Monthly Archives: January 2012

Tis the season… The FBLA season!

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Alex Blodgett, 2011-2012 North Central Region Vice President

The best time of the FBLA year is upon us: Competition! Over the next few weeks, FBLA members across the nation will begin competing to earn a trip to this year’s NLC in San Antonio, Texas. From the local level to the state level, members just like you will be doing their best to stand out in their competitive event. Whether you compete in performance events, or prefer the written tests, preparation is key to doing your best.

  • Ask your adviser for help preparing; they’ve been there, done that, and are a great resource
  • Make sure you spend an adequate amount of time studying/practicing. You know what they say… Practice makes perfect!
  • Get some sleep the night before competition
  • Eat a healthy breakfast on the big day– it’ll help you focus
  • BE CONFIDENT. After all, if you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else?

Now, springtime isn’t just about competition. It’s the perfect time of the year to do a community service project! Here in Missouri, members all over are hard at work on a project called Rooting for Joplin. It’s a statewide community service project to help replant trees in tornado-stricken Joplin, Missouri. Try thinking of a fun way to give back to your community during the spring season. Plant trees, pick up trash, or plan a 5K– the possibilities are endless.

Next week kicks off FBLA-PBL Week! Chapters everywhere will be celebrating our great organization through various activities all week. On Thursday, February 9th, your national officer team encourages you to participate in a project called Service in Sync. Members everywhere will be spending part of their day reading to elementary students as part of a nationally synchronized service project. For more information on what you and your chapter can do this FBLA-PBL Week, download the FBLA-PBL Week Packet, and check back to this blog for daily articles.

So, as you can see, there are many great opportunities for FBLA members this spring. Make sure to take full advantage… After all, ’tis the season!

March of Dimes Webinars in February

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Check out these upcoming exciting webinars, which are being offered as part of the March of Dimes Volunteer Leadership Institute Executive Leadership Program:

Generating Awareness for March for Babies
Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM -2:00 PM EST
Join us to learn more about ways to promote your upcoming March for Babies events. From earned media to social media, we will share a host of strategies and tactics to help you plan, pitch and implement awareness and media activities.

I’m Winning Because of You: African Americans and the March of Dimes
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Time: 1:00 PM-2:00 PM EST
Led by archivist, David Rose, the webinar will cover the history of African Americans and the March of Dimes from the beginning of the NFIP to the present, with photos largely from the March of Dimes Archives.

$90,000 in Cash & Prizes for FBLA Chapters Promoting Teen Driving Safety

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Act Out Loud 2012, a program of the National Organization for Youth Safety, is an awesome opportunity for FBLA to get their chapters involved in youth traffic safety AND to win cash prizes for both their chapter and FBLA! The grand prize is $10,000. Additionally five (5) national organizations can win $10,000 if they can get 25 of their chapters to register. Each chapter gets a FREE toolkit to help in your promotions. Registration ends January 31, 2012. Don’t delay! Enter today by registering at www.ActOutLoud.org.

First-ever National Service In Sync Project Planned for FBLA-PBL Week 2012

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Marion High School, Illinois

This year during FBLA-PBL Week (February 5-11) our organization has a special opportunity to collectively come together to serve others in a nationally synchronized service project. This project is called Service In Sync and our innovative efforts will shed light on an important issue—Elementary Education Literacy.

On Thursday, February 9th of FBLA-PBL Week your FBLA National Officer Team is asking FBLA local chapters to join them in reading to elementary students in their local school districts. This is an easy way for FBLA chapters all over the nation to come together and benefit the local communities that support our organization on all levels. After you have completed your role in our synchronized service effort, please complete the brief survey to let us know about your experience.

Your FBLA National Officer Team is excited to participate in this event and we are excited for you to join us in reading to elementary students all across the country. Even your FBLA National President Taylor Sarman will be reading his personal favorite, Hop on Pop, to first graders in the Union School District in Oregon!

So schedule a time for your local chapter to read to local elementary students on Thursday, February 9th and look for more updates to come!

March of Dimes Grants Available – Deadline January 15

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Twin River FBLA (Nebraska)

For more than 30 years, FBLA-PBL and the March of Dimes have partnered to raise money and to support the mission of the March of Dimes.

The March of Dimes provides grants to reward members and chapters for their support of the partnership and to identify and support innovative ideas and project that enhance the growth, recognition, and support of FBLA and the March of Dimes partnership.

These grants are due by January 15.  Click to download the application form.

Great opportunities through the March of Dimes

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Tony Jones, 2011-2012 FBLA Southern Region Vice President

For the past 40 years a strong relationship has been kindled between the March of Dimes and FBLA-PBL.  Together we have raised more than $500,000 a year to help put an end to the number of premature births.  This effort is something we should all be proud of and use to look optimistically toward the future.  Due to the hard work of both organizations, we can proudly say we made a great impact on such a great problem facing our society.

For a while my own conception of what the March of Dimes did was misconstrued.  I thought their sole purpose was to put an end to premature births.  While this is a big part of what they work toward, another big item the organization fights for is health awareness for all. They don’t just wish to eradicate premature births but also unhealthy living.

In their efforts to reach out, the March of Dimes’ Team Youth division has special opportunities available to benefit FBLA-PBL members.  One opportunity is the Teen2Teen Health Education Series.  Through these innovative discussions members can take part in an experience that is more centered toward them.  This series is a great tool to utilize during chapter meetings.  The items discussed allow members to learn more about the March of Dimes while learning how to better their lives as well as the lives of others.

The relationship between the March of Dimes and FBLA-PBL has allowed for a great deal of growth and development on both sides.  Through various opportunities like Teen2Teen and other community service activities, we are making this world a better place one person at a time.  There is no doubt in my mind that the March of Dimes and FBLA-PBL will be going strong for another 40 years!

Ring in a great new year with your FBLA chapter!

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Nadine Goldberg, 2011-2012 FBLA National Parliamentarian

It’s that time of year again! As you take time to make your personal commitments and goals for 2012,don’t forget to make some New Year’s resolutions for your FBLA chapter too. Maybe you want to create a fundraising committee or encourage your members to earn the Business Achievement Awards and run for office.  Personally, I’m hoping to organize more opportunities for my school’s members to bond as a chapter. A potluck dinner or an ice cream social sounds like just the thing.

I also love the idea of holding a mid-year officer retreat! Set aside a few hours to meet up with the rest of your officer team and revisit the Program of Work you wrote over the summer or at the beginning of the year. Which goals have you achieved? Where are you falling behind?  And most importantly, what steps do you need to take in order to get back on track? Once you’ve talked it all out, break out a laptop and create an updated version of your POW. When everyone is satisfied with your new plan, you can celebrate your hard work with sundaes or a movie – it is the holiday season after all!

Here’s to making 2012 your chapter’s year to shine!

March of Dimes Now Hiring: Youth Fundraising Recruitment Specialists

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The March of Dimes is excited to announce a temporary, part-time position recruiting youth fundraising teams for March for Babies in a field office from January to May 2012. They are looking to hire this position in three locations:  
 
St. Louis, MO: http://bit.ly/tmbk2V
Austin, TX: http://bit.ly/s42tYU
Columbia, SC: http://bit.ly/tSfHOi
 
This position will grow March for Babies revenue through recruiting and developing youth teams, including schools and youth clubs. By recruiting, developing and managing these youth fundraising teams, the specialist will also increase walker participation at our key signature fundraising event.  As a dynamic position, the specialist will be expected to attend on-site meetings with youth teams and develop communications and speaking opportunities to engage students and teachers/advisors in the March of Dimes mission and the March for Babies event.  The specialist must be able to attend various school related activities, such as faculty meetings, pep rallies, and PTA events. Ability to provide personal transportation is required.
 
Job responsibilities include:
  • Recruit, develop and manage youth fundraising teams for the March of Dimes signature walk fundraiser, March for Babies.
  • Develop and supply targeted communications to youth volunteers during primary fundraisers as well as throughout the year.
  • Attend events at schools such as faculty meetings, pep rallies, club meetings and PTA events to promote March for Babies involvement and engage more students, parents and faculty in the fundraising and March for Babies team process.
  • Develop plan to keep youth teams involved beyond March for Babies 2011 as March of Dimes volunteers,  promoting long term involvement in future fundraising efforts.  
  • Working with templates and resources provided, update collateral materials for youth teams.
  • Collect money during campaign and update schools and teams on funds raised.
  • Collaborate with staff team to ensure consistent plans are in place for MFB Day-of activities at every event site.
Qualifications:
  • Should be able to demonstrate successful fund raising experience including knowledge of sales best practices and current trends.
  • Interest and passion in working with youth volunteers and teachers/advisors.
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills required – the ability to gracefully handle rejection and bounce back assuring goals are met. Strong interpersonal and presentation skills required; ability to cold call, grow local contacts and build and nurture effective relationships to increase March of Dimes visibility, brand awareness, volunteer staff and revenue.
  • Ability to travel via car to assigned geographic region; potentially on nights and weekends.
  • Excellent computer skills including Microsoft Office with complete knowledge of Publisher and PowerPoint.
Qualified candidates should apply by sending resume and cover letter to youthteam@marchofdimes.com.
 
The March of Dimes is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
 

[UPDATE: POSTED] Webinar: $mart $tart – A Guide to Second Semester Recruitment and Retention

Posted on by • Posted in Advisers, Divisions, FBLA, FBLA National President, Taylor Sarman, FBLA-Middle Level, PBL, Professional, Webinars • Leave a comment

The Start Smart Webinar is posted on the FBLA-PBL Webinar YouTube channel.

You can also download the slides here.

Webinar Archive:

Slides:

Start Smart – A Guide to Second Semester Recruitment & Retention

Did you know spring is the perfect time to boost your chapter membership and increase member involvement?

Discover the inside tips FBLA-PBL’s award-winning chapters are using to move their membership levels to all-time highs.

FBLA National President Taylor Sarman and PBL National President Jake Barreau will share the latest tips, tricks and techniques that help you:

Recruit…

  • set — and achieve — your recruitment goals
  • build buzz around your recruitment events
  • plan, manage and follow-up on events

… and Retain

  • get all your members involved in national programs
  • promote leadership opportunities at the chapter, state and national levels
  • confidently prepare for competitive events
  • make a lasting impact with community service projects

… and much, much more.

Designed for both Advisers and members, make sure you register today and get your spring semester off to a $mart $tart!