Competition
The national center has provided materials to help with preparation for FBLA Competitive Events. By clicking on the event, a list of all the information for that event will appear. The competency PDF that is linked has the same competencies that are provided to test writers. By studying these competencies, or more specifically, the items that are unfamiliar, you increase your odds of being able to excel during the test. There are also a few sample questions available. All questions are multiple-choice, but written based on the competencies.
1.) Know what is expected. Read all you can about the event. Is there a topic? What is the time limit? Will there be a Q&A at the end?
2.) Review the rating sheet. This sheet is what judges will use to score performances, so knowing what is expected is critical.
3.) Practice. Practice in front of classmates. Practice in front of family. Practice in front of local business partners. Practice in front of teachers and administrators. Have each of them complete a rating sheet and encourage them to be completely honest. Use the feedback to improve your performance.
4.) Memorize. Yes, you can have a note card in your pocket, but the people who walk across the stage at NLC have completely memorized their performances. Practice until you know your performance from memory.
5.) Watch others. YouTube and SchoolTube have performances that are posted from not only national events, but from other state competitions. Watch as much as you can. Use the rating sheets to rate their performances and see what they did that was good and what could be done to make yours better, too.
6.) Don’t forget to shake hands with the judges and thank them for their time! While this seems simple, it can make the difference between making finals or not.
The written report is important. It constitutes 2/3 of the total score, so getting each possible point is incredibly important. These events, with the exception of Local Chapter Annual Business Report, will have a preliminary performance for all competitors, so be sure to look at the tips for prepared performances. Some report tips include:
- Review the event description and requirements. What is the purpose of the report?
- Review the report rating sheet. Does the report cover all the required content?
- Be unique. Do not just take last years report and change names and dates.
Proofread. You cannot have your report read too many times to catch both spelling and grammatical errors. - Use graphics. While the overwhelming majority should be text, you can be creative in the use of pictures and other graphics.
- Review and Practice. Have someone review your report and listen to your presentation. Appreciate their feedback!
Membership
– Dues in FBLA are unified. This means you must join the state and national organization to be an officially recognized member.
– National dues are $10.00.
– State dues are $6.00.
Oklahoma Collegiate State and National Membership dues are $20.00 per student.
– National dues are $10.00.
– State dues are $10.00.
– Membership in this division is open to all supporters of FBLA including administrators, teachers, parents, alumni, and industry leaders.
The first step in starting a new chapter is review the information at this LINK and determine whether you are starting a new chapter or reactivating a chapter. All chapters must have an adult adviser.
Along with Oklahoma FBLA, National FBLA provides support for all advisers. Click this LINK for the national website.
Conferences
FBLA Collegiate’s Career Connections Conference is a fast paced, high-impact program focused on connecting talented individuals with leading employers. This is not just a meet and greet conference, it’s about getting what it takes to succeed in a challenging job market—interviewing techniques, building your personal brand, and navigating your early career.
Students and advisers participate in motivational general sessions, professional development, and career planning workshops. For many FBLA members, the NFLCs are a convenient and affordable way to experience much of the education and excitement of a National Leadership Conference, but closer to home.
FBLA will hold its annual State Leadership Summit on August 2-4, 2024 in Anaheim, California, the same location as the 2025 National Leadership Conference for Middle School & High School. The summit is designed for state leaders to learn, collaborate, and innovate at the start of each new membership year.