Discover Your Distinctions at the 2012 State ... - Nebraska FBLA

VOLUME 43, NUMBER 3 NEBRASKA FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA MARCH, 2012Discover Your Distinctions at the2012 State Leadership ConferenceBy Amy ChinState PresidentWould you like to spendthree days in Nebraska’slargest city with 2,200 of yourclosest friends, including theFBLA National President? Ifyou are attending the 2012Nebraska FBLA State LeadershipConference, this willsoon become a reality! NebraskaFBLA is celebrating50 Fabulous Years; and by attendingthe SLC, you canhelp us commemorate thisextraordinary event.The SLC will kick off onMarch 29 with the OpeningGeneral Session. Tune in tohear Minden FBLA’s ownAlex Raun sing the NationalAnthem. Then, stay tuned tolisten to keynote speakerKeith Hawkins Will BeSLC Keynote SpeakerBy Sally MooreState ReporterAs Nebraska FBLArounds out its “50th FabulousYear,” we look forward to theState Leadership Conference(SLC) being held March 29-31at the Ramada Plaza OmahaConvention Center! This yearSLC will feature KeithHawkins, an internationallyknown speaker and presenterwho inspires more than400,000 students, teachersand educators every year.Along with his speaking endeavors,Keith has also coauthoredthe book, “TeenSee HAWKINS, page 2SLC Keynote SpeakerKEITH HAWKINSKeith Hawkins’ inspiringmessage, as well as the campaignspeeches of your nextState Officer Team. Speakingof officers, don’t forget tointroduce yourself to TaylorSarman, the FBLA NationalPresident, who is coming toOmaha all the way fromsmall-town Union, Oregon!After the Opening GeneralSession, competitionstarts. On your way to yourevents, drop by the PalaceFoyer to pick up some freepencils and candy. Then talkto the state officer candidatesso you can make an informedelection decision. Inaddition to your events, youwon’t want to miss the sevenaction-packed seminars theBoard of Directors has organizedfor you.Later in the night, be sureto attend the Formal Caucusso you can hear your state officercandidates share theirvision for Nebraska FBLA.After that, you’re free to relax.Go jam out with yourfriends during karaoke orvisit the CoCo Key Water Resort.Either way, make sureyou get in some quality bondingtime with your chaptermembers.On Friday, competitiveevents are in full throttle,starting at 8 a.m. From 9a.m. to 1:30 p.m., state officercandidate booths areopen, so if you need somemore candy or a pencil foryour objective test, be sure tostop by. If you are a local votingdelegate, don’t forget tovote for your favorite candidatefrom 2 to 5 p.m. at theregistration desk; state officercandidate finalists willbe posted at 5:30 p.m. At 6p.m. attend the Delegate Assemblyto elect the next officerteam.Then, you’ll head to thesecond general session forpresentations of HonorableMention awards. After thesession, your hard work forthe day will be rewarded withsome time to relax at theBlue Jeans for Babies Dance.If you wear your SLC t-shirt,the dance is free! The SLCt-shirt is only $10 and theorder form can be found onthe website at the SLC link. Ifyou don’t have a SLC t-shirt,the dance is only $2 withfunds going to the March ofDimes.National Anthem SingerALEX RAUNMindenAfter the dance, makesure to get a good night’srest, because Saturday morningis the Awards Ceremony!You’ll want to be well-restedso you can look good onstage while collecting oodlesof awards. Those placing inthe top two or three in theircompetitive events earn theopportunity to attend the2012 National LeadershipConference in San Antonio,Texas!Finally, a bitter sweet momenttakes place as thenewly elected state officerteam is installed and the oldteam bids Nebraska FBLAfarewell. After that, you willreturn to your chapter to addall of your new friends onFacebook and reminisceabout the good times youhad at the FBLA SLC. Theexperience will be unforgettable– see you there!

2012 SLCSEMINARSGo HumanKeith Hawkins, Keynote SpeakerTo “Go Human” means to give whatyou need. But for the average personthis can be difficult. There is a sense offear (False, Evidence, Appearing, Real)that people have when it comes to givingsomeone something you need, like trust,love, knowledge, friendship, guidanceand leadership. But leaders are not averageand leaders should go first when itcomes to leading others. Keith will createan environment that allows you tointeract with other students from differentschools so that you can have the opportunityto GO HUMAN and make adifference.Thursday, March 293:45 pm—New Adviser SeminarTennille Gifford, Kearneyand Nick Jarzynka, ElkhornAdvisers new to the SLC, this workshopis for you! Don’t miss this chanceto discover everything you need to knowabout the SLC but were afraid to ask.Bring your questions!4:00 pm—Keeping It RealKeith Hawkins, Keynote SpeakerThe people we have connections withare the people we tend to value.Wouldn’t it be great if we could actuallyvalue all people? The good news is, thereare skills a person can learn that willhelp them value all people. When youvalue people, they will value you and ultimately,they will follow you. This is realleadership when those you lead are willingto follow. Come learn the skills thatwill take you past the beginning stagesof leadership.Friday, March 309:00 am—Your Creative Future Starts HereJade LaFleur, The Art InstitutesDo you enjoy working with multimediaand digital design software? Thenyou will want to explore the programs inthe areas of Design, Media Arts, Fashionand Culinary. Working with experiencedinstructors and industry-specifichardware and software, you can get thesupport, guidance and skills to launchyour career. And create tomorrow!10:00 am—How to Dress for SuccessTeri Moore, The Men’s WearhouseJoin this fun, interactive presentationto help you dress for success in yourcompetitive events as well as when youmove into college and the workingworld. Learn the basics of building asimple versatile wardrobe. And don’tmiss out on the extra help gettingstarted with discounts at TheMen’s Wearhouse and K&G Stores forwomen!11:00 am—Connect 2 Business (C2B)Anne KluteNebraska Career ConnectionsHow do I connect with business professionalsin my community and state?Join this interactive session to learnabout the FBLA partnership with C2Bwhere you can work with your fellowFBLA members to build a program toconnect to businesses in your communityand Nebraska. Whatever your careerfield, there is a Nebraska businessthat can get you started on the right careerpath.1:00 pm—Texting All: J-U-S-T D-R-I-V-EOfficers Chris Abbott and Bob Stinson,Bellevue Police Department; Sgt. BruceMeyer and Deputy Dixie Ohara, SarpyCounty Sheriff’s DepartmentWhat is it like to be one of the first atthe scene of an accident? Hear the storyfrom those who witness unsafe drivingevery day. Attend this seminar and bethe friend that saves a friend!2:00 pm—Leading in a Follower’s WorldTaylor SarmanFBLA National PresidentJoin this energetic session to receivethe tools all students need to pave abrighter future and open their Gatewayto Greatness!3:00 pm—Is It Really Like They Say It Is?FBLA Alumni PanelWhat’s college really like? What’s expectedin the business world? Don’tmiss this interactive session where youcan learn from the best!Advisers:Jazz It Up in Junewith FBLA!FBLA advisers, join your Board ofDirectors for a fun-filled day as you JazzIt Up with FBLA, a Mardi Gras styleworkshop custom-made just for you!Scheduled for Monday, June 4, from9:30 am to 3:30 pm at the Kearney HolidayInn, this FREE workshop (includinglunch) is for new and veteran advisers.The day starts with “Spice It Up,” asession designed to enrich yourchapter’s program of work by addingthe right ingredients. Next is “Carnivalof Activities” covering the amazing opportunities,including competitiveevents, offered at state and nationalconferences.The session, “Saints Go MarchingIn,” provides you with a load of recruitmentideas that will fill your chapterswith eager members. And “Secure theLevee” will give you a flood of fundraisingstrategies!Additional sessions called “Lead theParade” on chapter officer development,“Don’t Sing the Blues” on chapter managementusing point systems, and “TheBig Easy” about the Nebraska FBLAwebsite will give you more resources toassist you with your programs.You will head home filled with theMardi Gras spirit through new FBLAfriendships as well as resources to includein your FBLA repertoire. Save thedate now—Monday, June 4! Watch forregistration procedures in the spring!Hawkins from page 1Power and GO MAD (Go Out and MakeA Difference),” and he has been featuredin the national communication publication,“Between One and Many.” Moreover,Keith Hawkins has had theopportunity to speak at the United NationsGlobal Summit on behalf ofAmerica’s youth!Coming from a rough childhood,Keith had to overcome many obstaclesto become the success that he is today.Those challenges are what fueledHawkins to work towards helping othersby allowing them to see their owngreatness and the many opportunitiesthey have available. Keith Hawkins tooka leadership role in his own life and nowspeaks to students about becomingREAL Leaders by mastering relationships,empowerment, attitude and leadership.Throughout his presentation, GoHuman, Keith will discuss that to “gohuman” means to give what you need.For the average person this can be difficult.But leaders should go first when itcomes to leading others. You will learnthe true aspects of becoming and beinga true leader.2 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Proclamation SigningGovernor Dave Heineman declared February as Career Student Organization Month in Nebraska in aproclamation signing held January 18. Nebraska FBLA State Officers Sally Moore and Trevor Sorensenwere present for the signing along with representatives from FFA, FCCLA, DECA, PBL and SkillsUSA.Pat Olson Reflects on Experience asNational FBLA-PBL Board MemberPat Olson, Blair,FBLA-PBL National Boardof Directors MemberIt has been an honor torepresent Nebraska FBLAand the Mountain Plains Regionas a member of theFBLA-PBL National Boardof Directors!I began my three-yearterm in December 2009, andthe time has passed soquickly. Serving on the nationalboard of directors hasallowed me to not only representthe great state of Nebraskabut also to learn moreabout our association.The national board iscomprised of FBLA localchapter advisers, PBL advisers,FBLA and PBL statechairpersons, business leadersand the presidents fromall three levels—FBLA, PBLand the Professional Division.CEO Jean Buckley serves inan ex-officio capacity alongwith the retiringboard chairperson.This energeticgroup has helpedguide the associationas we seek toprovide even betterexperiences for ourmembership. Thisyear our focus ison growth and innovation.You cannow log on to theFBLA-PBL Innovation Centerat http://ideas.fblapbl.orgto generate new and innovativeideas for our organization.This interactive siteallows you to have an electronicdiscussion about a varietyof topics you would liketo see implemented orchanged.During my time on theboard, we have adopted newcompetitions, unveiled anFBLA-PBL app, providedonline competitive events resourcesand continueto seek newand innovativeways to attractmembers to ourgreat association.I remember allof the years thatmy local chapterraised money to“burn the mortgage”on thenational headquartersbuilding. I neverdreamed I would someday beable to visit this beautiful facilityand have an opportunityto collaborate with other advisersand business leaderswho share the same passionfor our great association thatI have.Thank you for this wonderfulopportunity; it hasbeen my pleasure to representyou at the national level.I look forward to the NLC inbeautiful San Antonio!Tally ItUp!Submit yourchapter’s totalcommunityservice hours toState PresidentAmy Chin byMarch 1.The goal for thisyear is 42,000communityservice hours.Together we can“tally it up” tosuccess!3 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

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From Tri County to the Big Apple!Curtis ReynoldsNew York University StudentGreetings, Future BusinessLeaders! I’m so happyto be reconnecting with NebraskaFBLA all the wayfrom the Big Apple. I am currentlya freshman majoring inVocal Performance at NewYork University, right in theheart of Greenwich Village.The transition from TriCounty High School—surroundedby corn fields—toone of the most populatedcities in the world was quite achange. I soon found myselfadjusting to daily habits:walking everywhere, relyingon public transportation andwading through the OccupyWall Street protesters on myway through the park.New York University, unlikeother universities, is nontraditionalin that it does nothave a defined campus. NYUis centered around WashingtonSquare Park, but itsbuildings are interspersedwith those of the city. Alongwith physically transitioningto college life, I had the addedmental challenge of also “becominga New Yorker.” Therewas no secluded campus thatseparated me from the city.It took me about a month tofeel comfortable as a permanentcitizen.After getting on a fewwrong Uptown-bound trains,I finally learned the subwaysystem. Observing othershelped me learn that trafficsignals hold no meaning andafter walking around TimesSquare a few times, I discoveredthat the Naked Cowboyis now apparently a franchise.I’m here primarily as astudent, but I also take fulladvantage of my urban surroundings.I see all the livetheater that I can. Broadwayis just two streets away! Ialso enjoy touring some ofNYC’s free offerings like thebeautiful High Line gardenwalk and Chelsea Market.Possibly my favorite part ofbeing a New Yorker is whentourists ask for directionsand I am able to help them.Nothing feels better than topoint someone to 14th St. orto a subway station! (I thinkit’s the Midwestern hospitalitystill in me.)While I was acclimatingmyself to the physical andmental changes, I was alsomeeting new friends. Duringthe introduction process, I receiveda wide range of reactionswhen I said I was fromNebraska. Some responsesincluded: “Oh! Where isthat?” “Is that one of thesquare states?” “I don’t knowanyone from Nebraska.” Ormy personal favorite, “I’m sosorry.”Yes, people apologized tome for growing up in Nebraska.But don’t worry,most people I met were notthat geographically insensitive.Still, I was surprised byhow many educated Americancitizens were unaware ofthe rest of the country. Luckily,the majority of my interactionswere positive andresulted in long-lastingfriendships.Though about half of myVocal Performance class isfrom the east coast, there isa group of people from allover the country. Thesefriends—from places likeIdaho, New Mexico, Minnesotaand Washington—all understandmy Midwesternbackground. Yet, even my fellow“obscure state” friendscan’t completely identify withhow small a Nebraska smalltown of 477 people is—thereare some NYU residence hallsthat populated!I was hesitant at first totell people about my smalltownheritage. I wasn’tashamed of it, I just had noidea how people would react.The response has been overwhelminglypositive. Althoughit was difficult for mypeers to imagine living in Plymouth,Nebraska, they didn’tlet any preconceived smalltownnotions get in the wayof knowing me as a person.They decided to see me notas the rural kid, but as a person.All of my friends arefrom such diverse social andgeographical backgrounds,and I am now able to see thatwhere someone is from saysnothing about that person’sworth: people are people andmusic is music, no matterwhere you spent your childhood.To all of you seniors outthere counting down the daysuntil graduation, I urge youto cherish every last minuteof your final semester. Theprospect of a brighter futureon the other side might bedistracting right now, butthis semester will be one ofthe busiest and most rewardingadventures of your life.As you decide on yourpost-high school journeys, myonly advice is to be guided byyour heart. College is yourchance to be on your own,yes, but it’s also the perfectopportunity for you to honeyour passion, whatever thatmay be.No matter where you goor what you decide to pursue(even music!), you will mostcertainly see how FBLA hasprepared you for the “realworld.” The skills I learned inFBLA—business communication,resumes, interviewingand general professionalismto name a few—have helpedme immensely in my journeyalready. I am incrediblythankful for my experience inFBLA, and I am excited tocontinue following NebraskaFBLA’s adventures. Have awonderful State LeadershipConference, and if you’re everin NYC, let me know!5 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Check InWith ChinAmy ChinState PresidentLet’s face it, as excited as we are for the 2012 State LeadershipConference, nobody really likes packing. The good newsis, your state president loves making lists and being organized,so as far as clothing goes, here is what you’ll need tobring to the SLC!Business: You will need to bring two changes of businessattire; one for Thursday and one for Friday. For ladies, businessattire can be a dress skirt (not too short, please) orslacks with a nice blouse, a business dress, or gauchos (butthey must be worn with a coordinating jacket). Nylons are notrequired, but dress shoes – not flip flops – are.Guys, your dress code is simpler: dress slacks, dress shoes,collared button-down shirt and coordinating tie and shoes areall that you need. However, for both ladies and gentlemencompeting in a performance event, a matching business suitwith a jacket is highly recommended. (If you’re looking for aquality suit on the lower end of the cost spectrum, I suggestJC Penney!)Casual: Don’t worry, ladies, we won’t make you wearthose high heels the entire time. On Friday night, after thesecond general session, a Blue Jeans for Babies dance is held,so don’t forget one change of appropriate casual attire. Youcan wear blue jeans and your SLC t-shirt to get into thedance. Don’t have a SLC t-shirt? Then the price is a twodollardonation!Formal: At the Awards Program on Saturday morning,you are allowed to wear formal attire. Ladies, dust off yourbeautiful dresses; guys, break out your tux! Of course, you areallowed to wear business attire if you don’t have a dress ortux. If this is the case, pack three changes of business attirerather than two. Just remember that if you aren’t wearingconference-appropriate attire, you will not be allowed on stageto receive your award!Bottom line, it is very important to follow the dress codeat conferences. For further clarification, check out the ConferenceDress Code that is linked to the Nebraska FBLAWebsite. Happy packing!http://nebraskafbla.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/dresscode.pdfBlue Jeans forBabies DanceFriday, March 30, 10 pmPalace D/EAdmission: $2 DonationWear Your SLC T-shirt for FREE AdmissionNebraska PBLAmbassador of FBLANathan AllgoodPlanning for college whenyou are a senior in highschool can be very stressful.Deciding which college to attendcan be hard enoughwithout the added stress ofapplying for scholarships anddeciding what you would liketo study.There is one decision,however, that can greatly impactyour college experienceand should require almost nothought at all. Choosing tocontinue your FBLA involvementby joining Phi BetaLambda (PBL) in college canhave a huge impact on yourlife in college and beyond.PBL is based around thesame principles as FBLA butgives its members evengreater opportunities to becomesuccessful in their careerfields. Your personalnetwork will continue to growby not only meeting colleagues,but by also being indirect contact with multiplebusiness professionalsthroughout the year. Theseconnections can lead to importantbusiness relationshipsand internshipopportunities that other collegestudents may not easilyaccess.Besides creating lastingrelationships, you will continueto have the opportunityto compete in a variety of differentevents both at thestate and national levels toshowcase your skills and talents.Also, if philanthropy isimportant to you, PBL offersample opportunities to volunteeron any level throughoutthe year.Graduating seniors, youwon’t want to miss joiningPBL at your college! This respectedorganization will increaseyour chances ofsuccess, and you will not regretyour time as a member.2012-2013State Officer CandidatesPresidentEmma George, SewardSally Moore, Fillmore CentralVice PresidentShannon Barber, Bellevue WestBrent Comstock, AuburnHunter Delaolla, StantonBen Grossnicklaus, AuroraSecretaryAustin Koch, Lincoln EastKaitlyn Watermeier, SyracuseAllyson Wilson, AuroraTreasurerNate Fischer, Bellevue EastCalen Griffin, Chase CountyJulie Slama, AuburnReporterJacob Albracht, ArlingtonShelby Rice, Neligh-OakdaleParliamentarianTrevor Sorensen, Minden6 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

FBLA NationalParliamentarianNadine GoldbergWith this year’s NationalLeadership Conference approachingquickly, some ofyou may be thinking aboutrunning for national office. Ifyou’re anything like I was,you’re probably wonderingwhat being a national officerreally entails.Most members have seentheir national officers speakonstage, run elections andworkshops and support theMarch of Dimes at conferences,but the work of a nationalofficer continues longafter closing session. My parentssometimes even jokethat FBLA is my part-timejob!In the time between conferences,the National OfficerTeam works to fulfill thegoals we set in our Programof Work during the summerofficer training. The tasksvary from officer to officer,but some examples includeplanning national events likeDress to Win Wednesdays,contacting inactive chaptersto reach our annual membershipgoal and increasingFBLA’s presence on socialmedia sites like Facebook,Twitter and the FBLA blog.Those of us who havecouncils also tackle the aimsof our individual programs ofwork, such as publishingmonthly editions of a parliamentaryprocedure newsletterand holding regularconference calls to make surethat our council membersstay on track. Much of mytime is spent writing emails,making phone calls and creatingeverything from eventflyers to blog posts.The hard work is all worthit when I have the chance tolook out from the stage at anational conference and seethe excitement on the facesof the thousands of membersand advisers I serve. What’smore, serving as a nationalofficer has helped me reachmy full potential as a leaderand communicator. I havelearned to comfortably speakin front of large audiences,plan effectively and coordinatethe efforts of a team.Is being a national officera big commitment? Yes. Is itworth it? Definitely! As thesaying goes, “When you lovewhat you do, you never worka day in your life.”I wish all you the best ofluck as you continue yourFBLA journeys. If you haveany questions along the way,please contact me atfblaparl@fbla.org. I hope tosee you all in San Antoniothis summer!Photos by The Picture ManFun and Formal Pictures AvailableSchedule Your SLC Chapter Group PhotosSign up in the Palace Foyer — Don’t miss out!$10 for 8x10 photoCookConnectionPat CookState Vice PresidentThe perfect college. Is there really such a thing? The answeris yes! The real question is, how do you find it? Well, thiscan be easy as long as you look at these three things: expenses,size and major. You, too, can find the perfect matchfor the perfect college experience!College is one of the most expensive things you will everpay for in your entire life. Most people will tell you that thecost shouldn’t hold you back from where you want to go tocollege—and that is true. The solution is as easy as one simpleword, scholarships. It is true when they say the best college isa free college. Apply, apply, apply. There is a bounty of scholarshipsout there, and they are waiting for you to apply forthem! The expenses should never come between you and yourcollege education.Besides the costs, you should also look at how big thecollege is. You may find out that you have a preference for theschool size as well as the class size. If you’re the type thatlikes small classroom environments with personal time withyour teacher, a Division I university probably isn’t the placefor you. Find a school with the size that best suits your educationalneeds.Maybe the size of the school isn’t such a big deal. Andexpenses are paid for because you applied for every scholarship.What else is important? The major! Your major is yourmost important college decision. Not every college will haveyour major. Don’t go to a college just because it is convenientand cheap. Go to a college where you can prepare for yourcareer and what you want to do for the rest of your life.Expenses, size and the major are the most importantthings you need in order to find your perfect college. Don’t letanything hold you back to achieve your true potential in yourcollege experience!PLEDGEPledge is published three times a year(August, December, March)by the Nebraska Future Business Leaders of America.SALLY MOORENebraska FBLA ReporterBEVERLY NEWTONNebraska FBLA Chairman301 Centennial Mall South, P.O. Box 94987Lincoln, NE 68509Phone (402) 471-4865It is the policy of Nebraska FBLA not to discriminate on thebasis of gender, handicap, race, color, religion, marital status,age or national or ethnic origin in its education programs,membership policies, or other administered programs.www.nebraskafbla.org7 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Sally’sSpielSally MooreState ReporterThe Nebraska FBLA State Leadership Conference isquickly approaching and your friends are questioning your absencefrom school at the end of March. It is easy to say thatyou are going to be attending a FBLA conference; however,this simple acronym can easily be misinterpreted!Future Business Leaders of America – you have heard thisname oft repeated, but what is really behind the name? It is acommon misconception that as a member of FBLA, one isonly interested in business. The name of our organization maymention business, but FBLA has so much more to offer thanjust that!By glancing at the list of competitive events at the StateLeadership Conference, it becomes clear that FBLA caters toa wide array of interests. Skills in computer and technicalskills prepare members for a future workforce centered ontechnology. An aptitude for public speaking will aid membersin any of their future ventures, and participating in events likejob interview can assist those members wishing to pursue anytype of job opportunity! Of course, if you are interested inbusiness, FBLA has plenty of options, like entrepreneurshipand accounting!It is important to remember that FBLA provides you witha multitude of opportunities that are vital to a successful future,so let fellow classmates and friends know why FBLA isso great to you! It leads you towards a prosperous future andtowards the “Gateway to Greatness.”Auburn – Teresa HahnTeresa Hahn, adviser for Auburn FBLA, has goneabove and beyond the call of duty in her years ofleading the local chapter. After starting the chapter in2003, Mrs. Hahn has helped Auburn grow into apowerful chapter of nearly forty members. Last year,with her guidance, a record number of six FBLAmembers attended the National LeadershipConference in Orlando, Florida. Her dedication toevery member and the chapter as a whole is prevalentevery day; and in our mind, there is no one whodeserves a thank-you more.Chapters share projects completedcollaboratively with other organizations.Bellevue WestThe Go Green projecthas teamed up with the EcologyClub this year to makethe annual Go Green campaignthe all-time best.Sophomore FBLA membersand members of BellevueWest’s Ecology Club havebeen busy decorating theschool, working a table in thecommons at lunch with fungames and prizes, and havebeen handing out ecologyfacts and pledges toraise awareness about goinggreen around the school.BlairOur chapter collaboratedwith our local FFA chapter toassist the local hospital auxiliarywith their annual rummagesale. Members fromboth organizations workedas a team to load trucks andpack boxes. This was a verysuccessful community serviceproject that allowed ourgroups to work together.Elmwood-MurdockEach year, Elmwood-Murdock FBLA partners withthe school’s chapter of Family,Career, and CommunityLeaders of America (FCCLA)to provide refreshments atParent/Teacher Conferences.Fillmore CentralThe Fillmore CentralFBLA collaborated with FFAand FCCLA to recognizeCTE month by hosting ajoint breakfast during whichMayor Rod Norrie signed aproclamation. The groupthen posed for a picture topublicize the outstanding involvementthat CTE programshave at our highschool.MindenBy collaborating withFCCLA, our FBLA chapterwas able to host aThanks4giving week in November.During the week,students donated variousitems for the food pantry inour local community. Itproved to be a huge success!SandhillsThe Sandhills chapter isworking with Thedford FBLAto sell daffodils for theAmerican Cancer Society inBlaine and Thomas counties.Twin RiverTwin River FBLApartnered with Tony’s FoodTown in organizing a sloppyjoefeed during a home basketballgame to raise moneyfor Toys for Tots.This project raised $500that was used to purchasetoys and other gifts for needyfamilies in the towns ofGenoa, Monroe and SilverCreek to make their Christmasbrighter.8 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Accomplishwith AshleighAshleigh TetenState TreasurerAdams Central – Brianna SchuckBrianna Schuck goesabove and beyond the call ofduty when it comes to AdamsCentral FBLA. She is an excellentofficer and very dedicatedto all of our activities.Arlington – Jake AlbrachtJake Albracht has been amember of FBLA for the pastfour years holding the officesof reporter, treasurer andclass representative. Jakehas attended many FBLAconferences including twotrips to the NLC.Auburn – Brent ComstockBrent Comstock, chaptervice president, has madequite an impact on our localchapter during his three-yearmembership. He has servedFBLA on both local and nationallevels by serving as theassistant to the MountainPlains Region Vice President,Whitni Redman. More recently,he has been using talentsacquired from FBLA tostart his own website designbusiness, which features clientsfrom across the nation.Aurora – Ben GrossnicklausBen currently serves asvice president for our localchapter, and he organizesand communicates with ourcommittee chairs.Bellevue West – ElizabethDriggersElizabeth Driggers is asophomore at Bellevue WestFBLA. She has stepped upand committed her time tothe sophomore Go Greenproject by serving as thechairperson.Blair – Seth BerggrenSeth is serving as chapterparliamentarian. He is a dedicatedmember who volunteeredmany hours of serviceon our Partnership with Businessand American EnterpriseProjects.Elmwood Murdock – Erin DwyerFour-year member ErinDwyer is currently serving aschapter treasurer and ischairperson of the Partnershipwith Business Project;she is a dependable leaderwho can be counted on tolend a helping hand.Fillmore Central – Beth KocaBeth is a dedicated memberserving as our chaptertreasurer. She has efficientlyhandled several recent chapterfundraisers and served asa liaison between our chapterand the Save for Americaprogram throughout theschool year.Minden – Amy NielsenAmy has worked veryhard in fundraising forMinden FBLA these past fewmonths! Thanks, Amy!Sandhills – Taylor MartenTaylor is currently servingas our chapter president andis also a Mt. Plains RegionalOfficer. She is always willingto lend a hand and is a fantasticleader for our chapter.Syracuse – Kaitlyn WatermeierKaitlyn, a junior andchapter secretary, is very organizedand does a great jobof keeping track of membershippoints. She is working onthe BAA Leader level and hasbeen one of the chapter’s outstandingmembers the pasttwo years.Twin River – Maddie KuceraMaddie Kucera is a firstyearmember who went farbeyond expectations in workingwith the elementary readingprogram. She volunteeredabsolutely every day to improvethe reading skills of elementarystudents.Have you ever wondered what it means when you are donatingmoney to the FBLA Foundation? The Nebraska FutureBusiness Leaders of America (FBLA) Foundation Trust is anot-for-profit, volunteer-based endowed trust with the purposeof supporting the financial needs of Nebraska FBLAmembers. So what does that mean? The Foundation servesNebraska FBLA members by providing support for stipendsto assist Nebraska FBLA competitors to attend the NationalLeadership Conference, leadership development activities forNebraska students involved in FBLA activities (such as keynotespeakers) and student scholarships.The Nebraska FBLA Foundation Trust was established inJuly of 2007. Since then, over $34,000 has been donated fromNebraska FBLA chapters in the annual fundraising campaign!The funds received are endowed funds, so only the incomeearned on the Foundation assets can be used.For the past four years, the income has been used to provide$50 stipends to National Leadership Conference (NLC)competitors. The number of stipends depends on the amountof interest earned during the year. The goal is that one daythe Foundation will be able to provide all of the stipends forthe NLC and the amount can be increased to $100.This year, your state officer team has set a goal to raise$10,000 for the Nebraska FBLA Foundation. So, advisers, rememberto send your donations in to help Nebraska FBLAmeet its goal to make our 50 th year even more fabulous!Earliest CharteredNebraska ChaptersChapterNo. Number School1 2063 Bellevue High School2 2615 Randolph High School3 2870 Grand IslandSenior High School4 2988 Fremont High School5 2990 Crete High School6 3073 Chadron High School7 3513 Norris High School8 3677 Ravenna High School9 3735 Blair High School10 3840 Gibbon High School9 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Shyanne’sShenanigansShyanne ThompsonState SecretaryThe State Leadership Conference (SLC) is approachingquickly, and members have been working on projects sincetheir return from holiday break. Members are also busy studyingfor objective tests taken at the conference.Studying and preparing for an objective test can be timeconsuming, but it is always recommended so you performyour best! It is easiest for me to dedicate at least one hourthree evenings a week to study. If you are unsure of what touse for study materials, ask your adviser. Advisers are morethan willing to provide study materials for you to succeed atthe state conference.Online resources are also available for you to utilize; youcan start with the Nebraska FBLA website (www.nebraskafbla.org) at the Resources tab, Competitive Eventslink. Click on Online Resources. http://nebraskafbla.org/wpcontent/uploads/2010/03/list-competitiveeventresourcesonline.pdfMembers who are willing to study for their objective testsor prepare projects will often find themselves on stage duringthe awards ceremony. Placing high in your event may allowyou the opportunity to attend the National Leadership Conferenceheld in San Antonio, Texas this summer. If you areready to make a difference at the 50 th Anniversary of NebraskaFBLA’s state conference, break barriers by preparingfor your events!Each member of Nebraska FBLA can make a difference atthis year’s SLC and celebrate Nebraska FBLA: Fifty FabulousYears. Now let’s get studying and prepare for the fast approachingSLC in Omaha!National LeadershipConferenceJune 28-July 3, 2012San Antonio, TexasJune 28Air travel from Nebraska to San Antonio5:30-9:00 pm Visit the Mercado Straw Market;dinner at Mi Tierra’s Mexican Restaurant9:30 pm Nebraska meetingJune 298:30 am-12 noon Tour Spanish missions and Buckhorn Saloonand Texas Rangers Museum2 pm Conference activities begin7 pm NLC Opening SessionJune 30National Leadership Conference CompetitionJuly 1National Leadership Conference Competition5 pm Nebraska MeetingJuly 2National Leadership Conference Activities7 pm Awards of Excellence programJuly 3 Return to NebraskaAdams CentralAdams Central FBLA isimplementing safe driving ina rewarding way. Our officerteam spread throughout theschool parking lot entrancesand did a survey on who hadtheir seat belt on and off.Drivers coming into schoolreceived one of two types ofcandy, a “Smarties” if theirseat belt was on, and a“Dum-Dum” if they were notwearing their seatbelt.ArlingtonArlington FBLA hosted aSnowball Dance for highschool students. The dancewas a huge success and hada great turnout. The moneyearned from admission to thedance was donated to theMarch of Dimes.AuburnAuburn FBLA celebratedFBLA Week from February 5-11 with numerous activitiesincluding the following: havinga proclamation of FBLAWeek signed by the mayor,selling suckers, revealingdata match results, whichshow students who they’remore compatible with, and, ofcourse, holding a FBLAmeeting. FBLA week providesAuburn with a greatchance to promote this greatorganization!BlairBlair FBLA installed anATM machine in the highschool. All fees collected willgo to the Blair Chapter forscholarships to graduatingseniors!Elmwood-MurdockElmwood-Murdock FBLAcontributed to local tourismby soliciting informationabout attractions suitable forfield trips. A website was created,and local school districtswere notified about themany educational opportunitiesthat are available for visitors.Members even createdtheir own attraction entitled“Fences of the Back Roadsand Byways.”Fillmore CentralFillmore Central FBLAhad a fabulous turnout at therecent Middle School Dance.Over 125 fifth through eighthgraders attended the dancewith proceeds used for donationsto the March of Dimes,the FBLA Foundation andthe Rialto Theater Projectorproject.LitchfieldEach year LitchfieldFBLA sponsors a communityfood drive for a localfood pantry. This year themembers collected 486 itemsof canned food—a newrecord! Members workedhard for a great cause andhad a good time doing it.SandhillsSandhills FBLA held aFood and Toy Drive for theBlaine County Food Pantryand collected over 180 poundsof food and toys. The seventhgraders were the top class indonating.10 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Fabulous Featsof Nebraska FBLABy Amy ChinState PresidentWhat better way to celebrate50 Fabulous Yearsthan through an awesomeproject or fundraiser? NebraskaFBLA chapters sharetheir greatest success storiesfrom 2011-2012:Adams Centrals FBLA sponsoreda blood drive andfilled up 215 donor spotswithin 3 days.Laurel-Concord/ColeridgeFBLA will have a recordnumber of students attendSLC this year. Julia Casey,their chapter president,has put together a wonderfulset of goals andagenda that she wants thechapter to meet this yearand is right on target. Sheis pushing people to comeout of their comfort zoneand try new events or evento attend state if theyhave never been there before.Fremont FBLA holds an annualMake-A-DifferenceDay Project. They decoratemini pumpkins andassemble treat bags andpersonally deliver them toresidents of a local nursinghome/assisted living facilityon the last Saturday inOctober in observance ofMake-A-Difference Day.The residents respondpositively to our studentsand graciously extendtheir appreciation to thekids. The students do anawesome job of greetingthe residents and makingthem feel special!Arlington FBLA raised over$500 for the NebraskaFBLA Foundation throughtheir co-ed volleyball tournament.Wakefield FBLA increasedtheir chapter membershipto 80 and team-taught elementarystudents basicmoney concepts duringNebraska Money SmartWeek.Syracuse FBLA raised over$600 at their 8th AnnualDodgeball Tournament.The yearly tournamenthas allowed the chapter tomake generous donationsthrough the past years toMADD, March of Dimes,hurricane victims, JDRFand most recently the NebraskaFBLA Foundation.This year the chapter decidedto donate $500 fromthe tournament towardsthe new electronic marqueethat the school ispurchasing. The SchoolBoard told the student organizationsthat if theyraised at least $5,000, theywould fund the rest of themarquee. Syracuse FBLAmembers were glad theycould play an instrumentalrole in the process throughtheir donation and also byworking some concessionstands where the proceedswent toward the marquee.The remaining funds fromthe Dodgeball Tournamentwill go towards thechapter’s donation to theFoundation.Blair FBLA installed an ATMmachine in the highschool. All fees collectedwill go to the Blair Chapterand will be used forscholarships for graduatingseniors!Fillmore Central FBLA conducteda very successful“Safe Drive” project firstsemester. First, membersgreeted drivers one morningas they arrived atschool when they conducteda seat-belt check.Those who were wearingtheir seat belts received aSmartie candy or thosenot wearing seat beltswere given a Dum-Dumsucker. Many parentsshared that this was agood project and that parentFacebook postingsthat day were filled withcomments regarding theactivity. Two other activitiesthat were well receivedTrevor’sTipsTrevor SorensenState ParliamentarianWith over 175 million registered users, Twitter is one of themost popular ways people communicate. As Twitter becomesincreasingly utilized, a window of opportunity opens for yourchapter.First, the benefits of a Twitter account are numerous.Here are some of the most prominent:1. Convenience – You can send multiple Tweets in a shortperiod of time allowing you to send last minute updates andreminders to your members.2. Current – Twitter provides your chapter with the abilityto stay up to date with all things FBLA. You can follow otherchapters with the click of a mouse. As they Tweet about whatthey are doing in their local chapters, you can take the ideasyou find interesting and implement them into your program ofwork.3. Accessibility – Twitter can be accessed wherever thereis an Internet connection. Members can find out what is goingon in your chapter even when they are at home, school is outof session and when they are on vacation.Promoting your account to your membership is an importanttask for your chapter to accomplish. Here are a few waysto promote your account to your members.1. The most obvious way is to use your chapter meetingsto inform members of the account. You have their attention,you might as well take advantage of it. If your chapter has anewsletter, you can include the name of the account and howto access it. The time spent is well worth it.2. Offer an incentive to members who follow your accountbefore a certain date (Example: October 5). Members whofollow the account before the deadline can receive candy andthe chance to win a bigger prize such as a gift certificate to alocal business. Whether it is candy or gift certificates, incentivesare a fantastic way to convince them to follow you.3. Promote your Twitter account to members on other socialnetworks. Your officer team can promote your Twitteraccount on social networks such as Facebook. By posting itto your chapter Facebook page or even their local profiles,their friends will see the link and will be able to easily followthe page.Social networking has revolutionized modern society. Itpresents a valuable opportunity for Future Business Leadersof America chapters to take to continue to utilize social networkingsites such as Twitter for our organization. I hopethat you take the opportunity to utilize Twitter in your chapter.by the student body was avisit by State TrooperBybee who brought theroll-over car for a demonstrationand a video abouttexting and driving thatwas shown during an allschoolassembly.Columbus Lakeview FBLAraised $1,022 for the ColumbusCenter for Survivorsthrough their HelpingHands Campaign. Studentspurchased paperhands for 25 cents each or5 for $1 as part of ahomeroom competition.11 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Wilber-ClatoniaWilber-Clatonia FBLA held a very successful food driveOctober 22-29 that accumulated 1,107 items. The chapter helda competition throughout the whole school with a prize of apizza party. The second graders won the competition with 336items while the kindergarten class came in second with 263items.The food drive caught a lot of attention, and it was verysuccessful for the Elder Care Food Pantry. The food drivelasted only a week, and FBLA members did daily pick-upsfrom around the school and used a chart to let everyone knowwhere their grade was on contributing the most items to winthe party. The donated food overwhelmed Mrs. Finley’s roomuntil the members loaded all the food to be taken to the ElderCare, which took two pick-ups and a lot of muscle.WaverlyThis fall, Waverly FBLA put their heads together and triedto come up with a way to help the community and itsmembers. Each year Waverly FBLA provides scholarshipmoney to members that are continuing their education andplanning to join a PBL chapter in college. The money wasrunning low in this fund, so Waverly FBLA decided to team upwith the Nebraska Community Blood Bank to host a blooddrive.The goal for the blood drive was 49 units of blood. TheWaverly blood drive collected over 70 units, raising over $700dollars for the graduating class of 2012. The blood drive willcontinue at Waverly every year to help maintain thescholarship program. It will also provide the necessary bloodthat the Nebraska Community Blood Bank provides toLincoln and surrounding areas.Omaha NorthwestThe members of the Northwest High School FBLA chapterorganized a community service project called the “12 Days ofGiving.” Each day for 12 consecutive days, students and staffdonated different items for various community charities.The items included the following: 430 canned food items,300 toothbrushes and toothpaste, over 200 sets of gloves,mittens, and hats and over 400 personal hygiene items such assoap, lotion, deodorant, shampoo. In addition, students andstaff donated more than 1,000 paper items such as papertowels, toilet paper, tissue, 60 different serving items like cups,plates, utensils, napkins and trash bags, nearly 100 blankets,pillows, stuffed animals and toys, over 100 baby itemsincluding lotion, powder and diapers, 68 sets of sheets andtowels, 59 packages of batteries, 70 coats, and 114 pairs ofsocks. Northwest FBLA donated the entire proceeds from the“12 Days of Giving” to the Salvation Army.MindenThis year, Minden FBLA’s annual Soup Supper/Concessionnight was a huge success! The event took place on January 20during a home basketball game. The game attracted a largeamount of people, and we made massive fundraising leaps!The night consisted of a remarkable trifecta of a concessionstand, soup supper and newly added cake raffle—all of whichproved to be very profitable.The concession stand was the most successful element ofthe whole night. By expanding our menu, we generated asubstantially larger amount of revenue compared to pastyears. Additionally, the soup supper proved to be extremelysuccessful. The three different soups we offered along withsandwiches and desserts lured many spectators to the supper,creating a big profit in the end. Moreover, our enhancedpromotion techniques such as posters, press releases andflyers improved traffic and made the event advantageous forour chapter.As a chapter, we also decided to incorporate one morecomponent into the fundraiser. A cake raffle! We sold raffletickets to spectators: $1 for one ticket or $5 for seven tickets.By placing the cake raffle next to the soup supper, manypeople visited both activities. We raffled 12 cakes and thendistributed them to the lucky sports fans who were drawnduring the halftimes of the girls and boys basketball games.This new element of the soup supper night generated asubstantial amount of money, and we are planning to use it infuture years. Our whole FBLA chapter pitched in by donatingall of the food, and we couldn’t have done it without ourdedicated chapter!Lyons-Decatur NortheastOur success story went beyond FBLA and encompassedthe entire school. Each year we do a canned food drive andeach year cans slowly trickle in with some success. We hadreceived a report that Hearts and Hands, the local foodcontinued on next page12 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

pantry, was extremely low, and they didn’t know how theywere going to feed the families they normally served.After much thought and a great idea from one of ourseniors, we found a way to raise the stakes. This year wouldbe different. We decided to get our English class into the gameplan. For every 5 cans students donated, they would get 1Accelerated Reader (AR) point. For the staff, 6 cans broughtin earned that person a day to wear jeans to school. Theelementary was rewarded by class, with each class getting thechance to play games in the gym.After the principal made the announcement about the fooddrive, the hype began. The next day there were 50 cans linedup in the early morning. The following day there were morethan 200 cans. The days to come brought in more than justcans but flour bags, cereal, water bottles and even fun foodlike Spaghettio’s and cake mixes.The previous year we had set our goal a little high, only torevise it half way through the food drive to something moreattainable. We didn’t want to revise it again this year and setthe goal at 1,200 cans. It was higher than the previous year’sfinal count, and we thought this might be tough to reach. Wewere hopeful that our new strategy would pull in cans fromstudents who didn’t normally contribute.Each morning the cans kept coming and the AR pointswere awarded. The count was in, the cans were here, and thetotal came to 2,568 food items! Thanks to the rewards, wewere able to deliver more than double the previous year. Thiswas more than a success story for the chapter; it was asuccess for the community!GibbonIn a CSO joint effort, the Gibbon FBLA and FCCLA hostedthe Fall 2011 American Red Cross Blood Drive at Gibbon HighSchool on October 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. GibbonFBLA members recruited donors, donated food items fordonors before and after giving blood and also helped sign upthe students and community members who were registered todonate.The Gibbon community and high school studentscontributed 35 pints of whole blood and six pints of doublered. Their contribution was greatly appreciated as it madesuch a difference in the lives of hospital patients in our areaand across the nation.LitchfieldAmerican Enterprise Day was a huge success for theLitchfield Chapter of FBLA. The American Enterprise Daycommittee planned and carried out an educational project toteach the elementary students in grades 3-6 aboutentrepreneurship. Students had a wonderful time creatingtheir own businesses and planning advertising for thisbusiness. All of the students learned a lot about starting andowning a business. Students were very enthusiastic about theproject. In addition, elementary students were introduced tothe FBLA organization.Johnson-BrockOn November 2, all senior and junior high students had achance to check out different jobs at the FBLA career fair.Students went to different stations and had their questionsanswered about different career fields by representatives inthose fields.One station was about becoming a teacher while anotherwas about the field of photography. Some stations, like theone on coaching, had a Peru State college representative.Another station featured information about going into thetechnology field and had a local ESU representative there totake questions. There were 17 different stations available. Itwas an exciting afternoon and many students developed abetter idea of what type of career they would like to pursue.The career fair also helped seniors establish contacts in fieldsthat they will follow in college.continued on next page13 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

FremontFremont FBLA participated in Make A Difference onOctober 22. Make a Difference Day is an event sponsored byUSA Weekend. In observance of Make A Difference Day,Fremont FBLA members decorated miniature pumpkins forHalloween and assembled treat bags for the residents at NyeLegacy Rehabilitation Center in Fremont.During the week of October 17-19, students met duringtheir Conference/Advisement period to work on the project.Pumpkins were washed and decorated with markers andindividually wrapped pieces of candy were assembled in easyto-openbags for the residents.Students met at Nye Legacy at 11:45 a.m. on October 22,the day designated for Make Difference Day this year. FBLAmembers greeted the residents as they came to the diningroom for their noon meal. The residents were appreciative ofthe treats and also of the time the students dedicated tovisiting with them.Fairbury and Tri CountyFairbury and Tri County FBLAchapters hosted a Pink Out at theirannual rivalry basketball game toraise money for breast cancerawareness. The initial goal was to sell150 pink t-shirts between bothchapters. Donations from localbusinesses were solicited in bothcommunities to help defray the t-shirtcost. A total of ten local businessesdonated $75-$150 each. Fairburymembers distributed flyers aroundthe community and also sold shirts during lunches at school.At the game, drill team members and fans wore the “Hoopsfor Hope” shirts. In addition, the boys’ and girls’ teams worethese shirts during warm-ups. A “Pass the Bucket” duringhalftime of the boys’ varsity game raised $298.35, and togetherwith the sales of 330 “Hoops for Hope” shirts, raised a total of$2008.35 for the American Cancer Society!CreteThirty-four FBLA members participated in a career fieldtrip to Lincoln on Wednesday, September 14. At SandhillsPublishing, members learned about the informationprocessing company. Sandhills handles all aspects of design,production and distribution of several publications includingSmart Computing, TractorHouse and Machinery Trader.Students were impressed with the wide range of job andinternship opportunities available with the company andenjoyed a tour of the facility. Crete FBLA Vice President AlanPoteet said, “I thought the LEED certified ‘green’ building/data center was cool.” FBLA member Kay Meysenburg said,“I thought printing press and supplies were interesting, and Iliked the paid internships.”Next, at Nebraska Wesleyan University, five WesleyanStudent Ambassadors led small groups on a comprehensivetour of the campus including classrooms, the recreationcenter and a suite-style dorm room. After the tour, memberslearned about the admission process at Wesleyan from anadmissions representative and the importance of GPA andACT scores when preparing for college. Business professorTom Hudson also informed members about the requirementsof getting a Business Administration degree from Wesleyan.FBLA member Emilee Urbanek said, “I liked that 25 percentof students graduate with an international experience.” FBLAParliamentarian Richelle Saalfeld liked the suite-style dorms,and member Kale Friesen was impressed by the chairs insome of the classrooms.ConestogaThe ConestogaFBLA chapter sponsoreda “Twelve Daysof Giving Project.”Each day of the projecthad a designated itemto bring. Books, juices,toys, paper productsand personal productswere some of the itemscollected. With the helpof the Conestogacommunity, severallocal families enjoyed abrighter holiday season.continued on next page14 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

ChadronDuring National Premature Baby Awareness Week,Chadron FBLA contributed to the cause by selling purpleribbons. All of our ribbons had different designs on them, suchas little hands or feet. Each ribbon cost one dollar and allmoney raised went to the March of Dimes. Nationwide FBLAhelps the March of Dimes every year by raising money forpremature babies as well as those born with birth defects.In addition, later in the winter basketball season, ChadronFBLA will hold a second fundraiser to increase our donationfor the March of Dimes. The “Kiss a Pig” contest will allowstudents and basketball fans to put money towards theteachers, Mr. Mack, Mr. Pope and Mr. Lecher. The teacherwho receives the most money in his jar will kiss a pig at halftime of a boys’ varsity basketball game.BlairBlair FBLA partneredwith the local OptimistOrganization to collecttoys for needy children inWashington County. Thisevent was held as ahomeroom competition.FBLA awarded the mostgenerous homerooms withholiday cookies and juice.After less than 2 weeks,members were able to collect255 toys — the mostwe have ever collectedduring the past 12 years.Bicycles, games, books andstuffed animals were just a few of the items children receivedto brighten their holiday. Members also helped the OptimistOrganization shop for gifts in conjunction with the annualadopt a family project.Bellevue EastOn December 16, Bellevue East hosted our second daycareof the year. We made the theme of the daycare, “Christmas,”because it was so close to the holiday. The daycare started at5:30 p.m. with many activities planned for the night. Becauseour age group for the daycare was for grades K-6, we startedthe activities with coloring and arts and crafts. The kids alsogot a chance to play avariety of games such asTwister or a modifiedversion of “Pin the Tail onthe Donkey,” where studentspinned the nose onthe snowman. After thekids played in the gym,there was time to winddown and watch either“Elf” or “A ChristmasCarol.” Our chapter hostedthe daycare because it wasa good fundraiser, and itgave parents a chance togo Christmas shoppingwithout having to find ababysitter.AuroraThis year for Aurora FBLA’s Partnership with Businessproject, our FBLA students completed a marketing survey toprovide information to the Home Show Committee. OnFebruary 11 and 12, students helped out at the HamiltonCounty Home and Garden Show, which was held at our localfairgrounds.Students handed out postcard-size survey forms and askedguests to complete their cards and place them in one of thesix collection boxes inside the home show buildings. Thesurvey asked questions such as number of people in the car,zip code of home town and where they learned about the homeshow. Approximately 30 members contributed to this project.Partnership with Business co-chairs tabulated and presentedthe survey results to the Home Show Committee.AuburnAuburn FBLA officers and members alike are alwayslooking for a fun way to raise funds. One of our more uniquesources of income is our “data match” surveys. These testsare given to students on the last week of January, and resultsare given during FBLA Week. Results cost only a dollar toreceive, which gives a student their horoscope, ten best lovematches, ten most compatible friends and ten leastcompatible people in the school. Every year, students flock tothe results table, wanting to know with whom they have beenmatched. Some are shocked while others are vindicated – allwhile Auburn FBLA raises money!ArlingtonArlington Elementary learned all about money duringMoney Smart Nebraska Week, which was November 7-13. Thepre-school learned through a well-known children’s story, TheThree Little Pigs. This taught them to save their money, sotheir house wouldn’t be blown over by a big badwolf. Arlington FBLA members performed skits about how tobe responsible and spend money wisely. Two Rivers Bankmade generous donations by donating piggy banks, yo-yos,and sport wristwatches. All students also received shreddedmoney from the Federal Reserve Bank.15 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Through the YearsNational Officers and Positions! 12 national officers! 1975-1976 – Cindy Drevo Wanek, Crete,National President! 1976-1977 – Kelly Lammers, Ravenna,Mountain Plains Vice President! 1985-1986 – Leann Tatro, Geneva,Mountain Plains Vice President! 1986-1987 – Jason Morrissey, Tecumseh,National Treasurer! 1987-1988 – Stephanie Brodine, Gibbon,National Secretary! 1989-1990 – Peter Hazelrigg, Westside,National Treasurer! 1991-1992 – Darci Vetter, Aurora, NationalSecretary! 1993-1994 – W. Neal Bailey, III, Westside,National Secretary! 2001-2002 – Jessica Vincik Piskorski,Aurora, Mountain Plains Vice President! 2004-2005 – Angela Reynolds, Wood River,National Parliamentarian! 2006-2007 – Alice Reynolds, Wood River,National Parliamentarian! 2008-2009 – Justin Schultis, Fairbury,Mountain Plains Vice President! 1 Alumni Division national officer! 1988-1989 – Kim Kromberg, OmahaNorthwest, National Secretary/Treasurer! 4 national Board of Directorsmembers from Nebraska! 1978-1981 – Ann Masters, FBLA-PBL StateChairman! 1997-2000 – Jackie Cink, Crete! 2005-2009 – Beverly Newton, FBLA-PBLState Chairman! 2009–2012 – Pat Olson, Blair! 3 National Awards Program Committee membersfrom Nebraska! 1999-2005 – Beverly Newton, NebraskaFBLA State Adviser! 1999-2008 – Ted Harshbarger, NebraskaPBLA State Adviser! 2011-2014 – Julie Jensen, AuroraNational Future Business Leader Awards! Ms. Future Business Leader (or its equivalent title)– 5 first-place winners!! Starting in 2000, the Mr. and Ms. Future BusinessLeader events merged to become the FutureBusiness Leader event – 3 first-place winners!! Total Future Business Leader first-place winners – 8State Chapter Annual Business Report! 2010 NLC – 2 nd Place! 2011 NLC – 3 rd PlaceACTE Recognition! 16 Nebraska FBLA members have been recognizedas the Outstanding Business Education Studentfrom Region 5 of the Business Education Divisionfor the Association for Career and TechnicalEducationNational Fall Leadership Conference Host! Nebraska hosted the NFLC in Omaha 4 times: 1976,1986, 1995, 2004March of Dimes: 5 th Place National Fundraising16 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

Nebraska FBLAMilestones1950’s! November 19, 1959 – Bellevue High Schoolchartered as first FBLA chapter in Nebraska.1960’s! 1962 – Nebraska FBLA-PBL chartered as astate chapter." Dorothy Hazel, University of Nebraskabusiness education staff member firstFBLA-PBL State Adviser." Dr. Gordon Culver, University of Nebraska,served as FBLA-PBL State Chairman." FBLA-PBL operated as one organization." State officers were PBL members with oneFBLA member serving as a vice president." First State Leadership Conference held inLincoln at the University of Nebraska.! 1963-1967 – Dr. Margaret Johnson served asFBLA-PBL State adviser.! 1963 – Ann Bartholomew Masters elected asfirst FBLA-PBL State President at the stateconference in Lincoln." 60 members from 8 chapters attended thetwo-day conference.! 1966 – Nebraska FBLA grew to 7 FBLAchapters and 585 members." State dues were 25 cents." State conference hosted 7 events.! 1967 – FBLA and PBL split into twoorganizations." FBLA had five state officers: president, vicepresident, secretary, treasurer, andhistorian" Larry Bonner, Nebraska Department ofEducation, becomes the FBLA StateChairman and State Adviser! 1968 – 5 Nebraska FBLA members competedat the 3-day national conference in SanFrancisco" Crete placed third in the Original Projectevent" On December 2, FBLA hosted its first fallleadership training conference in Lincolnwith approximately 95 members andadvisers present.1970’s! 1970 – Nebraska FBLA started the newdecade with 27 FBLA chapters and 762members.! 1973-74 – State Officer team expanded toinclude a parliamentarian.! 1974 – State Officer Goodwill Tour traveled to10 schools.! 1975 – Cindy Drevo Wanek from Crete waselected national president at the NLC." State Officer Goodwill Tour traveled to 11schools in western Nebraska." A two-day fall conference held in Kearneyfocused on teaching chapter leaders howto develop a program of work along withother aspects of chapter management.! 1976 – Jerry Lewis visits the SLC AwardsProgram while he was in Omaha performing atAk-Sar-Ben show.! 1978 – The SLC is hosted at the Hilton withFlaming Baked Alaska, (dessert at the awardsbanquet).1980’s! 1982-1985 – FBLA and DECA co-hosted theFall Officer Workshop.! State dues were $1.! 1983 – First FBLA Handbook written.! 1984 – Gary Sadlemyer announed theSLC Awards Program.! 1986 – PDC hired to produce the generalsessions.! 1986 – 31 competitive events were offered atthe SLC.! 1989 – Computers are added to thecompetitive events program." Competitors in the computer skill eventswere bused to Westside.1990’s! 1990 – Membership surpasses 4,000members in 110 chapters.! 1991 – SLC general sessions are held atPeony Park while the Holiday ConventionCenter is being expanded.! 1995 – Nebraska FBLA was incorporated.! 1997 – Tally It Up project implemented,which annually totals the number of servicehours donated by FBLA members throughFBLA chapter projects.! 1998 – Nebraska National LeadershipConference delegation reached 135participants.! August 1997 – 1996-97 State President JillEisenhauer killed by a drunk driver." Chapters rallied to make a difference inJill’s honor and fundraising began during1997-98 for Nebraska Mothers AgainstDrunk Driving (MADD)." Nebraska FBLA fundraising continued for10 years with over $100,000 being raisedfor MADD.2000’s! 2002 – Membership passed 5,000 members.! 2003 – Nebraska FBLA recognized for itsfundraising efforts at the 2003 NLC by thenational MADD association.! 2005 – Nebraska FBLA online with website:www.nebraskafbla.org." Nebraska FBLA members receive 5 NLCfirst-place awards.! 2005 – 2008 – Pledge newsletter online aswell as in print.! July 2007 – Nebraska FBLA Foundation Trustestablished.! 2007 – Foundation Marketing Committeeformed.! 2007 – Chapter fundraising program for theNebraska FBLA Foundation implemented.! 2007 – State dues increased from $2 to $4with $1 earmarked for the Foundation.! March 2008 – Pledge newsletter is changedfrom both a print and electronic newsletter toonly an electronic newsletter.! January-March 2009 – Nebraska FBLA, alongwith the other Nebraska Career StudentOrganizations, lobby for the passage ofLB476. The march on the Unicameral is amajor success!! May 2009 – LB476 signed by GovernorHeineman providing state funding for thecareer student organizations and created theCenter for Student Leadership at the NebraskaDepartment of Education.! 2009 – Nebraska FBLA had a recordmembership of 5,389!! 2009 – Social media enters Nebraska FBLA’scommunication process with a Facebookpage.2010’s! 2011 – Nebraska FBLA consisted of 140chapters, a new record!" At the SLC, 60 competitive events wereoffered." Nebraska National Leadership Conferencedelegation reached a high of 257participants." Nebraska FBLA Twitter accountstarted." 2,152 from 120 chapters attended the3-day state conference.! 2012 – Nebraska FBLA Foundation Trust fundreached $100,000.17 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012

50thState Officer TaleOnce upon a time, there were six young lads andlasses, who loved FBLA dearly. They loved FBLA somuch; in fact, they were elected to serve as stateofficers for the great land of Nebraska.As June bloomed upon them, they found themselvesmingling among other leaders at the State OfficerLeadership Academy. It was here the state officerscreated a master plan for the year ahead.Next, the state officers found themselves in a real fairytale land - Disneyworld! Amidst scores of magicalcreatures, Nebraska FBLA delegates brought 24 top10 awards back to their home country.After 13 hours spent in a large motorized carriage,the state officers found themselves in the cold, windyland known as Milwaukee. With the cold windblowing, FBLA members stayed toasty as theirhearts warmed with new friendships.With the State Leadership Conference looming onthe horizon, the state officers sank into a state ofdeep contemplation as they thought of all themagical memories of the past year. With tearsstreaming down their faces (maybe they were sad . . .maybe it was the jalapenos), the state officers bidtheir year of FBLA adieu.With flamboyant bows, the state officers thankNebraska FBLA for all their support and hard work.And they will live happily ever after, as they closethis chapter on Nebraska FBLA!19 — PLEDGE Online 50 fabulous years - 1962-2012March, 2012