WISCONSIN FBLA
e-Bulletin
October 2020 | Volume XIX, Issue 2 |
View as Webpage - Advisers, please use this link to distribute the WFeB to your local members. Members may subscribe to receive future publications by selecting the Join Our Mailing List link above or may added automatically by Wisconsin FBLA when you register a member with an email address through the national membership system.
STATE PRESIDENT'S WELCOME
Hello Wisconsin FBLA and
Welcome to the October Issue of the WFeB!

I hope you all had a wonderful first month of school. Our state officer team and the Wisconsin FBLA-PBL Foundation are working hard to provide opportunities for chapters to grow their membership, deepen their involvement, and stay informed, even through the COVID-19 pandemic. Show your support by using Amazon Smile when you shop online and talk to FBLA alumni about becoming a Friend of Wisconsin FBLA-PBL. 

We are excited to have a new opportunity for all members this year. The Fall Leadership Experience featured in an article below is taking place right now online. We celebrate today the release of state officer developed workshop style materials to engage students in a co-curricular experience in the classroom and your student organization. View the video to the right for a brief welcome message as we open October with our next components of our Fall Leadership Experience.

An excellent way to get your chapter involved in FBLA is to complete the Outstanding Chapter Award. This award requires chapters to complete various activities including community service, increasing chapter membership, and creating a Program of Work. Each chapter which completes the Outstanding Chapter Award and submits all materials online by April 1 will receive between $250 to $2,500 from the FBLA-PBL Foundation.

If your chapter has any questions or concerns at all throughout the year, do not hesitate to email me at [email protected].

Best regards,

Brooke Allemann

Brooke Allemann
State President,
Cochrane-Fountain City High School

Important Deadlines & Upcoming Events:
Full WI FBLA calendar linked here
Full National calendar linked here
OCTOBER
  • October 1 - FLE Opening Session and Wisconsin FBLA Co-Curricular Workshop Video Series Release
  • October 1 - Wisconsin FBLA Regional Member of the Month Opens
  • October 16 - Fall Stock Market Game Registration Deadline
  • October 20 - Virtual Business Fall Challenge and LifeSmarts Begin

NOVEMBER
  • Prematurity Awareness Month
  • November 1 - FLE Resouce Guides Released
  • November 1 - Nonstop November
  • November 13 - Virtual Business Fall Challenge Ends
  • November 13 - LifeSmarts Fall Competition Ends
  • November 15 - WI FBLA Regional Membership Deadline for RLC Competitive Event Eligibility 
  • November 15 - American Enterprise Day
  • November 17 - March of Dimes World Prematurity Day
FALL LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE
Due to the unique circumstances of the school year, we will not be hosting our Fall Leadership Lab or Fall Leadership Conference in person. However, we have planned and designed a Wisconsin FBLA Fall Leadership Experience so you can still grow in your leadership skills and knowledge of FBLA!

Our Fall Leadership Experience includes components such as an opening session video, officer introduction video series titled “Inquire to Aspire”, workshop videos, and 100x Local Chapter Officer Training. Below are links to the video and materials associated with our on-demand activities being released today on our website.

There's no denying it's been a whirlwind of a year for Wisconsin schools, communities, and our chapters and their members. To offer some insight on managing these circumstances, our Executive Board will be releasing additional Chapter Resource Guides as part of our Fall Leadership Experience.

On November 1, these Resource Guides including written tools on various topics will be released to all chapters. We recommend local chapter officers and advisers to utilize the information to work with their members.
Faith Kierzek
State Secretary/
Treasurer, Muskego High School




Kari Kelly
State Reporter,
Oak Creek High School
presented by State President Brooke Allemann & Region 1 Vice President Henry Pike
Leadership Opportunities in FBLA presented by State Vice President Brenen Skalitzky & Region 2 Vice President Mike Brierton
presented by State Secretary/Treasurer Faith Kierzek & Region 3 Vice President Ethan Armstrong
presented by State Reporter Kari Kelly & Region 4 Vice President Audrey Newkirk
presented by State Parliamentarian Sara Booher & Region 5 Vice President Jacob Crave
presented by Region 6 Vice President Stephanie Gavin & Region 7 Vice President Esmeralda Luna

MIDDLE LEVEL UPDATES
Brenen Skalitzky
State Vice President, Waterloo High School





Hello, middle level members and advisers! My name is Brenen Skalitzky, and I am a senior at Waterloo High School, and I currently serve as the State Vice President. I am excited to assist our state's middle level students and chapters in making the most of what FBLA offers.
 
A middle level chapter provides members the opportunity to compete, network, attend workshops hosted by our executive board and other special guests, and sample some of all that FBLA offers high school students. We are continuing our goal from last year to have middle level members complete the LEAD Awards. The LEAD (similarly to the business achievement awards for FBLA) program is a unique leadership development program that rewards students with virtual badges for displaying and is an excellent way of creating active chapter membership. 

Similar to last year is also the Middle Level Member of the Month. Advisers can submit members who show chapter initiative, and they will be recognized at the Regional Leadership Conference, including receiving a personal letter from our State President Brooke Allemann. We have a lot of new opportunities for our young students. To all of our middle level students and advisers, I wish you the best of luck beginning our year! 
MARCH OF DIMES
PREMATURITY AWARNESS MONTH
Now that we all are transitioning into the Fall, March of Dimes and fundraising initiatives are exciting and engaging activities that can bring your chapter together! November is Prematurity Awareness Month, and the March of Dimes goes all out in advocacy and hosting charity events, culminating on World Prematurity Day, November 17th.

Approximately 1 in 10 babies globally is born prematurely. Our national service partner, the March of Dimes, works tirelessly until every baby is safely entered into this world, and you can join the cause. Visit our Wisconsin FBLA resource page to learn more about local partnership opportunities.

Consider how your local middle level or high school chapter might benefit from a March of Dimes financial grant program to support your local activities. The deadline to apply is January 15. Last year, Westosha Central FBLA received a grant - maybe this year your chapter will too!

Wisconsin FBLA encourages all of our chapters to connect with the Wisconsin March of Dimes to participate in miracle minutes, the march for babies, or get creative during November! We understand that fundraising money may not be suitable for your chapter amid a pandemic, but we encourage all chapters to embrace advocacy and stand against prematurity by wearing purple!
NATIONAL AWARDS AND PROGRAMS
here's tons of ways for chapter and members to get involved and earn personal recognition. They're extraordinary ways to make any FBLA member’s experience fun, purposeful, and action packed!

The BAAs are an amazing program where members can learn the importance of pursuing service, education, and progress in their school, community, and even at home. With completion of all four, you can be recognized at the National Leadership Conference (NLC). The deadline for levels Future, Business, and Leader is March 1, and the deadline for level America being April 25.

The CSAs are an inspiring series of achievements awarded to members who show leadership and dedication in their communities. The deadline for the Community and Service levels are March 1st, and April 25 for the Achievement level.

Membership Madness and Membership Mania are fun ways to be involved nationally, while also strengthening your local chapter. To earn Membership Madness, you must recruit 5 new FBLA members for your local chapter. To complete Membership Mania, you must recruit 10 new members for your local chapter. These two “sister awards” are due on April 1 and will get you recognized at NLC. 

Super Sweeps began on August 1. However, everyone can still submit an entry until October 20. Registration opens for the Stock Market Game on September 14. The registration period will run until October 16. October 20 also marks the start of the National activities LifeSmarts and the Virtual Business Challenge (Finance and Management) begin.

It’s never too early to start working on these individual awards to gain personal recognition. We can’t wait to see what amazing accomplishments our Wisconsin FBLA members can achieve this year through these national awards and programs!
Ethan Armstrong
Region III Vice President, Seymour High School
Region Vice President Websites:
Check out updates regarding your Region Vice President's work regarding RLC.

MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Do you have a member in your chapter who goes above and beyond in embodying the mission of FBLA? Submit them for Wisconsin FBLA’s Member of the Month Award! Each month, 3 students will be recognized for their outstanding achievements in their local FBLA chapter and beyond. Not only will members be recognized on our Wisconsin FBLA social media pages, but will also receive an award as a part of the Regional Leadership Conference. There are several opportunities for members to be nominated, as we will recognize Members of the Month through March. 

New this year will also be the Member of the Year award, where winners of the Member of the Month will be able to be re-nominated for further recognition. The Member of the Year award will be recognized at the State Leadership Conference.
In order to be considered for this award, advisers must nominate members here.

We look forward to recognizing Wisconsin FBLA members for all of their amazing work in their chapters!
Sara Booher
State Parlimentarian, Menomonee Falls High School
AMERICAN ENTERPRISE DAY
As November quickly approaches, it is time to start preparing for American Enterprise Day! Celebrated every year on November 15, American Enterprise Day recognizes the success of the American enterprise system and seeks to educate Americans about the importance of maintaining our strong economic foundations. Americans of all ages can benefit from taking one day to look at what we have and how we got to where we are today. FBLA promotes American Enterprise Day to help continue innovation and understanding of the topic area. 

Below are some of the ways local chapters have marked American Enterprise Day.
At Elementary Level:
  • Create an activity booklet to teach kids about entrepreneurship
At Middle and High School Level:
  • Have a local essay contest on American Enterprise
At College Level:
  • Assemble a panel of speakers to discuss the benefits and challenges of being an entrepreneur
In the Community:
  • Buy a page in the newspaper to advertise American Enterprise Day in support of your local businesses

For more ideas visit the FBLA National website. Don’t forget to talk to local members to make them knowledgeable about the free enterprise system as well. Good luck on your celebration of American Enterprise Day!
Henry Pike
Region I Vice President, Cameron High School
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER NATIONAL ADVISER GUIDE
Advisers, check out your national resource page! See the insights from local advisers across the country and access the library of support materials shared by the Natonal office in a new local community to support your chapter leadership. Advisers may customize settings to receive notifications in the form of a daily digest if you do not want to receive notifications for every post.