The Future Business Leaders of America from Telstar High School participated in the Maine State Leadership Conference in South Portland in March. Out of the 71 members currently in F.B.L.A 51 students were able to attended this leadership event.

The group’s membership has doubled this school year because of an Activity block added to the schedule which allows the students to attend meetings without missing lunch or other meetings. F.B.L.A members also engage in a ‘Bring a friend’ meeting at the beginning of the school year which has dramatically increased the group’s membership.

At the conference students took part in business related testing, business workshops, leadership sessions, electoral process, spirit activities, and had an amazing motivational speaker talk to them about the importance of spreading, witnessing, and accepting kindness into everyday of their lives.

Telstar is the largest F.B.L.A chapter in the state of Maine this year which in itself is a remarkable demonstration of our student’s capabilities since Telstar is the only school at the conference that does not offer Business or Computer classes within the curriculum.

Many of the Telstar F.B.L.A students received awards for business, communication, computer skill testing, and presentations:

Anneliese Smith – 1st in Job Interview

Nick Johnson – 1st in Insurance & Risk Management, 2nd in Accounting II

Gabi Stone – 3rd in Agribusiness

Liam Gallagher – 1st in Marketing, 2nd in Banking & Financial Systems, 3rd in Help Desk

Samantha Corriveau – 2nd in Business Communications

Anna Saucier – 1st in Business Math Skills

Cassidy Smith – 2nd in Database Design & Applications

Aislinn Forbes – 2nd in Parliamentary Procedures, 3rd in Desktop Publishing

Anna Tyrina – 1st in E-Business, 1st in Door Decorating

Maddie Prentice – 2nd in FBLA Principals & Procedures

Becca Howard – 3rd in FBLA Principals & Procedures

Tyra Howes – 3rd in Health Care Administration

Carla Boyle-Wight – 1st in Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures

Savannah Vermette – 3rd in Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures

Andra Risko – 3rd in Desktop Publishing

Maureen Glover – 2nd in Public Service Announcement Video Production

Along with these trophies, five out of the seven State FBLA board members will be our Telstar students. Gabi Stone was voted in as Historian, Anna Tyrina will be the Secretary, Greg Wheeler will be the Treasurer, Liam Gallagher was voted in as the Reporter, and Nick Johnson was nominated to serve as the Vice President. This will be Nick’s second year serving at the State Board level as he was the State Historian this year.

THS FBLA-Front: Willis Steven, Aislinn Forbes, Carla Boyle-Wight, Josh Eliot, Maureen Glover, Shania Swan, Lexie Hart, Mariah Millet, Andra Risko. Second row: Samantha Corriveau, Nick Johnson, Greg Wheeler, Anna Tyrina, Anneliese Smith, Liam Gallagher, Gabi Stone, Samantha Mallory, Tyra Howes, Sequiera Lavender, Advisor Jennifer Bennett. Third row: Austin Ryerson, Maisey Griffin, Casey Blaszczak, Jared Vermette, Kitty Coolidge, Allysa Brands, Anna Saucier, Nik Conrad, Noah Rose, Maverick Griffin, Bronson Dean, Becca Howard, Maddie Prentice, Zachary Kellner, Chris Chappie, Ashley Savage, Eric Lowell, Deannaka Holt, Ana Harren, Annalise Hawthorne, Olivia York, Avry Griffin, Savannah Vermette, Gabby Monzo, Kellen True, Dharma Damon, Shylynn Buckman, Christian Brown, Cassidy Smith, Tehya Johnson, Chris Figaratto.

This is a great opportunity for these five students to extend their leadership skills, work as a cooperative team statewide, & earn scholarship money as well. The Chapter Advisor, Jennifer Bennett, a 14-year veteran advisor to this group, won the coveted Advisor of the Year award and will also continue to serve on the Maine State Advisory Board for the next school year.

Our special thanks goes out to Project Opportunity. Without their generous contribution this 2-day leadership excursion would not have been possible. Project Opportunity is a wonderful asset to the students in this community and we highly encourage you to help them out with a donation during their next annual appeal!

Telstar’s F.B.L.A. is always looking for Volunteer opportunities. We are currently working on next year’s Program of Works so if anyone has a project in mind contact Jennifer Bennett at Telstar High School.