The Texan 2020-2021 (Issue 2)

JANUARY

2021

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ISSUE

NO.

2

THE TEXAN

WINTER EDITION THE

GET

TO

OFFICIAL

READ

ABOUT

NEWSLETTER

FALL

OF

WORKSHOP,

CONFERENCE,

AND

TEXAS

STATE

MORE!

FBLA

LEADERSHIP

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE TEXAN 02

Editor's Note

03

MPVP Letter

04

Fall Workshop Recap

10

Area VP Q&A

12

Chapter Spotlight

13

Live Meetings & Forums

14

Resources

15

March of Dimes

16

Project Sunshine

17

Midyear Recap

18

Social Media Stats

19

CTE Month

20

State Leadership Conference

22

Running for State Office

editor's note Hey Texas FBLA! It has been a while, but I am back again with another issue of The Texan. I hope y'all are all healthy and well. It has been a while and lots have happened these past few months.

Since the beginning of the year and the ending of a semester, lots of chapters have been preparing and learning with amazing momentum. I have seen some amazing things that have happened across the state and I am proud of what you all have accomplished.

Coming out of October got out of the way one of our biggest events: Fall Workshop. Your Area Vice Presidents worked hard under the circumstances given with COVID-19 and learned to adapt. Thank you to all of those who participated and came to their workshops and we hope you learned something from it!

In January, this tends to be when Area Leadership Conferences happen (if your area has them) and when you guys get to compete! This is a great time to see what your strengths are, what your weaknesses are, and of course winning! It is a great experience to finally compete against other members within your area and to see where you stand. I wish the best of luck to you all in your Area Leadership Conference.

From this edition of The Texan, I hope you are able to receive some insight on what the State Officers and I have been working on these past few months and get the inspiration to lead towards a better tomorrow. Best of luck in this new year and hope to see you at the State Leadership Conference.

Happy reading,

Lynn Nie

LYNN NIE TEXAS FBLA REPORTER-HISTORIAN REPORTER-HISTORIAN@FBLATX.ORG (wear your mask)

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mpvp's letter Hello Texas FBLA! I hope you all had a great holiday season and are staying safe beginning the second semester of the school year.

The National Officer Team and National Center have been hard at work with continuing with previously established programs, but also with our new membership campaign “On the Road to Nationals”. I encourage each chapter to participate in this initiative to help increase membership within your local chapters but also have the opportunity to win MAJOR giveaways and prizes. Chapters who surpass their membership numbers will also receive special recognition in our year-end publications.

With the holiday season looking to be a bit different this year due to COVID, do not forget there are still many ways your chapter can make a difference through community service activities. Instead of shopping at large retail stores, consider buying from local small businesses. You can even consider doing a community food drive, where members still practice social distancing and wearing their masks but go door-to-door. If this is well advertised in your community, people can leave canned goods/non-perishables on their doorsteps for FBLA members to pick up. With a little ingenuity and creativity, FBLA members in Texas can ASPIRE to make a difference. Keep up all of your hard work in making Texas FBLA so successful.

Don’t forget during those slow days that you can still be working on your Business Achievement Awards (BAA’s) or Community Service Awards (CSA’s). Both of these programs will give you extra recognition at conferences. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. Continue to stay healthy and safe.

Sincerely,

Kaylie Reese MOUNTAINS PLAINS REGION VICE PRESIDENT FBLAMPVP@FBLA.ORG

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FALL WORKSHOP SUMMARY A RECAP OF THE FALL WORKSHOPS PRESENTED BY THE AREA VICE PRESIDENTS

fall workshop conclusion BY

MONIQUE

TRAN

Each workshop consisted of speakers that went above and beyond in their presentations,

with

insight

on

successful

career-building

opportunities

that

members can start incorporating at the high school level. Starting with the Area 1 workshop, our Area 1 Vice President, Alyah Conde, was able to “Sail to Success” through live stream videos of Area 1 officers giving presentations about a wide range of career insights; resume building, stepping out of comfort zones, and running for leadership positions. Despite current situations of adjusting to a virtual workshop, the workshop successfully concluded with the attendance of 50 members. Our next workshop was a combined virtual workshop of Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5. The officers decided to kick-off workshops with an interview-style session with one of their keynote speakers, and soon after led members into breakout sessions with different workshops and activities. Members were able to “Sculpt Your Future” in workshops that spoke about ways to stay interactive, even in a virtual setting.

Breakout rooms consisted of games and workshops about social media and advertising techniques which were then followed by a raffle ceremony where members were able to win doorbell prizes. Virtual settings did not take away from this workshop’s intended purpose, and rather incorporated ways to adjust and stay interactive while being online. And last but not least, the Area 6 & 7 Fall Workshop.

The Area 6 and 7 Vice Presidents, Ally Ruiz and I were able to successfully “Ignite Innovation” at our Area workshop. With surprise speakers such as our State President, Chasten Musenda, to open up the workshop with kind words and motivation, we also had a former State President, Christopher Hulburt, open up our workshop about his experiences within FBLA and how it has impacted his life. Our workshop presenters spoke on different topics of personal stories and success, as well as time management and this presented our crowd with different perspectives of how the skills were prevalent to our member’s success. During our live Q&A session, members were able to gain more personal insight by asking our speakers questions. Area 6 & 7 also created a Website Scavenger Hunt, where members were able to navigate through the Texas FBLA website in search for answers to quiz questions, where the first three people to submit their form with the correct answers were able to win gift cards to some of their favorite places. The workshop was a success, with the attendance of about 65 members and advisors.

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area 1 alyah conde

At this year’s Fall Area Workshop, Area I held a virtual workshop where our Area Officers would teach members how to “Sail to Success!” The workshops gave great information to the members, ranging from tips on running for an officer position to building a resume. We were also able to keep members engaged with interactive polls and questions. Overall, I believe this year’s Fall Area Workshop went great!

area 2 alexander rodriguez

For this year's Fall Leadership Workshop, Area 2 participated in a cooperative effort with fellow Areas 3, 4, and 5 to provide a wholesome virtual workshop experience. Area 2's speaker was Mr. Austin Weber, an Accounting Executive with El Paso's triple-A baseball team, the Chihuahuas. He gave great insight into the business of baseball, and we were thrilled to have his participation in this momentous event.

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area 3 grayson harris We had a very successful workshop combining four areas into one cohesive online experience.

It allowed members to interact with other areas and hear from keynote speakers from all around Texas.

Our student-led workshops were a great success, and I enjoyed learning from our student presenters.

It was a joy to cooperate with the other Area Officers on creating a virtual workshop that still brought value to the people attending.

For the raffle, we sent out all the gift cards. Overall, the workshop was an outstanding success!

area 4 amina rose Areas 2, 3, 4, and 5 hosted a Fall Area Workshop on October 24th.

We had three speakers and one keynote speaker, Evan Carmichael. We also had mini Zoom workshops that were put together by Area 5 chapters. The workshop was three hours long, and you could switch back from the YouTube Premiere and Zoom workshops.

We had good attendance for the workshop, about 200 attendants.

The speakers’ talks and the Zoom workshops’ lessons and games made the Fall Area Workshop a success and an unforgettable experience!

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area 5 tabina hassan Doing the workshop in an online setting presented a lot of challenges. We were all somewhat disappointed that we wouldn’t be able to put on a traditional inperson workshop; however, we tried to make the best of it. I’m glad we incorporated the Zoom workshops because they allowed engagement between members. It was nice to see how creative the workshop hosts got and how well the audience adapted to the new environment. Even though it took more than one all-nighter to edit that video, it was worth it! :D

area 6 ally ruiz

Area 6 collaborated with Area 7 to put together a workshop on “Igniting Innovation.”

Our speakers were Dominique Dupre and Karen May who spoke about personal experience and techniques that made them successful in their careers.

Everyone in attendance participated in a virtual scavenger hunt with questions based on the Texas FBLA website.

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area 7 monique tran In total, about 65 members attended virtually via Zoom and Youtube Premiere where the attendees were given the ultimate virtual experience to hear talented speakers.

We also hosted an activity where members navigated through the state website to answer trivia questions to win gift cards. The workshop concluded with a Live Q&A. The members asked our speakers about their presentations which was "Igniting Innovation" for the members of Areas 6 and 7.

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Q

Q

How did you feel about being able to host a live Q&A session?

"It felt rewarding to see that the audience had eager questions for our speakers, and I enjoyed how it led to a discussion of even more questions. Our audience participation was incredible, with productive questions flowing in from the left and right that catered to the audience's interests."

-Monique Tran (Area 7)

&

What was one of the benefits of being able to work with the other Area Vice Presidents?

"Having the wisdom and knowledge of the other officers made the daunting task of a virtual workshop much easier. With all of us combined, we were able to plan and assign tasks that made the individual workload more manageable."

-Grayson Harris (Area 3)

How did you feel when you finished creating the video for the YouTube Premiere?

"Extremely relieved because the video was three hours long, and it required a couple of all-nighters to finish. Finishing the video has probably been the greatest accomplishment of my life."

-Tabina Hassan (Area 5)

What is one of the benefits out of using Zoom for your workshop?

"I think it allowed us to reach out to wider audience, and for me personally speaking to an audience was a lot easier from the comfort of my home."

-Ally Ruiz (Area 6)

What did you enjoy about Fall Workshop this year?

"I enjoyed the guest speakers we had present on YouTube Premiere along with the student-led workshops I attended. I was extremely pleased by the work the students leading workshops had put in."

-Grayson Harris (Area 3)

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Q

How do you feel being the only area that was able to host an in-person workshop?

"Even though it wasn’t completely the same, it felt nice that I was able to offer some aspects of a traditional workshop to the members."

-Alyah Conde (Area 1)

&

How did you feel when you realized you had to go fully online for the Fall Workshop?

"I was a little disappointed that we wouldn’t get the same experience through a computer screen as you would going to an actual workshop with your fellow members."

-Ally Ruiz (Area 6)

What was one of the difficulties of hosting an inperson workshop and incorporating an online aspect?

"Some of the biggest challenges was getting an in-person workshop approved, and making sure those who could only participate through the online aspect were also engaged."

-Alyah Conde (Area 1)

How do you feel overall about how your workshop went?

"I think the workshop was an overall success especially given the circumstances. Anyone who attended from Area 2 surely received valuable knowledge from our many presenters."

-Alex Rodriguez (Area 2)

What was one of the changes this year that you had to adjust to as you have hosted a Fall Workshop before?

"Last year my Fall Workshop was in person, and I did it alone but working with three other people was an adjustment because we had to take into account four inputs. Also, with the pandemic, it was a chance to connect with the members over a screen."

-Amina Rose (Area 4)

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Q

chapter spotlight BY

ALEXANDER

RODRIGUEZ

The Eastwood High school FBLA Chapter in El Paso has had an extremely busy and interesting start to the year. We began elections in September, with a recordbreaking number of candidates running for positions this year. Holding virtual elections was somewhat different compared to other years as the in-person interactions with candidates were lacking. However, the candidates soon adjusted and began campaigning instead on their respective Instagram and Snapchat accounts. At the end of it all, we ended up with a capable group of six officers ready to take on the many challenges of this year. Namely, recruitment, which we knew was going to be extremely difficult this year. Knowing this, our recruitment director and the other officers began to produce countless digital flyers to be distributed on all social media platforms to entice interest in the organization and its role at Eastwood. Through these efforts, we significantly increased the number of people.

Our FBLA Google Classroom had around 50 and is now totals to a whopping 90 members. After months, the chapter leadership then made the serious decision to make membership dues free for everyone this year, in response to the uncertainty members are experiencing. Right now, the chapter is busy selecting competitive events and filling out a Google form in which they tell us their decision. Everyone who fills out this form will automatically be paid for and become an official member. We have big plans for the remainder of the year that include community service projects, sweeping the Area competition again, and producing a new Area 2 VP to succeed in my current position.

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live meetings & forums BY

TABINA

HASSAN

Livestreams have been an interactive way to keep members engaged in FBLA through a virtual setting.

Considering several events, such as Fall Workshop and most area competitions, will be virtual this year. There is little opportunity for members to meet and get to know their state officers, so the live forum's committee has focused on getting members acquainted with state officers.

To do this, the committee interviews members of the state action team on Instagram live, with each interview taking between 10-20 minutes. The Texas State Reporter-Historian typically creates an advertisement to inform FBLA members following the Texas FBLA Instagram of the time and date these lives take place so members can clear their schedule ahead of time.

The Live Meetings and Forums Committee has also created questions specific to each officer that would allow viewers to understand state officers at a more personal level. Not only do these lives provide an excellent opportunity for state officers to introduce themselves to members, but this also allows for direct communication between members and officers.

On Instagram Live, comments appear to the host of the Instagram Live where the members can ask any questions or state any concerns they might have. The officers on Instagram Live can address the members' comments, questions, and concerns in real-time. While they may seem like a small effort, these lives are a great way to keep Texas FBLA connected despite an online setting for the majority of the extravagant FBLA events of the year.

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resources BY

LISA

LIU

Throughout the year, the Texas FBLA State Action Team has been working hard to create and compile resources for Texas FBLA chapters. First, our team has created our list of resources. The Meeting Guide Committees has formulated a packet called Chapter Navigation Guide that is on the Texas FBLA website containing tips and tricks to navigating an FBLA chapter to adapt to the current situation. There are special sections for the circumstances a specific school may find itself.

For example, there is a section for how to maintain and uphold a local chapter whether it is virtual, hybrid, or in-person. There are also tips as to how to hold meetings safely, how ways to improve communication with members on a virtual level, and more. There is also a list of resources at the end of the packet to further aid chapters. These resources range from 'Test Taking Tips' to 'Membership Benefits' that can be accessed by clickable links. Our team also created two flyers full of ideas for activities and conversation starters. These have been compiled by officers who have tested and tried and found these games fun and interactive. The flyers contain detailed information on how to play each game.

Also, Texas FBLA and Nationals FBLA have a plethora of resources on their respective websites. A little dig into these websites will reveal said resources. These include ‘Sample Point Systems’, ‘Chapter Building Basics’, and ‘How to Start an FBLA Chapter in Five Easy Steps’, all of which are accessible on the National FBLA website. Moreover, the Texas FBLA website also contains numerous resources that include a list of 'Membership Benefits' and 'How to Start a Virtual Chapter.'

All of these resources are available and easily accessible to help chapters grow and thrive. We wish you all the best of luck in growing your chapters!

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march of dimes BY

ALLY

RUIZ

For over 45 years, FBLA-PBL has consistently ranked as the top March of Dimes youth fundraising partner, raising millions of dollars for mothers and babies.

Our mission is to fight for the best possible health care for babies and their mothers. We support mothers throughout their pregnancy and believe that all babies deserve the best possible start, which, unfortunately, not all receive. March of Dimes has been advocating for their cause for over 80 years and has helped millions of babies thrive and receive the best healthcare possible.

This organization started when President Franklin D. Roosevelt's struggle with polio caused the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis and March of Dimes. We focused on some of the biggest health threats to mothers and babies with innovations such as newborn screenings, surfactant therapy, and folic acid.

Today March of Dimes continues to educate medical professionals and the public about the best practices, support lifesaving research, provide comfort and support to NICU families and advocate for the moms and babies who need us most.

FBLA participates in many events associated with March of Dimes such as Prematurity Awareness Month. Here, throughout November, we color our school purple to end prematurity, in which more than 15 million babies are born each year and more than a million pass before their first birthday. We also take part in March for Babies fundraising walk.

Each spring over a million people across the nation walk to raise money for the March of Dimes. To register for March for Babies, visit marchforbabies.org

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project sunshine BY

CHASTEN

MUSENDA

Greetings Texas FBLA, and I hope all is well! I will shed some light on this year’s state community service initiative: Project Sunshine.

Project Sunshine is a nonprofit organization that partners with medical facilities across the nation to aid hospitalized children in their developmental wellbeing.

They undergo a substantial amount of stress and from not being able to lead their lives; this only increases when they lack interaction with their peers and loved ones.

For this reason, Project Sunshine creates a variety of activities for children to participate in arts and crafts and wellness practices. The staff has paid visits to hospitals nationwide in activities with them for the past 20 years. Unfortunately, that is not the case this year. There are visiting limitations in most medical facilities, meaning children cannot see family as often or can volunteers can visit. They are in more dire need of this project’s services now than ever. However, the staff is limited, and resources are scarce.

Due to COVID-19, Project Sunshine has devised new procedures to allow their programs to continue serving the children. Our initiative as Texas FBLA is to assist Project Sunshine in their goal through their Activity Kits Program. It involves manufacturing comprehensive kits for kids to spend their time with, which will come from separated materials shipped anywhere you need them.

Our first local chapter led by Texas Area 7 VP, Monique Tran; members of Central High School in Keller arranged a large order of activity kits under CDC guidelines.

This is a great way to engage in community service and to give to those in need. I strongly encourage everyone to speak with your advisor or members and help make a difference!

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midyear recap BY

ALYAH

CONDE

Hello Future Business Leaders!

It is now January, which means this is when we begin preparing for the Area and State Leadership Conferences!

For the 2020 Midyear, the 2020-2021 State Action Team have met in Galveston. We have made preparations and activities to guarantee a fun, safe, and successful State Leadership Conference (SLC).

He will recap the events of the first half of the 2020-2021 school year; and plan for all of the exciting events and opportunities to come! At Midyear, the State Officers have planned activities and goals for the remainder of the year. It includes events for SLC and our Community Service Project.

As midyear preparations for SLC come to a close, do not forget to prepare for your competitions! It is still unsure of what Area Conferences will look like for everyone; however, make sure you prepare for what kind of conference your area will be holding as all seven areas are planning to host virtual events.

The 2020-2021 year has been arduous due to the spread of COVID-19; however, we believe that with Texas FBLA -- members, officers, advisors can move together towards tomorrow.

We can not wait for all of you to join us this March at out annual State Leadership Conference! Stay safe, and good luck with your competitions!

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social media stats BY

KHARMA

HALTOM

With this year’s current events, Texas FBLA’s social media presence is more important than ever. Your State Action Team has put in continuous effort into creating great content and interactive material for our members to get involved with; our goal is to help create a great Texas FBLA experience despite the circumstances, as we understand this year has been a difficult one.

Texas FBLA currently has four social media accounts that anyone can follow, share, and interact with: a FaceBook with 229 followers, a Twitter with 941 followers, an Instagram with 836 followers, and a newly created YouTube account under the name ‘Official Texas FBLA’. These accounts can be found under either the username @texas_fbla or simply by searching ‘Texas FBLA.’ We strongly encourage all of our members to follow, share, and interact with these accounts as this will be our main source of communication to our state members throughout the remainder of this year.

Our Instagram account has begun an IGTV competition series, and our Twitter and YouTube will also be following suit. We plan to give tips and tricks for succeeding through online competitive events, especially considering the upcoming area competitions, in an enjoyable and lighthearted manner. This will be the first of many fun and interactive series that Texas FBLA will be hosting. Also, be sure to stay tuned for any collaborations with other FBLA accounts that we may start!

Again, the Texas FBLA State Action Team strongly encourages you all to interact with our social media accounts. We understand that this is a hard year, and we also want to thank all of our members for staying with us through these difficult times.

Texas FBLA appreciates you! Happy holidays!

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cte month BY

AMINA

ROSE

CTE (Career and Technical Education) month is a public awareness campaign during

the

month

of

February.

During

this

month

especially,

all

the

accomplishments and achievements of the CTE education.

Bringing awareness to these programs are important because these courses teach students to explore, select, and define a career or field that interests them.

The courses also allow students to learn skills that are highly prized by the job market. CTSOs are Career and Technical Student Organizations that come from the associated course of study.

Like FBLA for business, HOSA for health, Educators rising for teachers, and so on.

Some ways someone can participate or celebrate CTE month are: Share facts about CTE month, Spread the word on social media, Participate in the 2020-2021 CTE Month NASA HUNCH student video challenge, or host a school visit for people in your local community to learn about CTE programs.

These are not the only ways you can be involved during CTE month. If you want to learn more, you can visit https://www.acteonline.org/why-cte/cte-awareness/, or search CTE month on Google.

We hope you all participate in CTE month this year and spread the campaign!

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SLC! SLC!

COMING SOON MARCH 2021

state leadership conference BY

GRAYSON

HARRIS

March is coming soon, and that means the State Leadership Conference (SLC) is upon us.

Some of the things students can look forward to at SLC) are the keynote speakers, the workshops led by business leaders and teachers from all around Texas, and of course, the competition.

Every year a keynote speaker gives a presentation on their success and the strategies you can use to further your career and life. They start the SLC with inspiring messages that often motivate the audience and can change our perspectives.

The workshops present a plethora of topics that can be life skills, career-orientated subjects or provide you knowledge on the ins-and-outs of FBLA. They often offer a different outlook on subjects or educate anyone who attends. It is a great way to learn something new and insightful.

SLC provides students with the ability to meet new people from all around Texas and expand their horizons through networking. This way, you can expand your network and make friends along the way.

Although SLC is mostly for competitions, we want the members to experience different workshops and network with those around the state.

The final day is capped off by the awards ceremony. This is when we award you, the members, and your schools are for your months of hard work on your competitive events and community service are presented.

We are proud of all your hard work and everything you have done. Texas FBLA can’t wait to see you at this year’s SLC, and we wish you the best of luck in your competitions!

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running for state office BY

MONIQUE

TRAN

Texas FBLA, the time has come! Running for state office is just around the corner and we strongly encourage our members to run.

Members who seek to leave a footprint in their journey within FBLA or members who are like-minded in making a change or leading should consider running for state office! The state positions are the Area Vice Presidents, Parliamentarian, Secretary, Reporter-Historian, and President.

Each office is unique to a certain set of tasks which you can follow along with through the Texas FBLA website on our page about our current State Action Team.

Although the process can seem intimidating, running for state office will give you opportunities that will not be regretted later on.

By running for an officer position in the state, you will set a precedent for yourself and others to follow, learning valuable skills about leadership and teamwork that will lead you into your future. More information about running for office can also be found on our state website.

By clicking on the application link in the description, you will find more information regarding the duties of each officer position as well as more in-depth information to review prior to running.

Future business members, it’s time to be leaders!

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THANKS FOR READING!