What is FBLA-PBL?
What does
FBLA-PBL do?
How does FBLA-PBL
benefit students?
How does FBLA-PBL
benefit teachers?
How does FBLA-PBL
benefit schools?
How is FBLA-PBL
organized?
How can I start
an FBLA-PBL chapter at my school?
What do FBLA-PBL
chapters do?
Who can be a
member of FBLA-PBL?
How can I join
FBLA-PBL?
What is
FBLA-PBL?
Future Business Leaders of
America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL) is a
nonprofit educational association of
students preparing for careers in
business and business-related fields. The
association has four divisions:
- FBLA for high
school students
- FBLA-Middle Level
for junior high and intermediate
students
- PBL for
postsecondary students
- Professional
Division for businesspeople,
educators, parents, and anyone
who supports the goals of the
association.
The FBLA concept was
developed in 1937 by Dr. Hamden L.
Forkner of Columbia University. In the
fall of 1940, official sponsorship of
FBLA was accepted by the National Council
for Business Education; on February 3,
1942, the first high school chapter was
chartered in Johnson City, Tennessee. In
1958, the first Phi Beta Lambda chapter
was chartered in Iowa.
More than 240,000
active members participate in more than
13,000 chartered chapters in 50 states,
the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,
the Virgin Islands, U.S. Territories,
Canada and Department of Defense
Dependent Schools worldwide.
FBLA-PBL is financed
primarily through membership dues.
Corporate and foundation grants also play
an important role in the association's
financial base.
FBLA-PBL is endorsed by
A Presidential Classroom for Young
Americans; American Management
Association; American Vocational
Association; Career College Association;
Johnson and Wales University; March of Dimes; National Association of
Parliamentarians; National Association of
Secondary School Principals; National
Business Education Association; National
Management Association; and the U.S.
Department of Education.
National
Information
National Center Address:
FBLA-PBL
1912 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22091-1591
1-800-FBLA WIN (325-2946) or (703)
860-3334
FAX: (703) 758-0749
http://www.fbla-pbl.org/
Office hours:
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM EST
National E-Mail Addresses:
Membership: membership@fbla.org
Conferences: conferenc@fbla.org
Programs: programs@fbla.org
General: general@fbla.org
Secretary: fbla2@juno.com
What
does FBLA-PBL do?
FBLA-PBL's goals are to:
- Promote competent,
aggressive business leadership.
- Understand
American business enterprise.
- Establish career
goals.
- Encourage
scholarship.
- Promote sound
financial management.
- Develop character
and self-confidence.
- Facilitate
transition from school to work.
To accomplish these
goals, FBLA-PBL holds conferences and
seminars; sponsors a competitive awards
program; produces national publications;
and provides scholarships, programs, and
other services for its members.
Conferences and Seminars: FBLA-PBL
sponsors conferences and seminars for
members and advisers including the
National Leadership Conference, three
National Fall Leadership Conferences, and
a training program for state and local
officers and their advisers.
Awards: FBLA-PBL's
National Awards Program recognizes and
rewards excellence in business- and
career-related skills. By participating
in the competitive events at the state
and national levels, students gain
practical experience in goal setting,
planning, and plan implementation.
Publications: FBLA-PBL
produces several practical and
informative publications for its
membership, including Tomorrow's
Business Leader, PBL Business Leader,
FBLA Advisers' Hotline, The Professional
Edge, and The Middle Level
Advisers' Hotline.
Scholarships and
Programs: Members can
gain recognition, experience, and cash
awards by participating in a variety of
partnership programs including
fundraisers, educational programs, and
scholarships. Opportunities include
Operation Enterprise's leadership and
career skills seminars, Otis Spunkmeyer's
business operation program, and Johnson
& Wales University's full and partial
scholarships for business degrees in
hospitality.
Membership Services: The National
Center provides chapter management,
promotional, and educational materials
for advisers and members. Chapters
receive the FBLA-PBL Handbook, the
National Awards Program Guide, Conference
Guides, Chapter Management Handbook, and
many more helpful publications.
How
does FBLA-PBL benefit students?
With 55 years of
experience in encouraging students in the
school-to-career transition, FBLA-PBL can
help students:
- Learn more about
business careers.
- Establish
occupational goals.
- Get firsthand
experience with business people.
- Practice effective
money management.
- Learn the value of
community responsibility.
- Get on-the-job
training in a wide range of
business activities, including
planning, fundraising, conducting
meetings, and managing finances,
time, and resources.
How does FBLA-PBL benefit
teachers?
Teachers who serve as
chapter advisers receive materials on
student activities, workshops, and
competitions that encourage interest,
develop business skills, and increase
knowledge of the business world. These
materials can be integrated into the
classroom curriculum to enrich teaching
methods.
FBLA-PBL also provides
teachers with opportunities for:
- Professional
development through meetings with
fellow educators, conference
workshops, and seminars.
- Networking and
interaction with the local
business community.
- Visibility and
recognition through chapter
participation in school and
community activities.
- Enhancement of the
quality of education for your
students.
How does FBLA-PBL
benefit schools?
An FBLA-PBL chapter gives
your school a real-world tie to business.
The business curriculum-and the school as
a whole-can be enriched by this
co-curricular activity.
A chapter that is
involved in the local civic and business
activities of your community ensures that
your school is at the forefront of
current events. Being involved in
newsworthy events creates positive
publicity for your school in the local
media, increased enrollments in business
programs, and opportunities for
partnering with local businesses.
How
is FBLA-PBL organized?
The national headquarters
of FBLA-PBL is in Reston, Virginia, and
members belong to local, state, and
national chapters (membership is not
available separately). At the local
level, chapters operate under charters
granted by the national organization.
Each chapter has its own constitution and
adopts projects and programs within the
general framework of the national
organization. Membership dues for all
three levels are collected at the local
level. Local chapters are led by student
officers; their activities are guided by
a business faculty member who serves as
the chapter adviser.
A state chapter
comprises all local chapters within a
state. Like local chapters, state
chapters operate under charters granted
by the national organization. They also
have their own constitutions, projects,
and programs, and set their own dues
amounts. State chapters are led and
guided by a state committee and student
officers. Each active state chapter holds
annual statewide competitions in the
spring to qualify entrants for the
national competition.
State chapters are
organized in FBLA-PBL's five regions
(Eastern, Southern, North Central,
Mountain Plains, and Western). Each
region hosts an annual Fall Leadership
Conference to update members on national
programs.
The national
organization is governed by a board of
directors comprising professional
educators, local and state advisers,
state and local supervisors, business and
industry representatives, and the
presidents of FBLA, PBL, and the
Professional Division. The national dues
amount is set by the board and approved
by a vote of the membership at a National
Leadership Conference. The board appoints
a president/chief executive officer who
directs the National Center staff in
Reston, Virginia.
How
can I start an FBLA-PBL chapter at my
school?
Here are the steps that
students and educators can take to start
an FBLA-PBL chapter at their schools.
- Contact the
National Center to receive a
Chapter Organization Packet,
which contains everything you
need to apply for a charter.
- A chapter adviser
from the business department must
be identified.
- If necessary,
submit a proposal to your school
administrator for establishing an
FBLA or PBL chapter.
- Recruit potential
chapter members from students in
business or business-related
classes.
- Hold an
orientation meeting.
- Elect officers.
- Vote on chapter
bylaws.
- Collect dues.
- Submit a completed
charter application to the chair
of your state chapter.
- Develop a program
of work outlining proposed
chapter activities for the year.
- Conduct a new
officer installation ceremony
upon receipt of your charter.
What
do FBLA-PBL chapters do?
Chapters prepare programs
of work tailored to best meet the needs
of their memberships, schools, and
communities. The Chapter Management
Handbook mailed at the beginning of
the school year provides information on
current programs, special activities, and
deadlines to help chapters develop their
programs of work, which can include:
- Professional
activities that increase student
skills or knowledge of the
business world. Project examples
include inviting local business
people as guest speakers, visits
to local businesses, and
preparation for competitive
events.
- Service activities
that help people in need. In
addition to national partnerships
with the March of Dimes and the Tourette's
Syndrome Association, chapters
can get involved in local
community works and projects.
- Civic activities
that promote civic pride and good
citizenship. Chapters work with
local chambers of commerce,
business people, and business
organizations.
- Fundraising
activities that finance chapter
projects and conference trips.
Chapters can participate in
national fundraising programs or
develop local fundraisers of
their own.
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Who
can be a member of FBLA-PBL?
FBLA members are students
in business or business-related classes
at the secondary school level (almost any
subject can be considered business
related). PBL members are students
enrolled in business or business-related
classes at the postsecondary school
level. FBLA-Middle Level members can be
any middle school student. Professional
members are business people, educators,
school administrators, former FBLA-PBL
members, parents, or anyone else in your
school or community who support the goals
and activities of FBLA-PBL.
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FBLA-PBL web
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How
can I join FBLA-PBL?
If you're a middle level,
high school, or college student, you can
become a member of FBLA, PBL, or
FBLA-Middle Level by joining an
officially chartered chapter at your
school. If you're a businessperson,
educator, school administrator, former
FBLA-PBL member, or parent who supports
the goals of FBLA-PBL, you can become a
member of the FBLA-PBL Professional
Division simply by calling (800)
FBLA-WIN. Go to Membership to find out about membership
dues, how to start a chapter, and much
more.
Want to start a new chapter or
know someone who does? Download the Chapter Organization Packet form and send it in. You'll receive
a package of information that can get you
started.
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