The Californian, Spring 2010

The Californian • Spring 2010The Californian • Spring 2010 1

The official newsletter of California Future Business Leaders of AmericaVolume 61, Issue 3 • Spring 2010

In this issue:Making State Memorable, Finding a New Adviser, Hotel Etiquette, and more!

The Californian • Spring 20102 The Californian • Spring 2010The Californian • Spring 2010

Members and Advisers, you have been active in your projects, conferences, and competitions and helped your members continue to fuel their future. With the creation of the Best Practices Resource Guide, providing activity suggestions relating to community service, fundrais-ers, and socials, our local chapters have been more active than ever. There has also been enthusiastic participation in the Business Achievement Awards and State Projects, especially with the new tier-system introduced for the Go Green Project. National FBLA took an interest in California’s Individual Go Green Proj-ect as well as California’s Government Awareness Program and created two national projects modeled after these. In addition, we had the highest atten-dance ever at the Leadership Develop-ment Institutes!

California FBLA, thank you for offer-ing California FBLA just as many great things as it offers you. I can’t wait to see you all at the State Leadership Confer-ence in Irvine!

In service,Kavya Shankar

President’s Corner

California FBLA members,

Ca l i forn ia FBLA has been help-ing you Fuel your Future and it has paid off with an extreme-ly successful year! You are now ready to unbuckle the seatbelt of your racecar and step into the future with all of the knowledge, networks, and skills garnered from this FBLA year.

California FBLA has reached an impressive number of 5,928 mem-bers, making it the largest chapter in the Western Region. The active membership recruitment and re-activation of chapters, driven by the state officers as well as the lo-cal chapter members, has showed amazing results.

Questions or comments about this publication?

David MaoPublic Relations Officer

California FBLALos Osos High School6001 Milliken AvenueAlta Loma, CA 91737

Your 2009-10 State Officer

TeamKavya ShankarState President

Alissa SongState Vice President (Bay)

Imran NooraliState Vice President (Central)

Devang SampatState Vice President (Gold Coast)

Linxi WuState Vice President (Inland)

Miguel PuentesState Vice President (Northern)

Erik NguyenState Vice President (Southern)

Panos KanellakopoulosState Secretary-Treasurer

David MaoState Public Relations Officer

Cathy XuState Parliamentarian

Table of ContentsCAFBLA Links..................................................................................... 3Mrs. Nakauchi.....................................................................................3FBLA Dates...........................................................................................310 Ways to Make State Memorable...............................................4Nationals...............................................................................................4Finding a New Adviser......................................................................5Spotlight on Pavan Tripathi............................................................6A Chapter Summit............................................................................7It’s Business Time...............................................................................7A Year in Racap...................................................................................8Hotel Etiquette....................................................................................8Get Into the Workplace!.................................................................. 10Staying Active......................................................................................11State Leadership Conference..........................................................11Chapter Headlines............................................................................ 12Section Newsletters.......................................................................... 13

Fuel Your Future!

The Californian • Spring 2010 The Californian • Spring 2010The Californian • Spring 2010 3

Mrs. Nakauchi by Panos Kanellakopoulos

Mrs. Kiki Naukichi is the epitomy of an FBLA adviser. Being a part of FBLA for over 40 years, she has inspired and motivated countless students to become the successful leaders she saw always saw in them. As chairman of the Board of Directors, Bay Section and Live Oak High School adviser, her countless hours of dedication often

go unnoticed to members outside of the Bay and State officer teams. “Her views and attitude towards life are something that has inspired me to do greater work” says California President Kavya Shankar who sees Mrs. Naukachi as one of her greatest role models. Advisers also greatly respect her, and her generosity can be summed up by Monta Vista adviser Carl Schmidt, “Not only does she diligently plan her conferences, but she also finds the time to make all the advisers her delicious home-made jam.” The California and Bay Section officers’ team would like to once again thank Mrs. Naukachi for all her hard work, and if any of you see her walking around during the State Leadership Conference, make sure to stop by and say thanks!

CAFBLA Links

Make sure to check out these important California FBLA links!

California FBLA official website: www.cafbla.org

California FBLA Twitter: http://twitter.com/cafbla

California FBLA Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2231732099

California FBLA Forum: http://cafbla.prophpbb.com/ Best Practices Resource Packet Submission: http://bit.ly/4RkjGu

For questions, e-mail [email protected].

FBLA DatesApril 15-18 - State Leadership Conference

April 18 - Incoming-outgoing state officer’s meeting

May 13-14 - Newly elected state officer’s meeting

May 14-15 - State Board meeting

June 27-30 - State Leadership Summit

July 13-14 - Institute for Leaders

July 14-17 - National Leadership Conference

For all dates, please visit http://bit.ly/6Ox37JMrs. Nanauchi takes a picture with

Cathy Xu.


you are in the city. The Irvine Spectrum is a famous outdoor mall that features a 21-screen movie theater, stores like H&M and Nordstrom, and numerous restaurants. For more high-energy fun, Irvine’s Palace Park features mini-golf, go-carting, arcades, bumper boats, and go-karting. Finally, for the budding in-tellectual, Irvine is the home of the Ayn Rand Institute, which is a must-visit for all fans of Atlas Shrugged or The Foun-tainhead.

8. Write down the contact information of all the new friends you make from across the state. After the conference, keep in touch through e-mail or Face-book so that you don’t lose the valuable networking you made over the week-end.

9. Get plenty of rest leading up to the conference. If you know that you’ll be staying up all night in coffee-fueled poker tournaments in your room, Gos-sip Girl marathons, or 3 A.M. talks in your own hotel room, catch up on your sleep now so you’ll be energized and ready to go when State rolls around.

10. Most importantly, bring a camera!

3. Make the most out of your State Leadership Conference by attending the March of Dimes Walk. Take a walk with the rest of the California FBLA around the hotel. Not only is this a great opportunity to meet people, the money raised will also go towards help-ing babies.

4. State Leadership Conference work-shops are top notch, so try to attend as many as possible. You will get to meet successful businesspeople in different industries and pick up their tips for ca-reer and life success.

5. Visit the campaign booths and make an effort to meet all the candidates! Even if you are not a voting delegate, you have a say in which way your chap-ter votes. Selecting qualified officers for the next year will ensure that Califor-nia FBLA continues to be one of the strongest in the nation.

6. Bring your sunglasses! Irvine Califor-nia is projected to have temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s throughout the month of May. The Irvine beaches are only 10-15 minutes away from New-port Beach, so your chapter might look into taking a sandy vacation!

7. Speaking of Irvine, be sure to visit some of the vacation destinations while

10 Ways to Make State Memorable

By Cathy Xu

Get ready! The State Leader-ship Conference in Irvine is coming up, and you want

this experience of a lifetime to last, right? Lucky for you, here’s a sim-ple 10-step strategy for maximizing your conference experience.

1. Prep your chapter for the State Leadership Conference. Com-plete as many projects as possible to get more ribbons to attach to your name badges. Encourage all members to come to SLC, and sit together during the Opening Cer-emony to cheer for your school during roll call!

2. Study hard for your competi-tions. There’s only a matter of weeks until the State Leadership Conference, so hang in there! Imag-ine just how much more memora-ble State would be with the rush of excitement onstage at the Awards of Excellence Program. Also, there is nothing quite as memorable as a giant plaque to take home.

Nationals By Alissa Song

Those who Fuel Your Future are also Simply the Best! Af-ter the State Leadership Con-

ference, you can look forward to the 2010 National Leadership Confer-ence (NLC). This year’s conference will be hosted at the spectacular Gaylord Opryland Resort & Con-vention Center in Nashville, Ten-nessee from July 14-17. In addition to competing in your event, you will have the opportunity to attend busi-ness workshops led by experienced

professionals, enter in the Open Events program, and meet aspiring leaders from throughout the nation! This sum-mer, you can also attend the Institute for Leaders program held in partner-ship with the NLC which will prepare you with the business leadership skills to not only succeed in FBLA, but also in your future career.

Tennessee plays an important role in United States history: It was the first state to be readmitted to the Union af-ter the Civil war; it was home to New Deal programs such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, and much more. It will be an exhilarating experience to travel to this state to represent your chapter

and California FBLA at NLC this sum-mer. The city of Nashville teems with exciting American music, tantalizing cuisine, and a myriad of entertainment that is awaiting you. We cannot wait to see you there!

The Californian • Spring 2010 The Californian • Spring 2010The Californian • Spring 2010 5Finding a New

Adviserby Linxi Wu

You might find the following ad-vice helpful if you are in one of two situations. Number one: you

are planning to organize a new FBLA chapter, and do not have an adviser yet. Number two: you have an adviser for your chapter, and you cannot imag-ine your chapter without this adviser.

It is rather clear for situation one why the chapter needs an adviser. But some may wonder why a chapter in the sec-ond situation needs to worry about finding another adviser. This is be-cause having two advisers adds to the sustainability of your chapter. In case your chapter’s current adviser cannot continue in his/her role, there will be another person who can fill in that role to register members for competition, find buses to travel to conferences, and to sign the necessary papers. With the current budget cuts, there might

be shifts and changes in responsibili-ties for your adviser within the school as teachers are transferred or even let go of by the district. If this means that your adviser no longer has the time to advise your chapter, it will be stressful and difficult to replace them. So start finding another adviser now while you still have one. Make sure your chapter lasts.

Now, onto the hunt for advisers. As anyone who has tried will tell you, teachers are busy people. It is not easy to convince anyone to take up the commitment of being an FBLA adviser, let alone busy teachers. What helps is to think in their perspective. You know why you want them to become ad-visers, but why would they want to? What is in it for the teachers? Most advisers stay because they love to see their students succeed. Emphasize the rewarding aspect of being an adviser. Tell them what FBLA has done for you, and what it could do for future stu-dents. If you already have an adviser, have your current adviser speak with them. Knowing that they will have the

support of a peer will help recruit the prospective adviser.

Also, consider why they would not want to become an adviser. They probably know very little of this organization. All the acronyms in FBLA - BAA, LCABR, GAP - can be intimidating. Let them know that you will help them through it, and that there is a great deal of support available from other ad-visers in the section and from the section officer team. Offer e-mails of other advisers and the section president so that they can get into the network right away.

The most important thing though, is to ask likely candidates. Go to teachers who you think would like to delve into the FBLA world. For further advice, check out the of-ficial “Securing an Adviser” guide online at http://cafbla.org/Li-brary%20Documents/Officer%20Resource%20Guides/How%20To%20Adviser.pdf. Good luck!

Local chapter adviser Janet La Croix speaks to Gabrielino at SLC ‘09.


clearly not been good for the job market, making it more challeng-ing to find a job. The finance in-dustry should see the benefit of an improving economy, hopefully opening up new job opportunities. For me specifically, the macro en-vironment has caused me to spend more time focusing on working with the companies we had already invested in to ensure that they have access to all the strategic resourc-es they need to grow through the downturn.

What advice do you have for aspiring business leaders?

The best advice I could give is very simple: have fun -- find the posi-tive in all of your activities, in and out of the classroom. Not only will you enjoy your schoolwork, practices, and committee meet-ings more, you will be able to gain more from those foundational ex-periences. In any job, there will be elements that you love and parts you will find frustrating at times. However, by keeping an optimistic perspective and a positive attitude, you will keep a high level of mo-tivation, which will lead to greater success in your personal and pro-fessional lives. Plus, you will spend a lot more time with a big smile on your face.

the development of critical thinking skills. What is unique about FBLA in comparison with other extracurricu-lars is its relevance and real-world ap-plication.

What is a typical day like at your job?

As an analyst in the private equity group, I look at late-stage technol-ogy companies, evaluate their business plans, and determine if we should in-

vest in those compa-nies. There are three major components of my job: financial anal-ysis, building revenue and cost projections for companies; indus-try research, trying to find out what “cool” areas are poised for growth; and talking to management teams, learning more about

their businesses and markets. In es-sence, my daily job involves learning as much as I can, drawing conclusions, and turning it into something that is presentable.

How do you think the current economic crisis has affected the job market, particularly your field?

In general, the economic crisis has

How did your involvement in FBLA influence your career choice?

FBLA was the catalyst that fueled my passion for business early on in my life. But more than that, FBLA exposed me to different parts of the world that I didn’t even know existed. For example, FBLA helped open my eyes to finance as a possible career choice. FBLA helped shape not only the direction of my ca-reer, but also my work ethic and desire to succeed.

How does your background in FBLA help you in your career?

The knowledge, net-works, and skills gained through my time in FBLA have been in-valuable well beyond my high school experi-ence. Through FBLA, I developed and honed my speaking, networking, and communication skills, all of which are integral parts of my job. Whether I am building a financial model to determine potential returns or collaborating with a team to execute a transaction, FBLA has helped me form the basis of these skills. Further, competing in events such as Entrepreneurship allowed me to develop the ability to think on my feet and frame business issues through

Spotlight on Pavan Tripathiby Kavya Shankar

As a member of California Future Business Leaders of America, Mr. Pavan Tripathi began his FBLA career his freshman year at Cupertino High School. During his time in the organization, he went on to serve as Bay Section President and State President and re-

ceived state and national recognition in competitive events including International Business, Business Procedures, and Future Business Leader. Mr. Tripathi is currently an analyst in the private equity group for a global investment bank and now continues to give back to Califor-nia FBLA as a member of the Board of Directors.

“Through FBLA, I developed and

honed by speaking, networking, and communication

skills.”


It’s Business Time

By Devang Sampat

If you ask most businessmen, stock-brokers, or investment bankers what the most prominent thought

in their mind is at any moment of the day, the answer is probably going to be the state of the economy. It is no hid-den fact that America is in what some consider to be the worst economic re-cession since the Great Depression in the 1930s. Despite this bleak outlook, many businesses have changed their focuses. Most are no longer as worried

about turning a profit as they use to be. Indeed, this slump, is the eve of a radical change in American business which can be said to be spearheaded by two movements. The first, is the concept of community being larger than the business. For example, Zynga Inc, the company which owns the Face-book games FarmVille and Mafia Wars, decided to use it’s large customer base to raise money for those in Haiti. It raised over 1.5 million dollars and donated that entire sum. The second concept, is that gone is the time of big business conglomerates. The advent of cheap, easily accessible resources, has allowed the average joe with enough

passion to create their own indus-tries in everything from automo-biles to web design. While it may seem like this has always existed, i.e. Google was started in a garage after all, it should be remembered that Sergey Brin and Larry Page were PhD students at Stanford. Now, anyone can teach themselves how to program, and can start their own business from the com-fort of their home with almost no capital needed. Therefore, while the depression the may seem like the biggest event in the business world at the moment, it is actu-ally not.

A Chapter SummitBy David Mao

It is summer, and there is a group of newly elected FBLA officers. Some are excited to take on their second,

or maybe even third year as a local chapter officer. Some are completely new to officership, waiting to see what the year has in store for them. Every-one is a devoted FBLA member, but not everyone knows everyone else very well. They know the paper description of what their office entails, but they are waiting to be able to put it into practice.

The president of this chapter decides, wisely, that the chapter officers should meet over the summer for FBLA; after all, there is a lot to do - plan out the year, make the officers bond with each other, prepare the Program of Work, and pass on experience from former officers to new officers. This would take quite a while to do - maybe even an entire day devoted solely to FBLA, or a chapter summit.

First, a chapter summit is used to plan, or begin planning, the entire year. Yes, the entire year, including that Back-to-

School Night in September, that March of Dimes Fundraiser in December, that Dodgeball Tournament in March, and even that end-of-year banquet in May. It is important to do as much as you can during the summer, because of-ficers will likely face a mountain of homework once school starts. Also, by planning the year, you can make sure to meet deadlines for membership and projects, and make sure that the im-portant projects of the year are not left to the very end.

This is also a great time to pass expe-rience from old officers to their new counterparts. Old officers may or may not be present at the summit, but offi-cers should reflect upon the prior year and think about what went well, what could have gone better, and what they will do in the coming year. Optionally,

old officers can attend and relay as much experience as they can to the new officer. Experience is crucial because it prevents the same mis-takes from being made and repeats the successes that were made.

This will likely the first time the of-ficer team will work with each oth-er, and the atmosphere might be awkward; however, this is a prime time to loosen up and break the ice - with icebreakers! This will encourage chapter officers to work together like well-greased gears. Also, this will develop friendships within the officer team, which is important for efficient communi-cation. What better way to relax the atmosphere than having an en-tire day working together?

This is only one way to prepare of-ficers over the summer. The im-portant thing is that officers are excited for the upcoming year and adequately prepared for the chal-lenges that will come. If officers already have bonded with each other and know their duties before OAT Day, they are already one step ahead! A prosperous year always depends on the preparedness of officers.

Rancho Cotate High School’s Chapter Summit.


Hotel EtiquetteBy Erik Nguyen

Whether you are experienced with State Leadership Conference or are brand new, there is always a thing or two you can learn about proper hotel etiquette. This can be broken down into six simple categories: behavior, tipping, room ser-vice, elevator etiquette, bringing extra items, and miscellaneous.

Behavior

When staying at any hotel, it is crucial to remember that the rules of the ho-tel are not going to be the same as your house. You cannot run around the hall screaming because there are hundreds of other guests surrounding you. Hotel walls are also not that thick and people will be able to hear you. If curfew is set at midnight or later, it is still common courtesy to keep the noise level down after around 10 P.M. You can still roam around, but please try to keep the noise level to a minimum. Also, do not treat the hotel like a playground. This means that you should be careful at all times, and not run around the hotel with the possibility of breaking items. Further-more, please be courteous to the other guests by making way for them in eleva-tors or in hallways.

The Year in Recap

By Imran Noorali

As we near the 2010 State Lead-ership Conference to be held in Ir-vine, California, we can look back at this year as a great success. We started off by dominating at the National Leadership Conference, which was held in our own state, and continued our thirst for excel-lence throughout the year.

In fact, this year was a record year for California FBLA in which we registered a total of 5,979 members for California alone, which easily surpassed last year’s total by a whopping 5.73 percent!

By achieving great standards in competitions and membership, California FBLA has truly done its part to “Fuel its Future.” Below are some recaps of each section’s progress for this FBLA year includ-ing their successes at the section conferences:

Bay Section: With over a dozen chapters and four hundred mem-bers in attendance, Bay Section brought itself to an even higher level of competitive success and excellence at its section leader-ship conference. This was the first year we implemented the All Star Chapter program that Gold Coast Section shared with us, where chapters submitted candidates for friendly competition in mod-eling, talent, and FBLA fun facts. Additionally, members enjoyed professional workshops, afternoon entertainment, and a keynote pre-sentation from Seth Sternberg, the CEO of Meebo.

Central Section: With an astound-ing increase of over two hundred members and over ten chapters,

the Central Section saw record num-bers of conference attendees through-out the year. We implemented a new change, inspired by Gold Coast and Southern sections, and transported the members of the conference to anoth-er location for awards and free time. There the members enjoyed lazer tag, a highly extensive arcade, indoor surf-ing, and indoor soccer fields. Overall, there were almost six hundred mem-bers present and an increase of seven chapters attending from the years past for a grand total of twenty-five chap-ters present.

Gold Coast: This year Gold Coast had over 900 attendees to our section con-ference, a 20% increase from last year as well as nine candidates for five sec-tion officer positions. Despite this in-crease, the conference ran surprisingly smoothly. After opening session, Gold Coast once more had FBLA Day at Six Flags Magic Mountain followed by our closing session. Overall, this was one of the best section conferences Gold Coast has ever had.

Inland: On February 27th, the Inland Section Leadership Conference was held at Santiago High School. Though it was raining, the weather could not dampen the spirit of the attendees. Officer campaigns energized the con-ference, as eleven candidates fought to secure votes from each chapter. This year, the biggest change was that In-land Section decided to direct every-one to the Crossroads Mall to have fun before the awards ceremony. It turned out to be a great idea because of the weather, and it made for a very suc-cessful conference. Northern: This year’s Northern Section Leadership Conference was held at Center High School in Antelope. While the members waited for the results of the competitions, Dr. Dave Hill hypno-tized some of the crowd and mesmer-ized all. Participants believed they were Britney Spears, James Bond, dancing with Megan Fox, or the new American

Idol. Later, the crowd was pumped up by the dance crew, Second Nature’s performance onstage. After the results were announced, it was time to reveal next year’s officer team. With four can-didates for Northern President, no one could predict the outcome. In the end, Anthony Mendoza triumphed.

Southern: Southern section confer-ence was a huge success. Hosted at UC Irvine this year, the event was even more fun and bigger than ever. The biggest change was that we decided to use medals to award those who quali-fied for State Leadership Conference instead of plaques.

The Californian • Spring 2010 The Californian • Spring 2010The Californian • Spring 2010 9try to fill the elevator like a game of Tetris.

Extra Items

All hotels are different. Some hotels will not provide you with everything you need. Be sure to check online to see what amenities are offered. For girls, this could mean that you need to bring a hair dryer or curl-ing/straightening iron. For guys, if you would like to bring your PS3 or 360, make sure you call and check to

make sure the TV will be plugged in. Also, hangers, glassware, and other items in the hotel room that are not perishable are not souvenirs, and if these items are missing, you can be charged after-ward.

Miscellaneous

Always remember to keep your money and valuables locked away in a safe area if you plan on being away from your room for a while. Most hotels offer a small compli-mentary safe to keep your wallet, and some

small items. Also, even if maids are available to clean up, please do your best to make sure that there is a clear separation between your clean items and anything dirty or used. This will be easier on the maids, and will also ensure your items to be safe while you are away.

If you follow these tips, you will see why FBLA has always had a won-derful reputation of being respect-ful and hospitable guests. These tips are not only useful at the State Leadership Conference and Nation-al Leadership Conference, but will be useful to your future visits to other hotels.

tor, but there are actions you can take to speed up the process for others wait-ing. The first thing is to make choices based on what floor you are on. If you are on the bottom three floors, then you should consider taking the stairs. It isn’t that far to trek downstairs and it also serves as good exercise. Feel free to take the stairs whenever possible even if you are at the higher levels—step lightly as high heels echo very loudly up the stairwell. Remember to wait to the side of the elevator door, so that the people exiting the elevator have clear path.

Do not rush at the door as soon as it opens; you can’t even enter the eleva-tor if it is full o f people. If possible, let other hotel guests who are not a part of FBLA on first, as a courtesy. Elevators are known for seldom running on time during FBLA conferences so if you are trying to get down for a big event such as the Opening Session or the Awards of Excellence session, try to get to the elevator at least 15 minutes before the event starts to give you enough time to catch a ride down. While it looks like something fun to do in movies, please do not press all the buttons at once on an elevator. Lastly, be smart when it comes to filling an elevator. Everyone likes a bit of personal space, so do not

Tipping

Very few people know that hotels have maids who work different shifts. The best thing to do is to leave a small tip every day because, if you leave a tip on the very last day, it’s possible that you tipped a maid who hasn’t even been in your room before that day. Keep in mind that, when tipping, it is best to leave bills instead of numerous coins, because the loose change can be very inconvenient for the person receiving the tip. Although tipping is common courtesy, it is not re-quired. A lot of these services are supposed to be complimentary, but if someone does an outstanding service for you, please tip them for it.

Room Service

When the term “room service” comes to mind, everyone immediately jumps on the idea of expensive food. This is very true; however room service is not just there for food. It pro-vides quick assistance to ensure that you have a very comfortable stay at the hotel. For instance, if you would like to make sure that you and your roommates wake up on time, you can have them provide a wakeup call in the morning. Room service can also provide you with additional blan-kets and pillows. Of course everyone always has a late night craving, so if you are still up around 11-12 PM and would like a snack, you can always call room service. Remember that you should tip them for this service.

Elevator Etiquette

If you have ever been to SLC, you prob-ably know how long it can take to catch an elevator. There is not a lot you can do to speed up the arrival of an eleva-

Oxford Academy meets in a hotel room at SLC last year.


Get Into the Workplace!

by Kavya Shankar

With summer rapidly ap-proaching and summer programs more expen-

sive than ever, it is time to look into pursuing other alternatives to boost your resume and receive a meaningful experience. It seems early to start looking for a way to get out of the classroom and into the workforce, but in reality, most opportunities are made available to students as early as January. Here are some steps for securing a summer internship.

Step #1: Find an InternshipAs a high school student, this is by far the hardest step, because most businesses specify that they are only looking for college-level interns. However, many times, this requirement is only put into place because businesses are look-ing for experienced interns and not necessarily because there is a requirement to have a high school diploma. Feel free to apply to these internships as well. In or-der to locate an internship, check your school’s career center or daily bulletin for local listings. Further, browse through the business sec-tion of the Yellow Pages and ask friends, family, community leaders, professional members, chamber of commerce, and local government agencies for availabilities.

Step #2: Apply for an In-ternshipMost organizations require one or more of the following: a résumé, a cover letter, an application that they provide, your high school transcript, and one or more ref-

erence letters. Think about how your previous training, including academics, qualifies you. Many local internships will also require an interview.

In writing your resume, implement the following tips in order to make your application stand out. Use bulleted points with descriptive phrases with-out complete sentences or the word “I.” Bullets make for quick reading and therefore help the reader view your accomplishments at a glance. Further, utilize action words such as those of-fered on http://www.resume-help.org/resume_action_words.htm. Vary your word choice and do not start ev-ery bullet point with the same action word. Finally, focus on your unique-ness. What makes you unique or stand out from the rest? Include your active participation in projects and activities in which you have contributed. Give any leadership positions you hold and any work experience you have had.

Although the resume is what presents your qualifications on paper, the inter-view you have with your prospective employer is what allows him or her to assess your personality and applicable skills. Thus, preparation for the inter-view is vital. Before the interview, look up some commonly asked interview questions, and practice your responses to them. How-ever, don’t m e m o r i z e your answers verbatim, or you will ap-pear too re-hearsed dur-ing the actual in te r v i ew. A l t h o u g h what you say is important, the way you present your-

self has almost an equal weight. Make sure to choose a professional-looking outfit and dress one notch above the position for which you are applying. Give a firm handshake, make eye con-tact, sit up straight, smile, and speak articulately. Write a thank-you card to all of the individuals that interviewed you immediately after you have had your interview. The best thank-you cards are handwritten and arrive with-in a day or two.

Step #3: Complete an Intern-shipAfter this lengthy process, if you receive the internship of your choice, congrat-ulations on this amazing opportunity! If not, don’t worry. Applying is part of the process and next time, you will be more experienced at resume writing and interviewing, making you an even more appealing candidate.

It is imperative to take advantage of our current economic situation by choosing a meaningful way to spend your upcoming summer vacation. By pursuing an internship, you will have taken a step towards a promis-ing future by developing your career portfolio, expanding your networks, and exploring new employment op-portunities. The invaluable knowledge, skills, and networks obtained will last well beyond your high school career.

Linxi Wu and David Mao pose at an internship with California Disctict 32 Senate.

The Californian • Spring 2010 The Californian • Spring 2010The Californian • Spring 2010 11Another way to add excitement to your chapter is through elections. Instead of holding them after SLC, or right before school ends, consider holding them now. This way, you provide the incentive for people to show their commitment and leave time after elections to train next year’s officers too.

Do not forget to reward your mem-bers for their hard work and partici-pation throughout the year. Throw the members who have participated in state projects a small party. Organize a banquet at a nearby hotel or in your cafeteria. Suggest members to your school newspaper and video produc-tion team to be recognized. Recognize especially active underclassmen dur-ing your meetings. People love to have their contributions be known, so make a part of the meeting about them.

Lastly, make sure you are contributing to a positive environment at the meetings by your example. If you love FBLA conferences, tell a few people why. If you love your chapter, show it with a smile. Attitude after all, is contagious.

Staying ActiveBy Linxi Wu

AP tests are looming. Members have been dwin-dling for the past two weeks. Agendas are starting to repeat themselves. Meet-

ings lack the freshness they once had. You need a surge of energy that even Twix cannot provide. What should you do to keep your FBLA chapter active? Read on to find out.

For one, people stay with FBLA and love FBLA because of the people in FBLA. For all of it’s benefits, FBLA’s biggest draw to its members is still its members. So create opportunities for your members to make friends. This often is hard to do during meetings, so try organiz-ing a late night study session at the school. Group those in the same events together, and bring food. This is a great event that tackles not only the looming competi-tion but also bonds the chapter together.

The 2010 California FBLA State Leadership Conference is the place to be! Make your way

to the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, Cali-fornia from April 15-18 to Fuel your Future with FBLA. Visit the differ-ent workshops that offer a variety of topics that will make you a better leader. Make your voice heard and elect your 2010-2011 State Officer Team. Visit the campaign booths starting on Friday and find out about the candidates running for state of-fice. Be there to support March of Dimes by attending the “Blue Jeans for Babies” dance on Friday evening. Are you a local chapter president? Well, the Parade of Presidents will be held during the Awards Session on Saturday evening. Don’t forget to attend and represent for your lo-

cal chapter. Looking to have some fun? On Saturday make your way to South Coast Plaza or to the Irvine Spectrum! The South Coast Plaza is widely known as the largest and perhaps finest center for shopping and eating in Southern California. It has all the traditional department stores plus name brand de-signer boutiques. Or, if you prefer movies, the Irvine Spectrum is where you need to be. It’s home to the most visited movie theater in the country and is in-ternationally acclaimed for its state–of–the–art mall known for its fine stores, restaurants, beautiful ar-chitecture, and pleasing ambiance. MAXIMIZE your

State Leadership ConferenceBy Miguel Puentes

networking around the pool and the courts during your open times. Whether competing or just coming along for the ex-perience California FBLA State Leadership Conference will surely Fuel your Future.

“For all of its ben-efits, FBLA’s big-gest draw to its

members is still its members”

Jonathan Lam wins an award at SLC


Chapter Headlines

Students from the Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) FBLA- PBL chapter met the Mayor of Fountain Valley, Larry Cradall, and broadcasted business quotes dur-

ing the school’s morning announcements during National FBLA-PBL Week. Chapter Co-President Donald Chan had written a letter to Mayor Crandall asking him to proclaim the week of February 7-13, 2010, as FBLA-PBL Week in the city of Fountain Valley and later requested if the chapter could meet him to receive the proclamation in person. On Wednesday, February 10, eight members met Mayor Cran-dall at 2 P.M. in the school’s administration building. In ad-dition to giving the chapter the proclamation, the Mayor talked about his career and businessperson shadow oppor-tunities and invited the chapter to Fountain Valley City Hall after its Sectional Leadership Conference at UC Irvine on Saturday, March 6. Meeting the Mayor was a magnificent opportunity and experience. He gave us a lot of insight on public service and business opportunities in Fountain Val-ley,” said Chan. In honor of National FBLA-PBL Week, the FVHS FBLA chapter put inspirational business quotes on the morning announcements on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Tuesday’s quote was “quit talk-ing and begin doing” by Walt Disney. Wednesday’s was, “High expectations are the key to everything,” by Sam Walton. Friday’s was, “I like thinking big,” by Donald Trump.

Fountain Valley High School Sheshanna Phan, Public Relations Officer

Cupertino High School Anthony Kao

Tickets? Check. Posters? Check. Officers? Check, after finishing the latest AP Bio lab. On a cold Thursday morning, the Cupertino FBLA leadership team set out to market and sell tickets for the Fremont Union High School District Intra-district Staff Dodge Ball Game on March 11, 2010. Annually, FUHSD FBLA

chapters are recruited to conduct marketing operations for this event, and this year was no different.

Going classroom to classroom to distribute ticket stubs to buyers and plastering posters all over campus, officers garnered valuable marketing experience while supporting a worthy cause; the game’s revenue was donated to victims of the recent Haitian earthquake.

As Vice President of Conferences Vivek Krishnamurthy said, “we are glad to be supporting the people in Haiti. Besides, it’s an added benefit that we get to see our teachers throw rubber balls at each other.”After traversing the halls of Cupertino High School that Thursday and conducting sales during lunch, the Cupertino FBLA officers managed to sell a bevy of tickets and raise awareness of the dodge ball tournament. Though this year’s tournament has ended, next year Cupertino FBLA will be at it again— ripping ticket stubs on another cold Thursday morning.

Did your chapter do something special too? Send your chapter press releases to [email protected]!


Issue 3 – March

The Official Newsletter of the Bay Section FBLA Chapter

State LeadershipConference

shipNational LeaderonferenceC

nstitute for LeadersI

President’s Corner 1

Bay Section Officers’Message 1

Bay Section ChapterUpdates 2

Cupertino FBLAMarkets Dodgeballame 2G

[email protected]

PRESIDENT’S CORNER

Hello Bay Section,

Good Luck! Alissa Song

BAY SECTION OFFICERS’ MESSAGE

Congratulations to all of our chapters and competitors for an excellent job at the Bay Section Leadership Conference! A big thank you to Lynbrook High School, all of our advisers, and all of YOU for making the conference such a success! In addition to competitions, this year has been filled with numerous achievements in projects, business development, and communication – our section has truly advanced to the next level. I would also like to send my congratulations to the section officer team for their outstanding leadership throughout this term.

The Bay Section Leadership team thanks you for making the 2009-2010 year unforgettable. Your attendance and support at OAT Day, LDI, and BSLC allowed the Bay Section to arrive at the next stop: success. We have been very fortunate to serve as your Bay Section and State officers and we hope that you enjoyed this FBLA year! Congratulations to all state-qualifiers and to newly elected officers, Angela Gu for Bay President, and Hung-Jen Wu for Bay Vice President. The State Leadership Conference is coming up fast! Prepare for your competitions and be ready to have fun and network! Good luck to all State competitors and candidates for Bay Section office! See you all at SLC! 2009-2010 Bay Section/State Officers

Looking ahead, the 2010 State Leadership Conference is just around the corner. I encourage you to continue studying and learning to maximize your achievements in Irvine.


Alissa SongPresident

Homestead High [email protected]

Eric LuVice President

Rancho Cotate High [email protected]

Angela GuSecretary

Monta Vista High [email protected]

Roger SanchezTreasurer

Live Oak High [email protected]

Christine KyaukPublic Relations OfficerWestmoor High School

[email protected]

Eric WongParliamentarian

Monta Vista High [email protected]

Kavya ShankarState President

Lynbrook High [email protected]

Panos KanellakopoulosState Secretary TreasurerMonta Vista High Schoolsec [email protected]

Cathy XuState ParliamentarianLynbrook High School

[email protected]

Kiki NakauchiBay Section DirectorLive Oak H gh [email protected]

Rancho Cotate Eric Lu

Rancho Cotate FBLA brought a record number of members to the Bay Section Leadership Conference and had three members place in their respective events. The chapter also took a field trip to DeVry University to learn about career education. Rancho FBLA is looking forward to attending the State Leadership Conference in April.

Homestead High School Kathy Sun

Homestead High School FBLA is wrapping up our first semester initiatives and getting ready to roar into competitions season. Chapter projects have had a glamorous marketing event for NeuroSky, an educational “Game of Life” presentation at Sunnyvale Library, and an exciting healthy living walkathon for their culminations.

Independence High School Debra Pacio

This year, Independence High School's annual Holocaust Week was hosted by FBLA! From March 1st to March 5th, Holocaust survivors were invited to speak about their experiences with the Holocaust and educate the school about one of history's most catastrophic events.

Live Oak High School Roger Sanchez

This past month, Live Oak FBLA has conducted a park clean up at Diana Park in Morgan Hill. They raked leaves and picked up garbage that littered the park and the alleyway leading to it. The alleyway is almost never clean, so it looked drastically different after members finished cleaning.

Monta Vista High School Angela Gu

On Thursday, March 10 Monta Vista FBLA went to support Lynbrook FBLA and our teachers at the annual Intra-District Dodgeball Tournament. Congratulations to the Monta Vista staff for securing the championship titles for co-ed and women division!

Petaluma High School Allison Hall

Petaluma FBLA has recently attended a tour to a local business called "viva cocolat." The owner talked to the members about the process she took in order to own and operate her own business. Petaluma FBLA has also raised $56 to help Haiti through selling chocolate strawberries and caramel apples.

Evergreen Valley High School Gurpai Kapoor

Evergreen Valley FBLA toured a pizzeria, where they were given the opportunity to make their own pizzas! Members are currently working with a charity called Sacred Heart. Also, a field trip to the Ghirardelli Chocolate factory is being planned.

Westmoor High School Christine Kyauk

Westmoor FBLA raised over $600 for March of Dimes! The Pie-An-Officer/Intern fundraiser was a huge success and a record amount of donations were collected over the duration of two weeks. In addition, all Bay Section competitors donated $2 for the door prize drawing.

Cupertino High School Anthony Kao

Recently, Cupertino FBLA has hosted two screenings of educational environmental videos for the State Goes Green project, educating members about the properties of CO2 and threats to Amazonian biodiversity.

BAY SECTION CHAPTER UPDATES

CUPERTINO FBLA MARKETS DODGEBALL GAME Anthony Kao

On a cold Thursday morning, the Cupertino FBLA leadership team set out to market and sell tickets for the Fremont Union High School District Intra-district Staff Dodge Ball Game on March 11, 2010. Going classroom to classroom to distribute ticket stubs to buyers and plastering posters all over campus, officers garnered valuable marketing experience while supporting a worthy cause; the game’s revenue was donated to victims of the recent Haitian earthquake. As VP of Conferences Vivek Krishnamurthy said, “we are glad to be supporting the people in Haiti. Besides, we get to see our teachers throw rubber balls at each other.” After traversing the halls of Cupertino HS that Thursday and conducting sales during lunch, FBLA officers managed to sell a bevy of tickets. Though this year’s tournament has passed, next year Cupertino FBLA will be at it again.


Central Section Connection SPRING 2010

Hello again Central Section! As we begin the last few months of this FBLA year, all I can say is that this year has surely gone by quickly. For many of us, this may be our last few months with this organization and I strongly urge those of you to make this short amount of time count. Do not hold back or have any regrets. I hope that you have all submitted your California FBLA state projects, including, but not limited to, the FBLA Goes Green chapter and individual projects, the Government Awareness Project, and the Internship Project. Also, if you have attended all of the conferences thus far this year, you can earn a special recognition at the section meeting during the State Leadership Conference just by registering and attending the state conference. Also, I would like to congratulate all of those members who were in attendance at the 2010 Central Section Leadership Conference at Monache High School on February 27, 2010. This year’s conference had an increase of seven chapters from last year and the nearly six hundred attendees contributed to the record number of participants for any Central Section Leadership Conference. I hope everyone also enjoyed his or her time spent at McDermont Field House in Lindsay. I personally was elated to see the avid involvement at McDermont’s laser tag arena, which is California’s largest arena for laser tag. A big thank you also goes out to all of the new or reactivated chapters that attended this year’s section conference. I wish all the incoming officers of the Central Section Team of 2010-2011 good luck. Finally, be sure to check out the California FBLA, Twitter, and Facebook accounts, as well as the CAFBLA forum. Once again, see you all at the State Leadership Conference and good luck in your competitions. Make sure we show the other sections in California that Central Section is superior! http://cafbla.prophpbb.com/ http://twitter.com/CAFBLA Imran Noorali Central Section President

CSLC Recap: By: Shelina Noorali Executive Secretary

On Saturday, February 27, Monache High School hosted the 2010 Central S e c t i o n L e a d e r s h i p C o n f e r e n c e . T h e conference had over five hundred and sixty-five members present, and there was an overall of twenty-five chapters that attended. For those members who were not competing or had finished with their events, three workshops were offered with topics ranging from SAT tips to securing a successful future.

After the competitive events, everyone was transported over to McDermont Field House in Lindsay, California, where they have over 60,000 square feet of attractions including: indoor surfing, two indoor soccer fields, the world’s second largest laser tag arena, and basketball courts. After lunch, the officers conducted the annual March of Dimes d rawing , announced election results, and held chapter-bonding activities during the time allotted for awards. From everyone on the Central Section team, we congratulate each and every one of you and wish you luck on your competitive events!


Good Luck Central Section at the State Leadership Conference.

April 15-18

The Hyatt Hotel, Irvine, California

Don’t forget to check out our new Central Section website for updates, exciting news, and announcements at

www.cacentralfbla.org


Central Section Connection Spring 2010 Page 2

March of Dimes

Betsy Figueroa Treasurer

This 2010 Central Section Leadership Conference was like no other. After the competitions, we headed for McDermont Field House, where we had lunch. McDermont Field House is a huge building designed for every person in the family to enjoy surfing, playing basketball or playing soccer in the two of the big indoor soccer fields, enjoying the different games in the arcade, playing laser tag, or even working out in the gym. It was an excellent place to host CSLC and the March of Dimes Raffle. Many of those present were excited to find out who the lucky raffle winner would be! The chapters who sold three-hundred (or more) tickets were Chowchilla, Summerville, Redwood, Los Banos, John Pitman, and Lindsay High Schools. The leading chapter with the most tickets sold was John Pitman with 650 tickets and close behind them, in second place, was Lindsay with 550 tickets sold! The chapters that also participated were Madera, Madera South, Corcoran, Granite Hills, Denair, Tracy, Hilmar, Grace M. Davis and James C. Enochs High Schools. The Grand Prize, a Netbook donated by EZ Data Find from Visalia, was given away to a lucky winner from Lindsay, California, congratulations. The prizes included different kinds of gift cards including one to McDermont Field House, DVD’s, diving rings, glow in the dark bracelets, and much more. Thank You to all those who participated in making a difference this year in the March of Dimes Foundation on behalf of the Central Section FBLA.

Did you know…?

Patty Ma Recording Secretary

Our Central Section

Vice President, Stephanie Chamberlain’s second cousin works for President Barack Obama.

Our Central Section Executive Secretary, Shelina Noorali plays Pokemon and collects Pokemon stuffed animals!

Our Central Section Public Relations Officer, Judee Sharon, is the biggest book worm I know!

Incoming Officers of 2010-2011 Felipe Garcia

Historian/Parliamentarian

Congratulations to the Central Section officer candidate in leading aspiring campaigns and being successfully elected by your Central Section chapters. These ladies and gentlemen have been elected and entrusted by your chapters to help you become responsible business leaders. Your new Central Section officer team is as follows:

President: Shelina Noorali, Monache High School Vice President: Felipe Garcia, Corcoran High School

Executive Secretary: Jacob Bradley, Monache High School Recording Secretary: Angela Bolanos, Lindsay High School

Treasurer: April Maglinte, Los Banos High School Public Relations Officer: Ana Uy, Los Banos High School

* Historian/Parliamentarian will be elected at the State Leadership Conference.

CSLC Sweepstakes Winner

Redwood High School FBLA Chapter

Redwood Chapter President and Adviser


the Awards of Excel-l e n c e c e r e -mony. Congratula-tions to Moorpark High School for de-fending their first place title in Sweep-stakes, the longest winning streak in Gold Coast’s history.

By Devang Sampat A record-breaking of over 900 members and ad-visers gathered at West Ranch High School for the annual Section Leadership Conference on March 6. Despite the rain, mem-bers competed, attended workshops, and enjoyed FBLA Day at Six Flags Magic Mountain. At the opening session, three confident young men enthused sec-

tion attendees in the competition for the All-Stars pageant. A unanimous decision by the judges crowded Conner Ve-larde from Moorpark this year’s All-Star win-ner. The day con-cluded at the Magic Moments Theater for

GOLD COAST SECTION CONFERENCE

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION SERVING THE GOLD COAST SECTION OF CALIFORNIA FBLA

GOLDPOST APRIL 2010 ISSUE 3 SPRING

Dear Gold Coast, To say that this has been an amazing year would be an understatement. As a section and on a personal level, we have grown in ways I never thought were possible. This year has been challenging to us in many ways; made worse by the effects of the economy on our schools and our families. However, we have all preserved and grown. As a section, we are geographically the smallest in size, but with the largest membership! And our ideas and programs influence other sections to do the same to make FBLA “simply the best.” None of this would be possible, however, without your help. Therefore, I would like to congratulate each and every one of you for helping make Gold Coast the best in the state. I am proud of you and all that you have done to make Gold Coast, in short, awesome. As a senior, I know that the memories I have of FBLA will never leave me, and I am sure that other seniors will agree that the exhilarating experiences it provided were one of a kind. For those who are new or returning to FBLA, I implore you to grab every opportunity you have, and participate in every activity, because I can positively say that it will change your life for the better - I know it definitely changed mine.

THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER

DEVANG SAMPAT

A High School poses for a picture with awards onstage at the

Section Conference

Campaigner’s organizing materials

GOING GREEN

By Leslie Chang Like health care, climate change is a hard subject to deal with. But eight courageous schools took on the challenge and completed the first ever Go Green Section Project, bringing them pride and recognition at Section, as those select members were awarded with g r e e n r i b b o n s f o r t h e i r nametags. Members from Alhambra, Arroyo, Gabrielino, Jefferson Middle,

Moorpark, San Marino, South El Monte, and Walnut FBLA chapters made an effort to spread go green awareness around their community. Commend them for their hard work and dedication in saving our earth, and we hope that the success of these chapters will encourage more participants in next year’s project.


Page 2

FUEL YOURSELF FOR THE STATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE By Angela Chang Congratulations to all who qualified to the 2010 California State Leadership Conference (SLC)! Our Section Leadership Conference was h ighly competitive but it is no comparison to the caliber of difficulty that SLC will be b r i n g i n g t o t h e table. Hopefully, you have been studying since our section conference because SLC is only less than a month away! To help you prepare for the intense competition happening on April 15-18 in Irvine, CA, study at least one hour every night! A good strategy may be to create flashcards and study them for one hour, then take a practice test for another, or even alter between days of studying. If more than one of you from your chapter are competing in the same event, study together! Especially with Spring Break coming up, take advantage of the free time you may now have. Placing at the section level is great, but placing at the state level is FANTASTIC. Who knows, you may even be able to compete at the National Leadership Conference this summer! Don't just study hard, study smart!

Gabrielino FBLA's March of Dimes Pie-in-the-Face By Jennifer Tran Throughout the month of February, Gabrielino High School FBLA distributed buckets to teachers' classrooms raise money for the March of Dimes. To encourage students to donate in teachers' buckets, the FBLA decided that if its goal of $1000 was met, all participating teachers would be pied in the face with whipped cream. If not, then only the top five teachers were pied. The student who donated the most money to a teacher's bucket also received the privilege of pieing his or her

teacher in the face. On March 12, after the donating period ended, Gabrielino FBLA held its fifth annual March of Dimes Pie-in-the-Face event, which was an ultimate success. All participating teachers were given March of Dimes paraphernalia such as notebooks, T-shirts, and caps, all donated by the March of Dimes. Not only did Gabrielino FBLA raised a total of nearly $2,000, exceeding their goal of $1,000!

Congratulations to the newly elected Gold Coast officer team! Your 2010-2011 Gold Coast Section Officers are: President – Leslie Chang, Arcadia High School VP of Activities – Jennifer Tran, Gabrielino High School VP of Membership – Ava Chang, Diamond Bar High School Secretary-Treasurer – Timothy Sung, Charter Oak High School Public Relations Officer – Steven Pervez, Charter Oak High School

CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT

BECOME A LEADER By Angela Chang Leaders are not born; they are made. Attention all 9th and 10th grade members – here is a grand opportunity for you! Gold Coast is seeking for ambitious members to lead and take this Section to greater heights, and if this is you, apply to be a Leadership Associate today. As a Leadership Associate, you will be assisting the newly elected section officer team in all related section events and will be taught the ropes of being a section officer. Only members currently in 9th and 10th grade are eligible to apply. Application is available on the Gold Coast blog. For more information, please contact Devang Sampat via e-mail at [email protected].

Gabrielino High’s Mrs. Steele getting pied in the face by several students.


hower FBLA held a coloring contest where prizes were given. This event not only was fun for our members, but felt good to give to the community.

To participate in the state project FBLA Goes Green, the Los Osos Chapter of FBLA did a park clean up on February 12, 2010. They cleaned up the area in and around the park. Afterwards, they went to one of the mem-ber’s houses, and watched an FBLA Goes Green Movie. The


event was fun for its members.

On March 22, FBLA members from Centennial and Ayala High School met at Johnny Rockets in Chino Hills for a social and meet-ing in participation of the Adopt-a-Chapter project. Members enjoyed eating good food, meeting one another, and talk-ing about the upcoming State Leadership Conference and the events to take place there.

What have the other chapters of the Inland Section been up to? Found out!

On December 15, 2009, Eisenhower FBLA visited the community’s local pre-school, La Petite Academy to deliver candy cane reindeers. Mem-bers who attended the Win-ter Social played numerous of fun games and helped decorate the candy canes. In addition to the treats, Eisen-

tivities for the FBLA Goes Green project. Pass down a letter to brand new members who join next year. Make your impact last-ing, and your experience relevant to others. Do not allow mistakes to be repeated. Make your FBLA chapter better every year. I truly believe that reflection makes a difference. That is why I am creat-ing the Inland Section Handbook to pass down to next year's officer team, filled with insider informa-tion and tips that I have garnered from experience. Now I am ex-tending the challenge to you. Will you step up to leave a mark too?

Linxi Wu, President

As this FBLA year comes to a close, we have a great opportunity for reflec-tion. Take the time to write down some things you have learned this year as a result of being in FBLA. If you are an officer, what would you say to the next team? If you are a member, what do you wish you had taken advantage of? Only with reflection do we improve. So sit down, and make a contribution to im-prove FBLA. Write down tips you have for competition. Recommend places for profes-sional and inexpensive formal attire. Make a list of good ac-

Calendar Apr. 15-18—State

Leadership Conference @ Irvine, CA

Jun. 27-30—State Leadership Summit

Jul. 13-14—Institute for Leaders @ Nashville, TN

Jul. 14-17—National

Leadership Conference @ Nashville, TN

Chapter Highlights - Ginny Wu

MARCH 2010 | INLAND SECTION VOL 3

Hello Inland Section FBLA!

Los Osos members clean up a local park to Go Green

Eisenhower members donate to La Petite Academy


attend along with their chapter officers and adviser. Section Officers will present various power point workshops to fellow chapter officers. Not only will chapter officers be able to learn about the essen-tials of being an officer, but they will be able to network and meet all the other officers from different schools. OAT Day is a fun-filled day and we look forward to seeing you there!

Time is quickly approaching for out next Officer Training Day (OAT) for Inland Section. OAT Day is a special date put aside by the Inland Section officer team at the beginning of the school year to give advice and share their experiences on leadership and officer duties to all chapter officers in the Inland Section. It is essential that all of next year’s chapter officers be elected before August, as that is the tentative month for this day of training. In addition to officer training, advisers meet with the Inland Section director and other advisers from the section. FBLA members are also welcomed to

Officer Training MARCH 2010

for Secretary, and Charles Aramayo for Parliamentarian. Like the theme of the 2010 Inland Section Confer-ence, members "fueled their future," so-cializing with different chapters and members from all over Inland region and engaged in a friendly competition, t e s t i n g e a c h o t h e r ' s s k i l l s in various business subjects. The Inland members will once again challenge themselves at the State Leadership Con-ference coming up on April 16 to 18, by running for state officer positions, by expanding communication and social-izing skills, or by aiming for the top place again in their subject tests. We hope to see all members "fuel their future" and represent Inland Section there!

As the end of the school year draws near, so does FBLA rapidly approach the 2010 State Leadership Conference in Irvine, California. The recent section conference at Santiago High School on Feb. 27 was a huge success, as new officers for the year 2010 to 2011 were elected and the Inland Honor Society members and competition winners were announced, encouraging top scorers to push even further for the state conference. The election was one of the most heated in Inland history: all officer positions were tried by two or more candidates, except for the histo-rian's. The winners include Catherine Dang for President, Alap Patel for Vice P r e s i d e n t o f C o m m u n i c a -tion/Technology, Janki Kaneria for Vice President of Programs, Natalie Nguyen

State Energizer

lets you harness them efficiently and productively.

When I first joined this organization, I was a soft-spoken person, and now I look back and think about how much FBLA has helped me come out of my shell and be the person I am today. Many of the FBLA family have gone on to do great things in the academic world. Top universities and businesses want the best students and people to study and work with them. FBLA is a great tool to develop the skills necessary to impress them, but it also shows how committed and what type of person you really are. When I first started in FBLA I knew I wanted to go to one of the crème de la crème universities and with the aid and guidance of those involved

in FBLA and the skills that I learned in this great university, I have been accepted in Georgetown University into the McDonough School of Business. FBLA is no doubt one of the reasons why I have been accepted and I attribute my success to it. I can go on all day about how great this organization is and what it can do for you. However, I am limited on time, so in order for you to find out you must truly experience and immerse yourself into all that FBLA has to offer.

Many of you might have known from the start that Future Busi-ness Leaders of America was the or-ganization for you. Others may not have, but as you gradually progress through the natural stages of this won-derful organization, we hope and ex-pect that you have grown to love FBLA. For those of you who are still wonder-ing... why FBLA? Or why you should even bother with this organization there isn’t one simple answer to this question. FBLA matters for so many different reasons. The FBLA organiza-tion is a great way to develop the skills necessary to not only become a great worker in the area of business, but also become a great citizen. This organiza-tion helps you develop the skills that are already in you; it brings them out and

Why FBLA Matters... - Chance Har vey

- Ca ther ine Dang

- Dav id Mao

As the end of the school year draws near, so does FBLA rapidly ap-proach the 2010 State Leadership Confer-ence in Irvine, California. The recent sec-tion conference at Santiago High School on Feb. 27 was a huge success, as new officers for the year 2010 to 2011 were elected and the Inland Honor Society members and competition winners were announced, encouraging top scorers to push even further for the state confer-ence. The election was one of the most heated in Inland history: all officer posi-tions were tried by two or more candi-dates, except for the historian's. The win-ners include Catherine Dang for President, Alap Patel for Vice President of Communi-cation/Technology, Janki Kaneria for Vice President of Programs, Natalie Nguyen for Secretary, and Charles Aramayo for

Section Recap

Parliamentarian. Like the theme of the 2010 Inland Section Confer-ence, members "fueled their future," social-izing with different chapters and members from al l over Inland region and engaged in a friendly competition, t e s t i n g e a c h o t h e r ' s s k i l l s in various business subjects. The Inland members will once again challenge them-selves at the State Leadership Conference coming up on April 16 to 18, by running for state officer positions, by expanding communication and socializing skills, or by aiming for the top place again in their subject tests. We hope to see all members "fuel their future" and represent Inland Section there!

- Nico le Hwang

The Californian • Spring 2010 The Californian • Spring 2010The Californian • Spring 2010 21ISSUE 3 MAR 26, 2010 SPRINGBE INFORMED ABOUT THE

LATEST AND GREATESTIssue 2 Compiled by:

FUEL YOUR FUTURE!

Eric Chee [email protected]

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH EVENTS AND CONFERENCES

NORTHERNSTAY CONNECTED WITH THE FBLANORTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION

SECTION

YOUR OFFICIAL NORTHERN SECTION NEWSLETTER Sutter Union High walks away with SWEEPSTAKES 4 yrs in a row! –Ben Bogert

Over the weekend, Sutter Union High School’s FBLA traveled to Center High School in Antelope, California for the 2009 Northern Section Conference. A majority of the 42 competitors qualified to move onto the State Leadership Conference, which will be held April 15-18 in Anaheim, California.

2010-2011 Northern Section Vice President. This is the first time in 6 years that Sutter has had a Section Officer. The bus ride home from Center High School was filled with nothing but smiles. The Future Business Leaders of America are already starting to prepare for the State Leadership Conference, and hope to travel to Nashville, Tennessee for the National Leadership Conference.

President’s Corner: Miguel Puentes

IMPORTANT DATES: • California State Conference ……………..April 15th-18th

National Conference ……………..July 14th-17th

Hello again Northern Section,

This has been by far the most amazing FBLA year that I have ever experienced. It is all thanks to you! The members who have made this an unforgettable year. I am proud to say that the Northern Section has surely Fueled their Future with FBLA. I hope to see many of you this year at the 2010 SLC in Irvine. As the year comes to a close I would like to thank one other person who has greatly influenced the leader that I am today. Mrs. Stalley, I still remember that day in spring semester my freshmen year when you approached me and asked me to join this Fu-Blah. I really can’t say how grateful I am that you did. Throughout my high school career you’ve become my adoptive FBLA mother and have taught me all you could about the business world. I will miss all those days spent after school, the drives to random places, and finally I am really going to miss you. I am truly grateful for all you’ve done for the members of FBLA and especially for me. Again this has been an incredible year serving for you. I hope you all succeed in all your life goals.

Sincerely

Miguel Puentes Northern Section President

In addition to winning Section Sweepstakes for the 4th consecutive year, Ben Bogert, a sophomore at Sutter, was elected

Sutter Union High School FBLA


ISSUE 2 MAR 24, 2010 SPRINGBE INFORMED ABOUT THE LATEST AND GREATEST

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH EVENTS AND CONFERENCES

Issue 2 Compiled by:

NORTHERNSECTION

Eric Chee [email protected] FUEL YOUR

FUTURE!

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE FBLANORTHERN CALIFORNIA SECTION

The Northern Section Conference was a HIT!

The Northern Section conference was claimed to be the best section conference in the history of the FBLA Northern Section. From campaigns, hypnotist, dancing, to awards, the conference was full of excitement from beginning to end. We want to congratulate to the new 2010-2011 Northern Section Officer Team: Anthony Mendoza for president, Ben Bogert for vice president, David Pearson for parliamentarian, Ben Mayes for treasurer, Laura Wells for secretary, and Aaron Yang for public relations. As the competitive event judging took place, The Northern Section had a series of entertainment such hypnotist, Dave Hill, dance crew, 2nd Nature, and as well as a talent show. All participants and spectators were very involved whether it was pretending to ride an imaginary horse, cheering for 2nd Nature, or just laughing at your fellow members on stage. The award ceremony was full of excitement as many chapters dominated the podiums. Congratulations to all members and their awards.

YOUR OFFICIAL NORTHERN SECTION NEWSLETTER

The section conference is over but the start of a new era for FBLA Northern has just begun. We look forward in seeing you at states and next year’s Section conference!

Above: Northern members meet and greet with the section candidates at Center High

Mrs. Stalley, Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Barret, Mr. Patterson & Ms. Cummings are Northern FBLA’s super heroes! The Northern Section would like to thank all of the Section advisors that make FBLA a wonderful experience for all of its members. The Northern Section just wouldn’t be the same without the tremendous support these ladies and gentleman give us. Probably the most hard-working advisor is Mrs. Pam Stalley. Not only is she the advisor of the Northern Section Team but also a chapter advisor for Williams High School and Section advisor of 3 officers. Mrs. Stalley has put her dedication into making sure all conferences and events run smoothly to make sure the Northern Section reaches to its greatest potential for FBLA “Staying long after hours helping students accomplish their tasks, going out of her way to assist others who were new at the FBLA Sections at their school, always willingly to answer questions about FBLA testing to the way the voting ballots will be done to where we will be having lunch, and never showing a sign of irritation or tiredness, Mrs. Pamela Stalley, once again not only excelled at her job as the Northern Section Director but also remained fully active as a Board Member and the head advisor at her local school, Williams High School. When she was not focused on her professional duties of a 4-prep course teacher and jammed with FBLA deadlines, Mrs. Stalley made time for herself to enjoy endurance rides on horses, spend time with her family and avoid major fire burns on her brand new birthday present of a remodeled kitchen.” says Kamy Sahota. "Mrs. Wright has been such a great advisor towards the Northern Section. Her dedication towards the team and FBLA is a huge asset to this great year. Unfortunately, this is my last year and I am very grateful for having such a great advisor. She helped out a lot and was always there even though

she was super busy. Thank you Mrs. Wright. We had a great Northern Section Team this year!" says Ashli Yang. “When I first started FBLA I was a shy and timid girl. My Adviser Mrs. Susan Barrett taught me that high school was just the place to leave it all behind. She has motivated me to become involved and this is why I hold this office. I truly appreciate her belief in me, even when times were hard. I just wanted to properly thank her for all of her hard work and her commitment she puts forth for my chapter and I. She beyond no doubt has become like a second mother to me.” says Brenda Ramirez. “Ms. Cummings, I still remember that day in spring semester my freshmen year when you came up to me and asked me to join FBLA. I can't say how thankful I am that you did. Through these past four years of high school you've really become my adoptive FBLA mother by teaching me all that you could about the business world. I’m really going to miss the drives and the many days after school preparing for conferences and meeting, and I am really going to miss you. I’m really grateful for all that you've done for me,” says Anthony Mendoza. “Oh Mr. Patterson… what would I do without you. We didn’t get to spend much time with the Section team together, nevertheless we had a great run for all 4 years in FBLA. I will never forget your sense of humor and your awesome philosophies. You are the man!” says Eric Chee. Thank you Northern Section Advisors! We will miss you next year!


SPRING 2010 ISSUE VI - Page 1

A Farewell From the PresidentThank you for the memorable, unforgettable year

By Erik NguyenPresident

It has been an honor to serve South-ern Section this past year. I hope that everyone reading our last newsletter issue was phenomenally experienced LDI South and Southern Section Con-ference. The experiences have been one that I will not forget, as they have changed my life in so many dimen-sions. The things that I have learned, but more importantly the people that I have met, have made such an impact.

In fact, you and the rest of our mem-bers are what make FBLA so great. Without your continued participation, Southern Section would not be as amazing as it currently is. I encourage each and every one of you to remain active and seek numerous opportuni-

-cer teams have done their best to open opportunities, FBLA is designed to al-low you to go and explore options for yourselves.

I used to remember when I was in awe of the

but now as one of them, I realized that we aren’t any different. Try to become acquainted with your sec-

because helping members truly is the goal of FBLA

Our next event is the amazing State Leadership Conference (SLC). With-in this newsletter you will receive more information about our plans for an amazing SLC held within our own section this year (Irvine Regional Hyatt).

-nitely be the place to be for anyone in California FBLA this year. Good luck at State, and we hope to see you at the National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The rest of the

year will be packed with exciting net-working events. Thank you, FBLA, for the memorable year.

PHOTO BY MONIQUE EDWARDS

Southern Section Memories FBLA Southern Section President Erik Nguyen leaves a lasting impression, announcing the theme during the Southern Section Conference.

[email protected]

Saying Goodbye...

1. What was your most memorable experience working with the Southern Section team? - Judy Park: “Playing games on the car ride to and from the Sum-mer Leadership Summit and before Section Conference.”2. What attributes did you gain throughout the year?

Compiled By Emily Tian - Erik Nguyen: “This past year has been a blast, and I’ve learned so much. I’ve become more organized, re-

3. What is the accomplish-ment you are most proud of? - Raymond Lee said, “At the Section level, I am proud

-dents’ and Advisers’ Day.”4. What do you have to say about each person on the

team? - Sam Yun: “Emily’s long toes (HAHA Emily! Long toes or not, I still love you); Judy’s “secret Mon-golian heritage” which Ray-mond discovered using an old tradition that examines grooves in her arms; C.C.’s reDONKulous squeals dur-ing the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince midnight premiere; and Mr. R.’s por-trayal of an ethnocentric and

very condescending Korean father.”5. What are some parting words you have to next year’s team? - Emily Tian: “Good luck to the 2010 Southern Section team! We rest well-assured that next year’s staff will continue the longevity of FBLA here in SoCal. Collaborate, network, develop life-long skills, and have fun!”

[email protected]


Attention all Future Business Leaders of America! One of the big-gest, baddest (this isn’t a word), and FUNNEST

leadership/networking events of the year is here! It’s OAT DAY!

And no – for those of you who are unfamiliar with this annual event – OAT day is NOT a con-venient occasion where you can fraternize with a bunch of dudes or snack

to connect with Southern Section By Samuel YunParliamentarian

on the much-loved break-fast item. It’s an acronym for…Off icer-Adviser Training Day!

In the summer season, at the end of each FBLA year, all sections host this event for both chapter of-

leaders within your school chapter), as well as chapter advisers, to come together and learn from workshops to help prepare them for the upcoming FBLA year

The outgoing section of-

to host awesome activities

for you to participate in! Enjoy delicious food! Par-ticipate in fun games and activities! Get a chance to meet and socialize with other FBLA members like yourselves! Learn how to set your FBLA year to a great start! Build your skills as an FBLA leader, and discover what FBLA is truly about!

Ok, so am I lavishing a little too much on this event? Not at all! South-ern Section is known for hosting the best OAT day each year, EVERY year! And it’s up to you to make

it happen! Last year was a huge success, and this year will be no different!

This year, our exciting OAT day will be held at Troy High School tenta-tively on Saturday, June 13th.

Stay updated for more details, and make sure to register before space runs out! This is an awesome networking and leader-ship-building opportunity, so make sure not to miss it! Join us for one of the best FBLA events of the [email protected]

A Year in PhotosSPRING 2010 ISSUE VI - Page 2


SPRING 2010 ISSUE VI - Page 3

Frankly, you will leave high school with a handful of memories that will last with you forever--your relationships, teachers, senior year and the FBLA State Conference.

In the four short days, you will walk by students of different ages, ethnic origin, gender, race, politi-

standing, but you will be united un-der one great organization: FBLA.

Socializing will be an absolute

On Saturday, March 6, the Southern Section hosted the annual Section Leadership Conference at the University of Cali-fornia, Irvine. The event started with an exciting opening ceremony, begin-ning with a video and an

-cers.

During the ceremony, the chapters showed their spirit through the chapter roll call, candidates for next year’s positions at-

By Judy ParkSecretary/Treasurer tempted to convince vot-

ers with speeches, and

various announcements about the rest of the day. After the opening cere-mony, all the participants walked over to another building for the await-ed competitive events. Whether in written tests or performance events such as Creed and Pub-lic Speaking, all the par-ticipants did their best to show everything that they have prepared.

After the testing ses-

sions, a variety of events took place. Although the Scavenger Hunt was can-celed due to the rain, the members had the oppor-tunity to take part in the UCI campus tour and a networking event hosted by PBL. Participants also had time to grab lunch at various restaurants on and off-campus, bond with the members from their chap-ter and meet people from other schools. At the end of the day, the participants returned the auditorium for the Awards Ceremony

in which the competitive event winners, along with

were announced. The day came to a close with the announcement of the sweepstake winners and a show of gratitude to the advisers who made the event possible.

As part of the Southern Section board, I would like to thank everyone who participated, and congratulations to all the winners. See you at State!

[email protected]

must in this jumble of the brightest future leaders in America. Expect to see the elite-representing team of

You will walk among the names and faces that will shape the world. You will stand in front of a power-ful audience of peers who have still not lost their youthful energy and enthusiasm. You will experience a world that people only realize away from the bindings of their home, in seats full of radiant teenagers and a hotel completely full of students.

In this professional environ-ment, so many come together to

future’s vital decisions. So don’t take this conference lightly because you’ll be amazed at how meaning-

can make or break future business connections. Of course, aside from making your mark, this is a time to enjoy and have fun, so loosen up for one of the most engaging and enthu-siastic conferences of the year.

Start your engines for the conference of a lifetime!By Raymond Lee

Vice President