Every year Piute High School does an amazing job at state FBLA. Members of the club do such a good job at state that they qualify to attend the national FBLA competition. This year a total of 17 kids from the Piute High School chapter attended the national competition in Atlanta, Georgia. Not only is the competition a fun event, but exploring a new place, sightseeing and learning how to navigate in a new environment is a great experience for all the kids who attend.
FBLA, or Future Business Leaders of America, teaches the teens how to be involved in business and how to speak and present to an audience. The skills taught in FBLA can be transferred over into adult life and in a job setting, and the trips are a great experience!
The Georgia trip started out with a long drive to the Las Vegas airport, a drive that includes the Piute chapter being stuck in traffic for 5+ hours! Once the kids and advisors made it to Georgia, the fun began. The competition ceremonies would begin Tuesday night, June 27, but in their free time the students enjoyed exploring the city. As Monday night ended the group made their way to an Atlanta Braves baseball game.
On Tuesday the group did lots of walking around and eventually spent some time at the Georgia Aquarium. Also on Tuesday night was the national opening ceremony. Everyone from Piute County plus a few more gather to listen to speakers and participate in getting to know each other through pin trading. Every state has their own unique pin. These pins are handed out to the chapters and then the participants can go around and trade pins. This task allows the kids to meet new people and make new friends, while getting some awesome looking pins from different states.
Wednesday was a day of relaxing by the pool and taking the subway to a mall. Wednesday night the Piute chapter got news that one group of theirs had finalized. Ari Hurdsman, Brooklyn Jessen and Emma Wilde had made the top 15 out 95 in the Publication Design category. The three girls joined an elite group of people at Piute High School who have made the top 15 at National FBLA.
More shopping, exploring the Coca-Cola factory, swimming in the pool, going to Six Flags, many adventures and a closing ceremony took place until Saturday morning, July 1, when the group left to go home. To end the trip like how they started it, Piute’s chapter found themselves in the middle of some more traffic on the way home.
The trip overall was a great time and experience for all the kids. For those looking for a good time while learning applicable skills, FBLA is the place for you. And who knows, you might get to travel around the country and attend some national competitions.
– by Ari Hurdsman (18) Junction
More Pictures
Feature image caption: The FBLA Piute High School Chapter ends their first day with an Atlanta Braves game.
Ari Hurdsman – Junction
Ari Hurdsman is a junior journalist at the Byway. She just recently moved to Ephraim, Utah, where she is a freshman at Snow College. She enjoys writing about Piute sports, and she’s really good at it! In her free time, she enjoys singing, dancing, reading and hanging out with friends and family.