By Stephen Smoot
Education comes in many forms, not simply in the classroom and both the high school and college students engaged with Future Business Leaders of America can attest to that. Some of the most driven and dedicated students in colleges and universities around the state came to Moorefield last Thursday and Friday.
FBLA operates similarly to other student advancement organizations, such as Future Farmers of America, Skills USA, or DECA. The goal lies not only in developing knowledge and skillsets, but also in communication, confidence, leadership, and translating practical ideas into real world outcomes.
Thursday evening featured social events with competitors invited to a “Meet Up and Cupcake Soiree,” followed by a line dancing class taught by Michelle Sites. South Branch Potomac Valley Lanes welcomed attendees afterward for a night of bowling and fun.
Thursday morning saw competitors getting down to business. They heard an inspiring keynote speaker, Chris Murieti from Kenya, who encouraged those there to “choose boldly, lead confidently, and take ownership of your future.” Competition continued through 3:30 with awards granted after.
On Friday morning, competitors filtered in and around the hallways of Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College. Many peered at notecards, wrote down ideas, and prepared any way they could for the competitive events to come. Some studied in groups, while others sought out areas as remote from others as possible to focus and concentrate.
Dr. Kevin Cain brought a small group from Glenville State University. He explained that attendees “get to participate in competitions that build confidence and encourage motivation.” Networking also serves as a benefit for those who participate, both in terms of connecting with the industry professionals who judge and mentor, but also fellow students who will someday be professional peers.
“It’s a preview of the business world,” noted Dr. Cain.
“I do like the networking,” shared Garrett Copeland from Glenville State. He graduated from Ritchie County High School and followed his brother into the organization two years ago. Copeland was impressed by the event bringing a speaker from Kenya.
Jayden Hearn is a junior from Bluefield State University in Mercer County. The Historically Black College/University has fewer students than Potomac State College, but brought a number of motivated and talented students to compete in Moorefield.
Hearn majors in international studies, a field that demands that the student continually expand horizons. He shared that FBLA means a lot because “I’m able to meet new individuals, collegially or professionally.” Winning his competition means a trip to nationals in Las Vegas.
Keeping proper balance between work and recreation serves as another life skill. Should he earn a victory, Hearn assures everyone that “I will enjoy my time in Las Vegas. It’s not all about winning. You need to relax, have time to yourself. You are only young once.”
A fellow student, Anthony Bright, has seen his path lighted by FBLA for longer than most “I grew up in FBLA throughout my high school years. It’s more than just a club.” For Bright, FBLA helped him to construct a solid foundation from which to blast off into his career of engineering. The word “foundation” itself remained a theme when he talked about the effect of FBLA on his life.
“It’s not just personal development. It’s professional development,” stated Bright.
Bright graduated from Bland County High School in Virginia, about 20 minutes from the town of Coalwood, where his family came from. He shared that his graduating class had 37 students, but said that FBLA does not discriminate against rural areas or look down on people who come from, live, work, and go to school there. “That doesn’t matter. From elementary school to a PhD, it doesn’t matter,” FBLA can find the potential in anyone willing to listen and learn. “Everybody is playing on the same level in FBLA,” Bright explained, but added that the bar rises all the time.
His dreams, with the help of hard work and FBLA, took him into rocket science, enjoying opportunities with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) There, he engineered an invention that impressed the scientists and experts with which he worked.
Which takes the story back to Coalwood.
Coalwood is the hometown of a leading light of rocketry engineering, Homer Hickam. His childhood experiments with rockets constructed of odds and ends found mostly around a coal mine operation inspired the movie “Rocket Boys.” And, indeed, the journey started through FBLA led the aspiring rocket engineer to meet the Mountain State and Space Race hero, Homer Hickam himself. Bright explained that FBLA helped to show him that he could “rise beyond what Earth has for me” in his chosen field.
The day did come to a conclusion. Awards were distributed. All returned home. But the lessons learned, the friends made, and the experience absorbed helped each young man and woman to take one more step on the journey toward success.
