elected out of the other candidates. At the age of
14 he has held an office I myself did not hold until my Junior year of High school. He has gained experience, notoriety, and has given back to the FBLA community by being an example that no one is limited
by their age. I would like to congratulate Hillsborough West on their Middle School Level achievements,
and encourage them along with all other Districts to strive to grow their Middle Level because the future is only as bright as our next generation and if they are all a part of FBLA, we will be in good hands.
Nicole Laster
Florida FBLA Region 4 Vice-President
Networking is the art of building alliances
Networking is the art of building alliances. It's not contacting everyone you know when you are
looking for a new job and asking if they know of any job openings. Networking starts long before a job
search, and you probably don't even realize you are doing it. Networking is a big deal in this generation
and generations past and future. We are not just talking about social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, which are a good way to network with long lost friends and family, but actually going out into the business world and making those connections that may lead you to an internship or
even an amazing job. FBLA-PBL gives each and every one of its members the opportunity to network
with other members and worldwide corporations while you attend any of the national, state, and event
local conferences. While attending these conferences members should take advantage of this great opportunity and get as much information they need to succeed and make those connections in the business world. Landing a great job in this generation all depends on how connected you are to the business world and how many good connections you have. Here are some tips to expand your network of
connections:
1. Connect to your local Chamber of Commerce with your FBLA-PBL chapter and you can receive free
membership and make those critical connections to support your local efforts.
2. Always carry a business card and give it to everyone you think may be valuable to you in the future.
3. Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trust and relationships,
and seeing how you can help others.
4. Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups
that will help you get what you are looking for. Some meetings are based more on learning, making
contacts, and/or volunteering rather than on strictly making business connections.
5. Visit as many groups as possible that spark your interest. Notice the tone and attitude of the group.
Do the people sound supportive of one another? Does the leadership appear competent? Many
groups will allow you to visit two times before joining.
6. Hold volunteer positions in organizations. This is a great way to stay visible and give back to groups
that have helped you.
7. Make sure to get a LinkedIn Account, which is a social networking site for professionals
Tahsin Nabid
Florida PBL District III Vice President
Fleming Island High School FBLA
With all new energy and ideas, the Fleming Island High School FBLA Chapter is eager to help out the
local community. Our team recently volunteered at a local elementary school for their „Breakfast With
Santa‟ festivities. Along with helping young children, our members raised money for The Children‟s
Miracle Network by collecting donations in all lunches during school. A few of our officers attended the
National and State Leadership Conference which helped make our meetings, recruitment, and ideas
more entertaining and successful. Coming up later in the year, we are planning a charity volleyball
game to help raise money for the March of Dimes, as well as our annual „Penny Wars.‟ We have
many new members with great ideas and additions to help our chapter and can‟t wait to see what the
rest of the 09-10 school year has to offer.
FIU PBL hosts the FBLA Officer Training
In their quests to become better leaders
of tomorrow, more than 400 students attended
the recent Future Business Leaders of America
(FBLA) workshop held at Florida International
University.
Attendees represented chapters from all
over Miami-Dade County, said FIU's FBLA president, Jose Betancourt, who helped plan the
event with Yanyn San Luis. Betancourt and San
Luis created interesting interactive workshops
for all the members in attendance.
FBLA is a national organization with more
than 50,000 members. At FIU, the College of
Business Administration partnered with the university's FBLA chapter to prepare the day of
learning workshops. “The event was a tremendous success, and the chapter is looking forward From left to right: Camila Rodriguez, Jose Betancourt,
to preparing next year's training and make it a
Paola Lacouture, Delia Fung, David Sanchez, and Tifphenomenal one,'' Betancourt said.
fany Le
Jefferson High School in Full Swing
The 2009-2010 year has Jefferson High School FBLA hitting
the ground and running. As an active charter since 1951,
we are looking at our largest chapter in history with 171
members. In October we celebrated with FBLA District 8 for
a day of fun at Gameworks in Ybor City and also during that
month we installed our 2009-2010 FBLA officer team with
Roland Park Middle School FBLA in attendance as our
guests. The officers also participated in the District Chapter
Officer‟s Training Session at Middleton High School. We
started the month of November off with the District Leadership Conference and Breakfast at Embassy Suites Hotel
near USF and then celebrated American Enterprise Day by
wearing professional business attire to school. FBLA also
hosted an International Flag Contest to commemorate International Education Week. November 19-22 eleven FBLA
officers attended the State and National Fall Leadership
Conference in Orlando. They brought back many new ideas
and skills by participating in the awesome workshops. Congratulations goes to Brianna Cortese who was
accepted for admission to Johnson & Wales University and was awarded a scholarship in the amount of
$32,000 over a four-year period because of her involvement in FBLA for four years. We are currently
preparing for the second annual Jefferson‟s Best Dance Crew competition that will take place the evening of February 19, 2010. Jefferson High School FBLA continues to be “Simply the Best!!”
Braddock FBLA Helps the Soldiers
The soldiers of our nation constantly risk their lives for America and the people that live within its borders. They stop those that wish to harm innocent civilians, with determination, integrity, and courage.
They work and train endlessly to ensure the safety of our nation, putting personal sacrifices aside. Most
importantly, they protect the beliefs that Americans hold dear to them, from freedom of speech, to
freedom of religion, and so much more. This is why Braddock FBLA decided to acknowledge our veterans with soldier appreciation events. One of these events included the Veteran‟s Walk. In this event,
executive officers, members, and other school clubs got together to honor the veterans of our nation.
Everyone attending generously donated money to aid the Miami Veteran‟s Affairs Hospital in their admirable endeavor of helping the veterans of the United
States of America. In addition, they walked 2 miles to
show their dedication toward the cause and to support
the veteran‟s commendable actions. Braddock FBLA
also organized and participated in an event for Operation Gratitude. Our members were first informed of all
the hardships and rough conditions that these soldiers
had to endure. They were then encouraged to develop
positive, up-beat letters, thanking soldiers for their contributions. These touching letters were later attached
to care packages that consisted of member-brought
items. Once delivered to soldiers in distant war zones,
they sent a message of hope and happiness, putting a
smile on the faces of all of the men and women in the
U.S. Armed Force.
LaBelle High School FBLA
LaBelle High School FBLA is “Getting Tuned In” for a great year! Officers have been elected for the 20092010 year and have been working hard on activities for the upcoming year. Officers for this year are:
President
Vice-President
Reporter
Historian
Chelsea Lewis
Jaydee Hull
Lynette Rivas
Staci Berg
Fall fundraising activities include selling “Thunder Sticks” at home football games and selling Ozark Lollipops. Several members helped in the concession stand at the LaBelle Middle School dance. It was fun to
visit at the middle school.
Recruitment of new members is one of the goals for the officers this year and thus far we have increased
our membership by four over last year…keep on recruiting everyone!!!
Officers attended the state and national fall conferences in November and came away with great ideas and
learned so much. Staying at the Caribe Royal Hotel was awesome. Our officers made many new FBLA
friends and look forward to seeing them again at the SLC.
For American Enterprise Day, our members went to the newly opened Beef O‟Brady‟s and heard from the
owner about Free Enterprise and what it was like to start a new business. The owner also discussed what
characteristics she looked for in new employees. Our Mayor, Mr. Paul Puletti, also attended and treated the
members to some great wings and nachos. It was a most enjoyable meeting.
USF’s PBL Closes a Successful Fall Semester
The University of South Florida Phi Beta Lambda (USF PBL) chapter has kicked off a successful fall semester! This will be the second official year as a recognized National and State Chapter, after almost 30 years
of inactivity. With 106 potential active members, USF is excited to gear up for the Spring Conferences and
community service activities. Our first meetings were held primarily for planning and leadership workshops
lead by Sarah Rasheid and Ivan Gil, who were reaffirmed as Co-Presidents. This year we have 100% Officer Positions filled while also creating additional special positions, appointed to serve as Vice Presidents:
Emily Mitchell - Vice President of Events & Programming, Ben Lynch and Melinda Demirovic - Vice Presidents of Social Initiatives. Appointed to serve as Secretary: Justin Campbell; Assistant Secretary & Reporter: Ariadna Lobo. In addition, we have appointed Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer: Andrew
Gottberg; and Parliamentarian: Kelly Budnick. Held on October 17, 2009 USF PBL hosted the first annual
Mud Fest 2009, at the USF East and West Soccer
Fields. At this event nearly 200 students attended
and participated in muddy sports to benefit the National Project of the March of Dimes. Students rolled
in the mud while competing in games like Foot Volley Contest, Block Run Relay, and Blind Man‟s Dash
in the Mud. Fisher from 97X New Rock Alternative
Radio was the emcee for the event; food and items
were donated by local vendors Image Depot, Hooters, Tijuana Flats, Boar‟s Head, Coca-Cola,
Westshore Pizza, Pita Pit, Planet Smoothie and Domino‟s! All proceeds were donated to the March of
Dimes fight for healthy babies.
Teams playing in the Mud!
Mater Academy is Loving those Locks
One hundred and sixty seven people received a free hair cut at Mater Academy
on Sunday November 8, 2009. These many wigs will now be made because of
those who donated their hair to Locks of Love. Lesly Viera, a 17 year old cancer survivor organized the event at our school. This event went through the
Miami Herald, Channel 6 news,
Telemundo and Power 96, not to
mention the advertisement done in
school with banners, flyers, and
announcements. The doors of Mater Academy opened at 12 noon
and closed at 5 pm. The turnout
was unimaginable. With the help of
hair stylists from Glamore Salon
the event ran smoothly. All who
were assisting Lesly ( including
FBLA members) who also wanted
to get their hair cut and donated,
Lesly Viera being interviewed
stayed till after 5 pm.
by Telemundo
A donation made by a
supporter
LaBelle Middle School FBLA
The 2009-2010 year at LaBelle Middle School is off to a fantastic start. Officers were elected and our
Program of Work is underway. Officers for 2009-2010 are:
President
Vice-President
Secretary
Reporter
Historian
Hipolito Salinas
Magali Salinas
Sylicia McKenzie
Caitlyn Mayo
Anastasia Carter
For our first fundraiser of the year, a school dance. Students had lots of fun dancing and visiting with
friends. FBLA members also opened a concession stand with lots of good food for all. There were approximately 250 students in attendance and we made over a $1,000 profit. The money raised will
help the officers attend the State and National Fall Conferences in November.
Upcoming activities include selling the Ozark Delight Lollipops, helping with the concession stand at
the Bronco volleyball games, planning activities for participating with the LaBelle Rotary Club in the
clean-up of the Nature Park.
For American Enterprise Day, our members went to the newly opened Beef O‟Brady‟s and heard from
the owner about Free Enterprise and what it was like to start a new business. The owner also discussed what characteristics she looked for in new employees. Our Mayor, Mr. Paul Puletti, also attended and treated the members to some great wings and nachos. It was a most enjoyable meeting.
Stay TUNED IN for the
Spring
Florida Communicator
... coming to a chapter near you ...