Start a Chapter

The steps for starting or for reactivating an FBLA chapter for the High School and Middle School level are basically the same. The first thing a business teacher should do is to learn as much as possible about the organization. Sources available to a business teacher include the national FBLA organization website located at www.fbla-pbl.org, or the Oregon state FBLA association website located at www.oregonfbla.org. If you were previously an FBLA or Phi Beta Lambda member, your experiences will also be beneficial.

Step 1. Obtain Information

The very first step to take is to contact Oregon FBLA and let us know you're interested in starting a chapter so that we can help you along the way.

Oregon FBLA Contact Information
P.O. Box 912
Jacksonville, OR 97530
ph: 541.633.4287
fax: 971.404.0903
www.oregonfbla.org

Once you've emailed us, download the Chapter Activation Packet. This packet contanst:
and indicate your desire to start a local chapter. A New Chapter packet will be sent out to you with detailed information about the following:

Suggested FBLA Chapter By-Laws
Chapter Meeting
Officer’s Roles
Program of Work /Committees
Advisers Guide to Organizing a Chapter
Instructions for entering members through Oregon’s On-line membership registration system.
Nationals will send you a Chapter Management Handbook once your chapter has been processed.

You may also want to contact a nearby local chapter adviser, who will be more than willing to help you start your chapter. The State Adviser can supply you with a list of names of all advisers in your local area.

Step 2. Become Enthusiastic

After you have studied all available information, the next step should be very easy. Become ENTHUSIASTIC! When you realize how much FBLA can do for your students, your business education department, your school, your community, and yourself as an adviser, you will be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is an important part of your FBLA program—you will find that it is quite contagious. In order to have your students, administrators, and fellow business education teachers become enthusiastic, you must show your enthusiasm.

Step 3. Discuss FBLA with other Teachers and Administrators

The next step is to inform the other business teachers of your desire to start a chapter, also inform the English, Math and Technology teachers of your plan. Share with them the variety of competitive events offered through FBLA and show how many of the events conform to the educational standards they are striving to meet. While FBLA focuses on business teachers, you may find that some of these other teachers might wish, to serve as co-advisers or offer their services for future projects. Remind them that FBLA is not another after school “club” it is a program that can be an integral part to your curriculum and is an important part of the total education process using mainly the business education program. It is one way of meeting graduation requirements that include the career related learning standards, career related learning experience and extended application. Ask for support from these other teachers as you approach the administration to start your chapter.

In order to have a successful FBLA program, you will need not only the permission of your administration but also their support. Since many of the opportunities FBLA offers are outside of the classroom, you will need to have administrators see the value of helping with funding and or giving approval of your participation. Before you approach them, be sure you are well organized, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. Be sure to explain to them how the program works within the educational standards that we are trying to meet. Remember to use the resources available to you to help you prepare.

Step 4. Inform your Business Students and Others Who May Benefit from FBLA

Select five to ten business students who can serve as the nucleus of your chapter. Choose students who are potential leaders. When explaining FBLA to these students, utilize all available resources. Invite FBLA members and their adviser(s) from another chapter to discuss the purposes and activities of FBLA. Generate as much information in this nucleus as you can, since they will help you present FBLA to the rest of the students.

This nucleus, in groups of two or three, should then visit all business education classes. If you school does not have a business education department, encourage this group to make presentations to English, Math and Technology classes. Since our competitive events tie in with all aspects of education do not over look these classes as a way to recruit potential members. This is one time that you will need the support of the other teachers in your school. While visiting the classes, the students might distribute a student-prepared handout including the purposes, special projects, competitive events, and other activities of FBLA. The excitement from the nucleus will radiate enthusiasm to the other students. The time and place of an organization meeting should be announced and all business education students and others who are interested should be invited.

Step 5 Publicize and Plan Organizational Meetings

Be sure that the organization meeting is publicized well in advance. FBLA is the premier Business Education Association, we are not an after school “club”. Membership in FBLA brings with it opportunities to learn and show what you know outside of the classroom environment. Post signs, make announcements, prepare bulletin boards, and encourage all the business teachers to “talk it up” in their classes. Being a part of this organization can help prepare students for college and real world experiences. At this meeting, you should continue to explain the FBLA program. A tool that does a great job is a PowerPoint presentation available from the National FBLA Website www.fbla-pbl.org. This presentation describes many local, state, and national activities.

Step 6. Conduct Organizational Meeting

At this organizational meeting, chapter officers may be elected. Suggested officers are president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and reporter. The chapter may also want a historian and a parliamentarian. In addition to electing officers, select at least three committees—constitution, finance, and installation ceremony. Additional committees may be formed as needed. These three initial committees will make the starting of an FBLA chapter much easier for the adviser. Involve the members as soon as possible!

Your members must also decide on the dues for the year. State and national dues are required and are $9.00 for the State and $6.00 for Nationals. Local dues are optional; however, you will need money in your treasury as you begin chapter activities. Remember as Future Business Leaders you use your chapter as your first real business venture, Therefore it is encouraged to organize your books the way a small company would. Before the members leave this meeting, be sure they sign a membership list if they are interested in joining. This will give you an idea of how many students are interested.

The committees that were formed at the organizational meeting should also be working. The constitution committee should be writing the new constitution. They may use as a guide the sample provided in the Chapter Organization Packet available from the state FBLA office. After the constitution is written, the entire membership should vote to adopt it at a chapter meeting. The fund-raising and installation ceremony committees should also be working on their plans for upcoming projects. Be sure every chapter member is functioning as an officer, a committee chairman, or an active committee member.

Step 7. Work with Newly Elected Officers and Committees

After the organizational meeting, the treasurer should start collecting dues from interested students. The treasurer may have to contact some students personally and encourage them to pay their dues by the deadline. After the dues are paid, the treasurer should prepare a membership list.

Step 8. Enter Membership On-line and Submit to the National Office

Membership can be entered at the www.fbla-pbl.org. Click onto the high school division on the top and once there look at the left side and click membership. You will need to have a chapter number and the password is “service” if you do not have a chapter number contact the State Adviser or National Office to obtain one. Membership must be paid in order to be considered a member.

Step 9. Plan and Conduct Installation Ceremony

The installation ceremony is a formal candlelight ceremony. An outline of the ceremony is provided in the Chapter Organization Packet.

One of the first things you must do as you start planning your ceremony is to set a time and place. Usually a weeknight in the school auditorium or cafeteria serves the purpose. You should invite a guest speaker, either from FBLA or from the local community. Invite your business teachers, local Workforce Development Education director, administration, school board members, advisory committee members, parents, and someone from the local newspaper. Be sure to have the installation ceremony publicized. At the conclusion of the program, refreshments may be served.

10. Plan and Conduct Additional Activities

Projects and chapter activities should be planned and started as soon as possible after the official chapter installation ceremony to avoid losing any enthusiasm. Consider using the Business Achievement Award Programs for the chapter level. Choose form The Gold Key, Silver Key or Bronze Key. This program outlines a practical Program of Work for any chapter. For information on this program check the national website www.fbla-pbl.org Look for Business Achievement Awards.