RHS FBLA students excel at competition

In a world that is continuously changing, new jobs and positions are created constantly to keep up with the new and advanced technologies that are introduced into the job market at a rapid pace.

To prepare the coming generations for life after they graduate and enter the world of jobs, deadlines and time cards, the Future Business Leaders of America organization is offered on many high school campuses across the country and helps students gain a background in business careers.

Through competitions and regular business classes, FBLA students gain experience in fields such as accounting, word processing, computer applications, entrepreneurship, public speaking, business law and website design.

AnnaKay Holland, who co-sponsors the RHS FBLA chapter along with Susie Malone and Deedra Moore, said FBLA competitions have around 35 categories for students to compete in.

“If it’s a business career, there’s probably a competition for it,” she said.

Recently, several Russellville High School students competed in the FBLA Regional Competition where they took home top honors in categories like the ones listed above.

Winning their respective categories were Hannah Aycock, Word Processing II; Mary Kate Beall, Spreadsheet Applications; Kiyah Herlong, Word Processing II; Matthew Waldrep, Word Processing I; Hunter Kiel, Business Math; Chase Holland, Public Speaking I; and Rachel Mitchell, Accounting.

These students will go on to represent RHS at the FBLA State Competition in Birmingham on April 14 and 15 where they will compete against students from many high schools in Alabama.

“The state competition will give our students the chance to see how they compare to kids from across the state,” Holland said. “This is important because these are the same people they could possibly be competing against for a job someday.

“As a teacher, these competitions are useful because I get to see what other schools’ FBLA programs are doing and if there are things we need to be doing here at RHS.

“If we want our students to be competitive and have experience, we have to keep up. If we don’t, they’ll be behind before they even leave here.”

Holland said some schools handpick the students they want to compete in certain categories, but the process is different at RHS.

“I post a sign-up sheet with all 30-something categories listed and I let students sign up for the category they feel they would do good in and would be interested in,” Holland said. “I think students perform better if they’re doing something they enjoy as opposed to doing something they’ve been forced to do.”

Holland said these kids have made sacrifices to participate in these competitions since, for the past two years, the state competition has fallen during RHS’ spring break week.

“I am proud of these kids who have worked hard and want to spend a part of their spring break representing RHS at this competition,” Holland said. “It really says something about the caliber of students we have here and the dedication they have.”

Holland, who has served as an FBLA sponsor for the past 17 years, said competitions are something RHS FBLA students have always competed in because it’s a good way for them to gain additional experience.

“Most careers that students will go into will require some type of business knowledge,” Holland said. “Taking business classes and being part of FBLA help students gain these skills now that will help them in college and past college.”

While FBLA is in large part centered around learning, students are also able to have a good time while they’re gaining valuable life skills, a statement high school senior and current FBLA president Hannah Aycock agrees with.

“FBLA is the club I have been the most involved in during high school and I’ve been a part of it all four years,” Aycock said. “I enjoy being a part of the club because it’s a lot of fun and it has helped me become more expressive because, as president, I have to talk in front of people.

“I’ve also gotten to experience different aspects of business careers so I’ll be better prepared and know what to expect once I have a job.”

In addition to preparing students for business careers, FBLA also sponsors fundraisers to benefit the local community like their toy drive held before Christmas and regional fundraisers to benefit organizations like St. Jude’s. They’re also active on the RHS campus.

“This isn’t just a club that you sign up for so you can put it on your resume,” Holland said. “Our students work hard at school and in the community in order to be better prepared for that next step in their lives.”