By Taylor Bush

The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is a club at Bainbridge High School devoted to exposing the 37 student members to the skills of business and technology use. The club gives students a taste of what it means to pursue careers in the field of business. Mallie Rollins, a member of FBLA says, “Being a part of the Future Business Leaders of America has helped me in so many ways. It has taught me skills that I will undoubtedly use for the rest of my life! I have enjoyed being a member the past two years.”

FBLA is sponsored by the four business teachers at BHS. Justin Johnson is the head sponsor of the student organization this year. Johnson teaches the Introduction to Business and Technology, Business and Technology, and Fundamentals of Web Design courses at the high school. Lisa Jeter, Beverly Reece, and Scott Roberts serve as co-sponsors. Together, the team guides the FBLA students by leading the club meetings and events.

An exciting event that FBLA has held was the Motivational Rally at the beginning of the school year. The rally excited the students  for the year ahead. Throughout the year, FBLA meetings are conducted. The sponsors encourage any volunteer business partnerships in the community to give guest lectures at these meetings. This helps students see business from different perspectives, which is the ultimate goal of the organization.

In 2014, FBLA was named the largest student organization in the world. Even more, Georgia proved to have the largest state chapter in the United States! BHS is proud to participate in such a widely celebrated student club. BHS gets involved by participating in state and region competitions and service projects.

The BHS FBLA has participated in the state competition in many past years even though the club did not compete this year. The competitions, which are usually held in January, use a wide variety of events to test the students’ business knowledge and skills on individual, team, and chapter levels.

The club does plan to complete a community service project by the end of the year, however. The members are excited to begin planning. “I love for the service project to be student-led. I

t really brings out the students’ leadership abilities,” says Johnson.

FBLA will see to it that this school year ends on an exciting note. The sponsors are preparing an end of the year celebration for the club members. The celebration will focus on the 11 senior club members and the work they have done for the organization. The FBLA chapter at BHS is most definitely a club to celebrate.