Whiz Kids: Future Business Leaders of America

There is a club at that engages and challenges its members to make decisions as leaders. They’re still in high school, but these kids are the Future Business Leaders of America.

Under the direction of Business Teacher and Department Chair Barbara Losee, more than 20 students of NHS’s FBLA chapter gain valuable business exposure, learn about different business enterprises and perform community service projects in their community.

Their weekly meetings are run like real world board meetings, with the officers at front giving a 'no nonsense' approach to the agenda and each member giving his or her opinions on a particular item in a respectful and business-like manner.

"Everything we do is a learning experience," said Losee, who has been the club’s advisor for more than two decades. "But it is also fun as well."

Losee said she is there to guide them, but it is the kids themselves who are running the club, making the agenda and formulating decisions.

The group gets hands-on business experience through the various speakers, businessmen and women who come once a month to their meetings to address them. They are also involved in state FBLA competitions and have the opportunity to go out into the business world to see first-hand how things are done.

They have the opportunity to see start-up companies or established businesses across the region. They also get a taste of different careers and pathways they can choose.

In the last several years, learning field trips have included treks to Wall Street, the back office of the New York Mets, the Convention Center in Boston and Six Flags New England.

At the amusement park, the NHS FBLA group watched a presentation on how a business can resuscitate a community after a disaster. Six Flags was able to help rebuild some of the western Massachusetts communities affected by a devastating tornado last spring.

Students are busy working on a variety of projects such as the club’s newsletter, blog, website, chapter scrapbook and the State Chapter Recognition program.  They are also beginning to prepare for their state competition later in the school year.

Losee said members come as freshman and stay four years.

"It’s that good," she said.

Initially, they join FBLA for a variety of reasons. Some use it to boost their college applications, others join because their friends recommend the club and they participate in school wide events like .

But all its members appreciate the opportunity and hands-on learning that the FBLA offers and many supplement their participation in the Agri-Science program with FBLA.

Junior Officer said his interest in business prompted his participation three years ago.

"Eventually, I would like to do something business-related," he said. "These are important skills to learn. Not to mention you meet good people and do neat stuff."

In addition to the annual Trick or Treat Street in October, where the group decked out their room to resemble the movie "Monsters Inc.," complete with a life size Randall character and an actual door, the club joined forces with the Family and Consumer Culinary Classes for their annual Bethlehem/Woodbury Senior Citizen Dinner put on at NHS.

The FBLA students contributed by bringing in the requested food for the dinner given to the area’s senior citizens. This is a co-curricular event with the Advanced Culinary students, Music Treble Choir, Life Skills students, Vo-Ag, FFA and FBLA students. 

"This is always a huge success and the senior citizens look forward to it every year," Losee said. "This year it was held on December 1 and once again the seniors raved about it."

The NHS chapter of FBLA also participates in the spirit of the holidays by contributing toys and games to the Waterbury Probate Court for their children in need of gifts for the holidays. This is the third year of participation with this event.

Dale Erickson, the chapter president, member of the Agri-Science program and senior at Nonnewaug, has his own landscape company and said his participation in the club over the last four years has been invaluable.

"It has helped me so much with my business," he said.

Brittany Martens is interested in choosing business entrepreneurship as a major in college next fall and the senior said being in FBLA has really helped her narrow her focus on her major.

"It’s nice to be with other kids who are interested in the same thing," she said. "It’s a mutual goal of all of us here.

She said she joined the club four years ago for the community service aspect of it.

"I wanted to help out," said Martens. "I found we have a good working team here."

The Future Business Leaders of America at NHS gives back, Losee said.

"In a relaxed atmosphere," she said, "the kids have fun with their friends and accomplish something great."