From November 7 to November 9, 2024, Stroudsburg Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) took a seven hour drive to Columbus, Ohio, where they attended the National Fall Leadership Conference (NFLC).
The group included seniors, Jessica Haggerty, Gabriella Parker, Alishbeth Guepet, William Awuah, Jaden Harper, Alexis Binikos, and Rebecca Dishong, accompanied by Mrs. Jodie Haggerty and Mrs. Maureen Verway.
The group spent Thursday exploring the various dining options around the conference center located in Hyatt Hotel. On Thursday, they dined at Brothers where they enjoyed a classic American dinner and enjoyed ice cream from Jeni’s.
Friday morning, they attended the opening ceremony, where the National Officer team was introduced. Following introduction, the Conference had a “Parade of States,” where our FBLA chapter discovered they were one of two chapters in attendance from Pennsylvania.
They heard from an Alzheimer’s representative about FBLA’s mission this year to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association and the resources that can be provided to them for fundraising from the organization.
They attended various workshops of choice where they learned how to improve their leadership, prepare for college’s challenges, learn new ways of communication, and more!
”The workshops at NFLC were very informative and valuable for our officers,” says Senior Vice President, William Awuah, ‘25. ¨All our speakers kept us engaged and taught valuable information, like competent communication and the process of choosing a good college for you.¨
Friday evening, they continued to explore what the city of Columbus had to offer. They stopped by the Nationwide Arena where hockey games for the Columbus Blue Jackets are held as well as many other events. They dined at Boston´s which had a vast array of food choices from pizza to burgers to pasta.
On Saturday, the group completed two more workshops and closed their Ohio experience with the NFLC closing ceremony.
FBLA heard from keynote speaker, Alex Sheen, the founder of a non-profit organization called “Because I said I would.” The organization focuses on the betterment of humanity through promises made and kept. Sheen explained that the purpose of his ¨Because I said I would¨ cards is for an individual to write a promise to themselves, their parents, friends, or anyone they care about. The card is given to the person it is written for and received back after the promise is kept as a remainder of their achievement.
¨Alex Sheen was the best keynote speaker I’ve heard through my experience in FBLA,¨ expressed Chairperson of Community Service, Gabrielle Parker, ’25. ¨His ´Because I said I would´ nonprofit is inspiring and provided a different takeawa than other speakers left us with.¨
The trip overall provided a valuable experience for the senior officers of Stroudsburg FBLA. The National Fall Leadership Conference allowed the senior officers more time to strengthen their preexisting bond and learn more about one another.
¨Overall, the NFLC was an amazing experience that allowed the senior officers to bond whether we were writing children’s books or exploring Columbus,¨ explained President, Jessica Haggerty, ’25. ¨The opportunity to meet hundreds of FBLA members from across the country was one I will never forget.¨
