Welcome to Kenmare

Feature Stories (Vol. 109 No. 10--3/07/2007)

Kenmare FBLA activities prepare members for business and leadership roles

By Caroline Downs

With National Future Business Leaders of America Week behind them and the state convention still to come, the Kenmare FBLA chapter has a strong presence at Kenmare High School.

"We have 42 members," said FBLA president Anna Moss. "Last year, we went up in membership and received an award for that at [the] state [convention]. From the history we’ve been able to find, the chapter has been active in our school at least 15 to 20 years."

Moss, a junior, is proud of her fellow students and the impact FBLA has on members. "FBLA is one of the best organizations if you want to pursue a business career or work in an office," she said.

She referred to her own experiences in the organization as an example. "I’m always in contact with other people in the community and around the state," she said. "I’ve learned a lot of public relations and speaking skills. Just in the last few weeks, I’ve been finding corporate sponsors for events at the state conference."

She also talked about public speaking and job interview opportunities for members, as well as practice with professional letter writing, e-mail, and telephone contacts.

Moss has taken her own participation in FBLA to the next level by serving as the state chapter’s parliamentarian for 2006-2007. She earned the office with the highest score on an exam given during the state conference last year. As a result of the position, she attended the Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Mary last summer and represented North Dakota at the national FBLA conference in Nashville, Tennessee, in June, where she met other FBLA members from across the country and prepared a workshop for use in state events.

She enjoys the responsibilities of holding a state office. "You get an opportunity to be out there," she said. "You meet people and learn things."

During the year, she has taken part in officers’ training sessions and preparations for the next state convention, where she will conduct a workshop. She is also responsible to write and post an article for the state’s FBLA website at www.ndfbla.org, which she will do in April when she reports on her trip to the national conference.

Moss is also developing campaign plans to run for the state president’s office during the state convention, which has involved writing a resume and articles as well as collecting recommendation letters. She has adopted a motto suggested by fellow member Ryan Peterson, "Turf is artificial, but Moss is real," and is finalizing her strategy to convince other FBLA members across the state to support her bid.

"Other members of our chapter like the fact I’m involved," she said. "I had our chapter officers help me with the workshop, and two of them will serve as my campaign managers at state."

Despite her personal goals for her FBLA experience, Moss always promotes the Kenmare chapter.

The chapter sponsored the Senior Health Fair at the Kenmare Senior Citizens Center last fall, a community service project that will also be written up and submitted for competition at the state conference. "Last year, we qualified in the top five," Moss said, explaining the chapter had combined their participation in Kenmare’s Gift of Love program with the Pennies for Katrina Project in a new activity they named the "Gift of Hope."

She continued, "There are 54 chapters in the state, and almost every chapter submits a community project." The best five projects chosen by the judges then show a PowerPoint presentation for the conference and final judging, and Moss was proud that Kenmare earned that status last year.

Members of the Kenmare chapter will take other projects to the state conference, too. Moss said Kendra Miller, Kristi Borud and Kaleen Schmit were developing a business and financial planning project for the convention. The parliamentary procedure team with Moss, Cade Helmers, Steph Barnhart, Brea Norrie and Jen Nelson will take a test before the state meeting to hopefully earn one of the coveted five performances for the top teams at the state conference.

"And others going will take tests at state," Moss said, ticking off a list of business skills including accounting, public speaking, word processing, website design, and more. Members compete against each other at the state conference for recognition and awards in each event.

Moss and other chapter members are anticipating one particular moment at the state conference, when the "Go for the North Dakota Gold" awards are presented. Chapters strive to earn the award by submitting annual business reports and a chapter scrapbook, and then by participating in a variety of required and optional activities, including holding professional dress days at school, sending chapter officers to the fall leadership conference, hosting a chapter website, attending the national conference, and more.

The Kenmare chapter will earn its third consecutive "Go for the Gold" Award during the state conference, scheduled April 1-3 in Minot. "We have fulfilled the requirements and will submit our report to the state officers so there’s proper documentation," Moss said.

The Kenmare FBLA chapter is advised by Jackie Schoemer. Moss expressed gratitude the community and parents who support the chapter in various ways, and especially Mark and Tami Gravesen, who often serve as chaperones for chapter events and travel. We really appreciate those people who are willing to help us."

KHS principal Arnold Jordan plays a significant role in the chapter’s success, and has been made an honorary member for his dedication and support. "He agrees to sign everything I put in front of him," Moss said, grinning, "and he always travels as a chaperone with FBLA."

She encouraged students who are not yet members of FBLA to consider joining the organization. Interested persons can learn more by talking to Moss or by visiting the state’s website at www.ndfbla.org.