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very Future Business Leaders of America member can get involved in this organization, whether you diligently recycle your copy of the San Jose Mer-cury News after reading it or want to gain career experience. By working to complete one or multiple of the California State Projects, FBLA members are given the rewarding op-portunity to benefit themselves and their chapter while making a difference in the community. Here is a brief de-scription of the 2009-2010 California State Projects:

FBLA Goes Green As future business leaders, it is our re-sponsibility to be environmentally con-scious and to work to increase aware-ness about global warming and decreas-ing natural resources. By participating in the FBLA Goes Green project, FBLA members can do their share and help reduce our carbon footprint among the world's upcoming business leaders. Now, for the individual component, you can even be named an Eco-Hero for earning 75 points or be named The Environmen-talist for earning 100 points!

Internship Project The Internship Project allows members to earn the experience necessary to ob-

tain a job in the future. Through an internship, members will work for a business, laboratory, or another organi-zation and gain a valuable hands-on experience in that respective field. Members who complete this project will see what internships can offer for a leader’s future.

Government Awareness Project Without the government's support for career and technical student organiza-tions, FBLA would not be able to re-ceive adequate funding to provide the countless and priceless opportunities it does today. Therefore, informing gov-ernment officials about FBLA, its bene-fits, and why to support it is an essen-tial component towards the success of our organization. Members have the opportunity to contribute to FBLA's public image by writing letters or meeting with government officials through California’s Government Awareness Project.

Professional Division Membership Project In an organization with over a quarter of a million members, the members of the Professional Division play a vital role in keeping FBLA-PBL functioning and active. Professional members are essential the organization, for they help judge events, organize business tours for local chapters, and serve as guest

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Earning Recognition Earning Recognition at the State Levelat the State Level

By Kavya ShankarBy Kavya Shankar

speakers. Have your local chapter recruit ten professional members in order to keep California the state with the largest professional division membership recruit-ment in the nation.

March of Dimes Project (Mission LIFT) The March of Dimes is a partner of FBLA that aims to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. By completing this project, your chapter will not only fulfill the “service” aspect of the FBLA Motto, but will also be able to do its part in giving all babies a fighting chance against the threats to their health.

Middle Level Chapter Project In order to increase FBLA's membership at the state level and provide students with experience in FBLA before they even get to high school, it is essential to in-crease the number of middle level chap-ters and members. The Middle Level Chapter Project recognizes the chapters that have mentored or started a middle level chapter.

Adopt-a-Chapter Project Know of a school that should really have an FBLA chapter? Go Adopt-a-Chapter and complete the project. Through the Adopt-a-Chapter Project, FBLA chapters will be able to provide support and assis-tance to other chapters by conducting meetings and activities with the adopted chapter. This allows chapters to help other chapters expand and learn more about the opportunities provided in FBLA.

SSTATETATE NNEWSEWS