PHOTO BY MATT NAGLE

FBLA PENINSULA REGION VICE PRESIDENT JESSICA COLBURN AND FBLA PRESIDENT DAVIS HELGEN ARE BUSY HELPING THE STUDENT MEMBERSHIP PREPARE FOR THE FBLA’S ANNUAL SHOWCASE AT COLUMBIA JUNIOR HIGH THIS MONTH.

Fife High School’s future business leaders to present annual showcase

By Matt Nagle

On the evening of Jan. 31 in the Performing Arts Center at Columbia Junior High, students in Fife High School’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) will present their fourth annual showcase. The event is geared toward local business people (and parents too) for the students to show what they have been working on, to practice their public speaking skills, and to present their award for Business Person of the Year.

The showcase allows students the opportunity to meet and develop professional relationships with local business leaders, particularly those who are professional members of FBLA. From among this pool of business people the students are connected with a mentor who that evening will work with the students to encourage them and offer feedback on their speaking skills and overall presentations.

The showcase also helps the FBLA student membership refine their presentations and prepare for regional and state competitions coming up over the next several months. Door prizes will be given out and audience members will get to hear from numerous student speakers.

Award-winning motivational speaker Jahmad Canley will give the keynote address. Canley is a fixture in countless school gymnasiums and auditoriums across America, known for his inspiring talks on prominent issues facing today’s youth and business professionals. An unforgettable, high-powered speaker with youthful zeal, Canley has motivated the lives of more than 600,000 students, teachers and

audiences as large as 20,000

people.

FBLA is a non-profit organization founded to help high school students prepare for their futures by building up their self-confidence and giving them the chance to learn about the importance of teamwork. Fife High’s chapter has about 85 dues-paying members. The group is run by a board of 10 student officers and three committee chairs.

Davis Helgen is FBLA president. He said he joined FBLA as a way to get involved at school and so that he could include his membership on college applications and job resumes. He said FBLA is not just for students interested in business, but for any young adult wishing to improve his or her speaking skills and business acumen prior to college and to increase their marketability in the job world. Most importantly, by being

involved with FBLA, “I’ve gained confidence,” Helgen said.

Jessica Colburn is vice president of the Washington State FBLA Peninsula Region and a junior at Fife High. She, along with junior JunHo Lee, will emcee the showcase event. She said FBLA helps students with anything they decide to do with their lives. “You just learn so much. I’ve met a lot of great people and it’s been a fantastic opportunity.”

The showcase begins at 7 p.m.

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