President: Anthony Parascondola Secretary: Lindsey Casella Northern Region Vice President: KyungSun Lee North-Central Vice President: David Li Central Region Vice President: Michael Harrington Southern Region Vice President: Tim Mansure Membership Vice President: Vishva Mehta Community Service Vice President: Chandler Bailey Historian: Laura Sorice Parliamentarian: Evan Murphy Webmaster: Kulpreet Chilana
Attention NJ FBLA Members and Advisers: Congratulations to those who placed at each of the four Regional Competitive Events! All of your hard work and dedication truly paid off. The NJ FBLA State Officer Team is thankful for your cooperation while we experienced severe weather problems with our primary location being in the Mercer County Community College Gym. A quick fact that you may not already know; the first NJ FBLA State Leadership Conference was held in 1960! Time flies when members are excelling in competitions and accomplishing their goals. This year’s 51st NJ FBLA State Leadership Conference will be held on March 10-11. Your 2010-2011 State Officer Team is looking forward to introducing three new items at the State Leadership Conference. First, our seating for the Opening and Closing Session will be based on the new national program, the Passport to Progress. A program designed to reward chapters for the FBLA activities they have completed over the course of the year. Local chapters with the most points will be seated closer to the stage. I hope that each of you took the time to fill out the paperwork for the Passport to Progress in order to be eligible for preferential seating. At this year’s SLC, we will be rewarding chapters for the amount of members in their chapter based on a market share. We are taking the membership statistics from March 1st deadline and dividing it by the number of students in your local chapter’s high school. The top ten local chapters with the highest percentage will receive an award on stage. Finally, we will be hosting a “Blue Jeans for Babies Dance” the night of Thursday, March 10. Be sure to bring a couple of dollars to make a donation and support our national partner, the March of Dimes. Not to mention, members that attend the dance have the opportunity to bid for a dance with a NJ FBLA State Officer. This year’s State Leadership Conference is sure to be the best one yet, and with 51 years of experience under our belts, NJFBLA certainly has created an amazing legacy, and will continue to do so in years to come. I personally cannot wait to see you all there! As a team, we are thankful for superb efforts to strive further in your FBLA career along with “Creating a Legacy.” Take this energy and carry it all the way to the 2011 State Leadership Conference! Attend workshops, excel in your competitions, meet new people, and gain new ideas for the rest of the school year! If you ever need anything, feel free to contact anyone on the NJ FBLA State Officer Team. Creating a Legacy Together,
Anthony Parascondola 2010 – 2011 NJFBLA State President
Local members voice their opinions on business, leadership, and success in the real world. A multitude of opportunities and changing times surround us each and every day, but we all interpret them differently. So...what do you think?
I know what you’re thinking: We’ve seen this before. It seems that every organization touts the same benefits: increased self-confidence, leadership growth, and the uncanny ability to guarantee a success-filled future. It gets to the point where we deem these claims as a sort of trite advertising plan to recruit more members. And yet we’re pulled into the cycle each time – filling out application after application to join organization after organization with no focused dedication to any of them. FBLA is different. It is more than just an organization; it is a stepping stone. It is a key to personal development. The polished veneer of the events is just the beginning. Behind the glossy professionalism of each officer and member is the essence of FBLA itself, the driving force that has made them the leaders they are today. FBLA develops important skills that prepare us for the world beyond our formal education. It instills in us valuable knowledge of business practices and ethics, providing a jump-start to any career we may choose. It opens our minds; it forces us to think as the competent individuals we are. The intense studying and planning that goes into competitions and events proves just that. The positive influence of FBLA is undeniable; it gives us a sense of overwhelming achievement whenever we help attain FBLA’s goals. There’s no denying the sense of triumph we get when we place at competitive events, or the happy whoosh in our stomach when we win an officer election. Here, with FBLA, accomplishment is not a lofty aspiration. It’s a realistic expected Chen (left) poses with her achievement, made possible by the contributions FBLA has given to us. As we lengthen our stay friend, at the 2010 SLC, as she with FBLA, we are becoming leaders with a new sense of purpose. And with every new achieve- experienced what makes FBLA truly amazing. ment, we move closer to success, to our future, and to creating a legacy of our own.
When it comes to working, you want to get the best job you can. To help you make your way to your dream career, all you have to do is follow a few simple steps. First, ask yourself these questions: What do I want to do? What interests me the most? Once you are definite about what you want to pursue, it is time to go after your goals. We all know that choosing a college and a major that fit our future goals is not an simple task, but due to modern technology it is easier than ever! Utilize internet resources to find out what universities and programs are right for you and will lead you to achieving your future life goals. The next important phase is to try to land that perfect interview—call your local firms, offices, businesses or even your dream company. It is always better to make the most appointments you can. By opening yourself to a wide range of interviews, you can compare and contrast what each job has to offer …and have a variety to choose from. Prepare yourself well; know as much as you possibly can about the specific job you are going for. Dressing and acting in a professional manner is very important. The final part of the interview process is to always SMILE, BE CONFIDENT, and BE YOURSELF. Coming out of the interview you should know a couple of important bits of Dharia (far right) attends the SFLC with his information including the job description, your possible schedule, salary, and any refellow executive board members. By at- quired skills. These things can help you determine which job is right for you. tending FBLA workshops and events, you By following these quick and easy guidelines, you can guarantee that you will be able can gain valuable life skills that may help to find the career of your dreams. Follow your dreams and remember to ‘Break the you choose and excel your future career. Barriers’ in all the legacies you will create. Let’s go NJFBLA, you can do it!
Local chapters have been hard at work since the beginning of the school year, but what exactly have they been up to? NJFBLA is full of amazing local chapters that truly “Break Barriers” every day!
BY TRUMAN LIU NORTH BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP HS Immediately after the 2010 NLC, the NBTHS-FBLA Officer Team met to discuss plans for the 2010-2011 year. Since it was the first time in many years North Brunswick Township High School placed at the national level, they knew that it was time to start building up the local chapter. Officers agreed on creating chapter committees to improve communication and foster organization. Members chose which committee they wanted to be in and planned what they would accomplish for the year. After the SFLC, the officers were inspired to devise their own business plans. Afterwards, they presented their business plan and tried to persuade the officer team that their business plan would be most effective. The officers then chose the group that they thought had the best business plan. Members to became engaged and got to know their FBLA peers better. For American Enterprise Week and American Enterprise Day, members decorating the hallways with signs and put up a bulletin board. In the business education wing on November 15th, FBLA memNorth Brunswick Township FBLA members pose proudly in bers dressed in business attire and wore red, white, and blue ribbons as front of the bulletin board they created to celebrate American a means of promoting American Enterprise Day. Further, daily anEnterprise Day on November 15. nouncements included brief explanations of American Enterprise Day. Then, NBTHS-FBLA members converged to set up a fundraiser for the March of Dimes. Ms. Kelly Witkowski, a March of Dimes guest speaker, explained the importance of the organization. Following that presentation, FBLA members sold paper cutouts to students and faculty at North Brunswick Township High School. All of the cutouts were posted on the bulletin board in the business hallway to recognize Prematurity Awareness Month. The chapter raised a total donation amount of $250. NBTHS-FBLA members agreed on prepared a movie-themed basket for the raffle which was to be held at Regionals. The next challenge for the local chapter is to place at the State Leadership Conference on March 10 – 11. NBTHS can’t wait to see what FBLA has in store for the next few months!
What has your local chapter been up to? Send in an article about your school’s FBLA involvement with a picture or two, and we will gladly feature your local chapter in the next edition of The Spotlight!
See the back cover of this issue for details.
BY SWET PATEL PARSIPPANY HILLS HS Hanover Park High School, commonly known as HP, has 169 devoted members of FBLA who are all eager to participate in the vast experiences the organization has to offer. As the biggest organization on campus, Hanover Park’s FBLA chapter has many responsibilities within the school. The organization holds breakfast sales, bake sales, holiday gift fundraisers, and run their school store, Gold and Black Supply Shack. HP’s FBLA chapter plays a dynamic role in their school’s community as members enter the organization as individuals, but exit as leaders. The students in HP FBLA all have great love for the organization, making them stronger individuals, and more importantly, stronger leaders. To ensure all members are fully committed, the executive board initiated a point-based system. Members need at least three points to attend the annual six flags business day trip, providing an incentive for the members to be actively involved. Having this program has been a great success for the chapter. Members are extremely enthusiastic and display passion to succeed. Additionally, each student is expected to fundraise and compete in Regional Events throughout the school year. Members who have placed at the RCE are anticipating the SLC as they have their eyes set on the prize. Placing at States is an important goal the majority of the members idealize. They also look forward to Making new friends and establish a stronger relationship at States with other chapters from the Northern Region. Keval Ray, a Junior at Hanover Park stated, "FBLA is an organization which has not only led me to bettering my skills in business and communications, but has also allowed me to branch out to members in other chapters through various state-wide events.” When asked about the true purpose of the organization, HP FBLA replied, “The main goal of the organization is to take members and mold them into leaders.” Great things are expected from this chapter as the chapter’s motto is, “One step forward, zero steps back.” The executive board intends to break barriThe Hanover Park High School executive board ers with its chapter and plans to build a better tomorrow. This year, Hanover stulooks forward to the SLC in March. dents aim to make nationals, but more importantly, aim to Create a Legacy.
BY TIM MANSURE NORTHERN BURLINGTON COUNTY REGIONAL HS Northern Burlington County Regional High School’s chapter is proud to have attended the SFLC as well as the RCE this past year. As an active chapter that is excited to try out new programs, they become involved with a variety of different activities and fundraisers that will help them to both grow and expand. On the financial side, they are raising money for members who placed at the Regional Competitive Events to attend the State Leadership Conference. After brainstorming almost fifteen fundraiser ideas, they selected the most effective ones. Selling pretzels and swirlies during midterms is an example of just one idea that they hope will bring them one step closer to their fundraising goal for the SLC. The chapter also recently finished their annual Cannoli Fundraiser, a tasty and creative fundraiser for FBLA. New this school year, North Burlington County Regional High School is working on the “Community Service Challenge” by doing things such as selling March of Dimes bracelets and collecting pencils for less fortunate schools. The students feel that these efforts will help them to gain a better sense of Members of the Northern Burlington County community while helping others. Community service is extremely rewarding, High School’s FBLA executive board pose for a and members hope to be a major contributor to the state goal of becoming more picture at the SFLC, this past Fall. active in community events.
A MESSAGE FOR YOUR REGION Hey there North Central Region!
Hello Northern Region!
It's hard to believe that the school year is going by so fast! I'm very proud of everything we've achieved as a region thus far, representing our local and state chapters at the SFLC and NFLC, meeting for a wonderful Regional Breakfast, and proving ourselves as a region as we competed, campaigned, displayed our talents, and raised over $450 for the March of Dimes at this year's RCE! A big thanks goes out to the chapters that donated to the Baskets for Babies fundraiser! Looking ahead, we still have many more exciting events planned. One is the “Fight for Preemies” Dodgeball Tournament on April 1! Advisers should have received a registration form in their packets at the RCE, or in an email providing more information and an extra registration form. The tournament will be a fundraiser for the March of Dimes, and we’re thrilled to find out which chapter will be crowned this year’s champion! Make sure you sign your chapter up, and email me with any questions!
This winter has not only brought lots of snow, but lots of success in our region! Thank you to those who participated in this year’s Regional Competitive Events, and I would like to extend my deepest congratulations to our event winners, participants, and to our newly elected Northern Region VP, Swet Patel. Both Swet and his opponent, Farrah Liu, did a fabulous job on their campaigns with the help of their campaign managers, and made it a very tough decision for our members. Furthermore, our region raised $74, thanks to your support for the Basket for Babies fundraiser. However, our success should not end with the conference. We continued the year with an amazing FBLA-PBL week as lots of chapters throughout the state celebrated out organization! Also, don’t forget to stay connected with our state officers by joining our NJFBLA Facebook Group as well as our NJ FBLA Northern Region Group, which currently reigns as the 2nd largest group out of all four regions. See you at the State Leadership Conference on March 10th-11th!
Kind regards, David Li northcentral@njfbla.org
Best wishes, KyungSun Lee northern@njfbla.org
Hey there Central Region,
Dear Southern Region,
I want to congratulate you for your hard work at the Regional Competitive Events. Congratulations to all the winners of Competitive Events. I would also like to thank you for your understanding and your ability to persevere even as the snow piled on. Personally I thought the white background was very calming. Despite the snow, the day went smoothly, and I thank you again for your patience. For those of you who had the privilege of being able to stay for FBLA’s Got Talent, I’m sure that you agree with me when I say that it was the highlight of the day. I don’t think Mr. Frank Benowtiz’s face has been that shocked in years. As we now set our sights for the State Leadership Conference on March 10-11, I would like to remind all members that I am always available to come to a chapter visit to one of your local meetings. I’ll be there to help give my feedback and advice to what’s going on in your chapters. Hopefully I will see you all at the SLC!
It was fantastic meeting so many people at the Regional Competitive Events at Mercer County Community College in January! I have kept in touch with many of you and I hope you all have applied the things discussed at the Regional Seminar to your local chapters! The NJ FBLA Southern Region Facebook group still continues to grow and if you haven't joined yet, be sure to do so! Local Chapter President's and Representatives across the Southern Region have expressed their interest in things such as the Community Service Challenge, Wiggio, and much more! It is just fantastic to see so many members express their "self-starting" leadership abilities in my region. Speaking of leaders, congratulations once again to all who attended and placed at the Regional Competitive Events! I am proud of each individual I handed an award to that day and wish them the best of luck at the State Leadership Conference. Represent our region! To all those who didn't place, there are still other competitive events and recognition programs for you!
Stay classy, Mike Harrington central@njfbla.org
With kind regards, Tim Mansure southern@njfbla.org
BY KAITLIN CHAUNG OLD BRIDGE HS The State Leadership Conference is one of those most highly-anticipated events for all members in New Jersey FBLA. This year, the conference is scheduled to take place on March 1011, at the Raritan Exhibit Hall in Edison, New Jersey. In accordance with the 2010-2011 theme, “Creating a Legacy”, FBLA members will have the opportunity to compete in competitions in order to advance to the national level. As well as attend informative workshops, listen to an inspirational guest speaker. Members will be able to bolster working relationships with other members in the state, as well as gain exposure to the intensity of FBLA on the state level. “I love the State Conferences,” said Grace Chen, junior. “It is something that I have been looking forward to all year, and I am sure that this conference will be the best one yet.” In addition to competitions, FBLA members will be able to take part in state officer elections. Voting delegates from each school will cast their votes for the following positions: president, community service vice president, membership vice president, secretary, parliaMembers pose for a picture after placing in their mentarian, and respective events and being rewarded with plaques historian. Memin the 2010 closing session. bers will also be
able to visit campaign booths and listen to the candidates’ speeches, in order to take an active role in the state elections. Members should be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to meet other people and gain new ideas that can be implemented both in the remainder of the school year and in the 20122012 FBLA year. After the campaign rally, NJFBLA will host a dance in order to support the March of Dimes. Be sure to Members enjoy interacting with one bring a few extra dollars to another as they view the booths at the 2010 campaign rally. donate to the March of Dimes upon entering the dance, or save up to bid as the state officer team is auctioned off for a dance with local members. Additionally, you can donate money to the MOD in the form of jars with each state officer’s name on them. The officer with the most money in their jar at the end of the night will receive a pie in the face at the dance! Remember, all proceeds go to support the March of Dimes and will help NJFBLA reach its fundraising goal of $50,000! The Conference will be concluded with a Closing Ceremony, which will consist of officer farewells, 2011-2012 state officer inductions, and the awards session for both individual members and local chapters. The 2010-2011 State Leadership Conference is bound to be a success; hand in hand and step by step, New Jersey FBLA will break barriers together.
We are always looking for new writers to contribute to The Spotlight! If you are interested, please contact your State Historian, Laura Sorice, at historian@njfbla.org