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After another year of successful performances at the State Leadership Conference and the National Leadership Conference (NLC) in 2014, the San Tan Foothills’ Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter expects to continue its tradition of being among Arizona’s best organizations in 2015.
As many of the chapter’s officers wind down their high school careers, they remain committed to recruiting new members who are capable of maintaining San Tan’s level of excellence.
San Tan Foothills’ FBLA President Karah Wilson, a senior, serves as a teacher’s aide, which helps in the effort to find freshmen students who want to be a part of the prestigious organization.
The upperclassmen want to make their last year special so there are high expectations for all of the organization’s members, even the newcomers.
Wilson and FBLA Vice President Kyle Stanifer, also a senior, produced a presentation about their own personal experiences at some FBLA event to assist in attracting interested students.
Younger students who have shown the potential to be good speakers and communicators in the classroom are some of the more sought after FBLA recruits.
“We can definitely see the natural affinity they have with public speaking,” said FBLA Treasurer and junior Leilani Lewis, who finished second in public speaking at the NLC in Chicago earlier this summer.
“A lot of students who come into this organization may not be perfectly sharp at first,” Wilson added. “But that’s one of the things we do; when we put members out of their comfort zone they grow and that’s what FBLA does.”
This year, Wilson says, San Tan’s FBLA chapter is initiating the Campus Improvement Project to spruce up campus surroundings. Plans include a podium with the school’s crest on it, a sitting bench in front of the school for students to use while waiting for their parents, and the planting of a tree.
Wilson, who already has a scholarship to Grand Canyon University, believes FBLA has changed her life in the most positive way and wants to see other students have the same experience. The Campus Improvement Project is a way to show appreciation for FBLA helping students increase learning ability, social ability, and changing their mindset toward future success after high school.
“In FBLA, we want to make the most of our high school career,” Wilson said. “We’re definitely ready to take the next steps in our lives, but we’re enjoying high school while we’re here.”
STFHS FBLA’s Leilani Lewis – Treasurer (Lt) and Karah Wilson – President (Rt).
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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