Education and Curriculum

The national association partners with various organizations to create and promote educational programs and curriculum, and to provide members with unique opportunities to practice the skills and knowledge that they are learning in the classroom.
 
 
American Management Association
Operation Enterprise, the young adult leadership division of American Management Association (AMA), is the premier management and leadership development program for high school and college students. Participants from all over the world attend their 8-day residential summer programs, where senior executives and AMA faculty present highly interactive and hands-on workshops on Leadership, Management, Negotiation, Strategic Planning, Communication, Presentation Skills, and other general management topics. Delegates practice making presentations and engage in a management simulation. The course is accredited for three college credits. Local sightseeing trips round out this exciting program. For more information please visit AMA at www.amanet.org/oe or call 1-800-634-4262.

America Saves
America Saves is a program of the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and is a national effort aimed at teaching and motivating students to save money through financial action—making a commitment that:
  • They will spend less than they make and save the difference.
  • They will save the difference by making a plan as to where they will save (bank, credit union, U.S. Savings Bonds), how they will do it (direct deposit, walking into the bank, sending in money to their account), when they will do it (the beginning of every month, the 15th of the month), and have in mind what they will save for (car, house, events, emergency fund, college, dates).
  • They will make it automatic—get it out of their hand or pocket by direct deposits into their account or by having their parents make the deposits.

This online enrollment program has already proved successful with over 5,000 youth who are saving between $16.00–$19.00 a month and is a perfect compliment or testimony to the effectiveness of financial education.

CFA provides training to advisers and students, materials and resources, and most importantly online enrollment to automate the process. This can be organized as a chapter project or broadened to the entire school population including teachers, staff, and parents. To take advantage of this exciting and simple initiative contact George Barany, Consumer Federation of America Director of Financial Education at gbarany@sbcglobal.net or 216.375.3255.

Apple Federal Credit Union (AFCU)
AFCU is a savings and loan institution that has been instrumental in establishing successful student-run credit unions in high schools in Virginia and is now branching out beyond. AFCU has developed a curriculum for FBLA to facilitate establishing a credit union in FBLA high school. The curriculum outlines the steps necessary to establish a student-run credit union with a credit union partner in your local area. For more information, please contact Dave Gorham at dgorham@applefcu.org.

Brainbench offers over 400 online technical and career certification tests. FBLA members and their advisers are able to take one free test as a special arrangement with FBLA-PBL. Go to Member Benefits on the national Web site at www.fbla-pbl.org for details.

Because of a special partnership with FBLA-PBL, members in all divisions receive one free certification test from Brainbench. Members are encouraged to visit the Brainbench.com Web site and explore the vast certification opportunities available to them. Brainbench tests can help you measure whether your skills are up-to-date, enhance your resume, and prove to potential employers that you've got what it takes to get the job done.
To take advantage of this special offer, follow these simple instructions:
  • Register for a free Brainbench account at www.brainbench.com
  • From home page, click "Individual Certification"
  • Click the link in the top menu bar entitled "Register/Logon"
  • Once you register, you are already logged on to your account. If you come back you can enter your logon id and password at the homepage to log on
  • Click "Test Center" in the upper left side of the screen, then find the test you want to take, and click the "Get Test" link
  • In the space labeled "Enter your promo code (optional)," enter the following code: fbla2008 (for FBLA), pbl2008 (for PBL), or pd2008 (for Professional Division)
  • Click "Get Test" to begin your test

Once you've taken your test, you will receive immediate feedback on your results, including your strengths and weaknesses. This information is stored in an online transcript, which you manage. You can decide whether you want to make your test results/certifications viewable to the public. If you have questions or experience problems, contact Brainbench customer support.

Certified Inte rnet Web Professional (CIW) Certification Program
Prosoft Learning a VCampus Company and FBLA-PBL have partnered to provide many benefits around the CIW Certification Program. CIW is widely recognized as vendor-neutral curriculum and certifications that focus on Internet job skills, such as Web site design, development, administration, and security. CIW certifications map to the Information Technology Career Clusters and provide a clear career and educational path for your students.
 
CIW is a comprehensive program that includes professional development, curriculum crosswalk and integration, and the ability to do high stakes certification testing in the classroom. Teachers in many states are using the CIW program to create local and statewide articulation agreements by using the CIW certifications to validate programs and the students’ abilities. Learn more about how to integrate CIW into your existing courses.

Prosoft Learning a VCampus Company is offering FBLA-PBL reduced fees for its CIW exams as well as reduced fees to set up your own CIW Certified Testing Center. To learn more about this exciting program, please contact Stephen Schneiter at 866.860.8559 or sschneiter@prosoftlearning.com, or by visiting their Web site at www.ciwcertified.com

 
i-SAFE
i-SAFE, a non-profit foundation and worldwide leader in Internet safety education whose mission is to educate and empower students to be safe and responsible on the Internet, has partnered with FBLA-PBL in order for all members to learn safe and responsible online use. FBLA students are introduced and instructed on ways to take their newly acquired knowledge beyond the classroom and become i-Mentors for their school and community. FBLA students can get involved in multiple outreach activities such as conducting a community leaders meeting, training others to become i-Mentors, coordinating assemblies, and so much more. In fact, your FBLA chapter can bridge the gap between students and their community by reaching out with i-SAFE service learning projects. FBLA students can sign up today and become i-Mentors by going to http://xblock.isafe.org. There students will find online videos and trainings to get started.

Insurance Education Institute
The Insurance Education Institute at the Griffith Foundation promotes the study of risk management and insurance at all levels of academic pursuit. The Institute builds on the strength of the teacher-student relationship to educate young people about insurance and its critical role in their personal lives. Assisting educators with the task of teaching teenagers about insurance is the Institute’s primary focus. The Institute conducts workshops for teachers at various universities to help them learn about insurance and provides teaching materials, free of charge, that are age appropriate for their students. For more information on the Institute contact Jason Terrell at 614-880-9870 or jterrell@griffithfoundation.org.

Job Shadow Day
The National Job Shadow Coalition encourages young people across the country to explore their futures through career awareness and mentoring opportunities. Job shadowing is an academically motivating activity designed to give students an up-close look at the world of work and to answer the question, “Why do I have to learn this?” The nationwide kick-off is Groundhog Job Shadow Day. Students across America “shadow” workplace mentors as they go through a normal day on the job. Visit www.jobshadow.org for the kick-off date, ideas, and helpful materials.

Junior Tours
Junior Tours, the leader in student travel, provides quality educational tours at affordable prices. They make it both fun and easy for advisers to sponsor a class or chapter trip. Whether it be a trip to Wall Street in New York City, a trip to Washington, D.C. to take in all of the history or several other places including Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, or Orlando, this program has something to offer every local chapter. Advisers travel for free in a ratio of 1 to 20 paying participants. Explore their NEW Web site at www.juniortours.com or call 800.631.2241 to start planning a great experience.

Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions
When it comes to getting into college, people trust Kaplan to prep for the SAT and ACT. Kaplan has been helping students prep smarter, score higher, and gain admission into their target programs since 1938. Their confidence-building, results-driven programs are taught by expertly trained teachers who encourage and guide students every step of the way. Their Premier Tutoring program offers exclusive, one-on-one instruction from an expert tutor customized to your specific goals and learning style and is the most comprehensive way to master the SAT or ACT. Their Classroom Course features high-scoring faculty who lead engaging and energetic sessions while giving personal attention, realistic practice, and extra help to keep you motivated. In addition, Kaplan’s Online Course features 24/7 access to their SAT or ACT course—all from the comfort of your home computer. FBLA members get a 10% discount off Kaplan SAT, ACT and PSAT programs. Reference discount code: FBLA10. Visit www.kaptest.com/fbla-pbl to learn more about Kaplan.


Mission LIFT Grants
The Mission LIFT grants are designed to reward members and chapters for their support of the March of Dimes Mission LIFT partnership; and to identify and support innovative ideas and projects that enhance the growth, recognition, and support of FBLA and the Mission LIFT partnership. Local and state chapters that participate in Mission LIFT are eligible to submit grant requests. Grants may not be used for equipment purchases, but are designed to support programming or activities. Grant proposals submitted for consideration must be designed to be accomplished within a period of no more than 18 months. Grant recipients will be expected to report the outcome of their project in the form of a workshop, article, or project that can be reproduced and shared with other chapters, states, and the March of Dimes. Local chapters may receive grants up to $1,000. State chapters may apply for grants up to $2,500. Applications will be evaluated by a panel of judges and announced at the National Leadership Conference. Grants must be postmarked by January 15.
 

My College Options
FBLA-PBL has joined with My College Options to reach thousands of students and educators in ways that were cost and logistically prohibitive in the past. My College Options will gather attitudinal information on student’s future education and career goals, and work to connect these students to opportunities that they may otherwise never become aware. 

The voluntary surveys will be distributed at the beginning of the 2008–09 school year and students may participate at no cost. This valuable information is published and distributed to colleges and universities. In addition, students may also hear from organizations offering educational opportunities such as college admissions services, financial aid, career information, extracurricular enrichment, and recognition programs.

National Association of Parliamentarians
The National Association of Parliamentarians offers its national membership test to FBLA members and advisers during the National Leadership Conference (NLC) each year. Members and advisers can register for this event on-site during the NLC. Details are found in the NLC Guide mailed to local chapter advisers each spring.

National Technical Honor Society
The National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) is available for our students and it’s easy to make it happen in your school! NTHS provides you with everything necessary to get your NTHS chapter up and running, from recommended standards to an induction script. Minimum standards must be met, but you and your administration select the specific criteria for your chapter.

There is no charter fee for setting up your chapter and individual membership is only $25 per member. Members will receive an NTHS membership certificate, pin, card, graduation tassel, window decal, and official NTHS seal to be applied to the member’s diploma or training certificate, as well as personal recommendations for employment, college admission, and scholarships provided by NTHS National Headquarters. In addition, student members of NTHS are eligible for NTHS scholarships. Each year NTHS gives tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships through the Jon H. Poteat Scholarship Fund.

There is a $7 membership processing fee so please be sure to enter as many members as possible at one time. This charge is a per invoice fee, not a per member fee.

Go to www.nths.org/JoinUS/CTSOWelcomePages/FBLAPBL.aspx to complete your chapter application.

NFIB Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom Curriculum
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has developed the NFIB Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom, a FREE three-module supplemental curriculum bringing the lessons of entrepreneurship and small business into the classroom regardless of discipline. Each of the modules contains teacher notes, objectives, goals, overheads, activities, quizzes and answer keys. If you’re looking to cover entrepreneurship in one class period, try their new Entrepreneur-In-A-Day segment which can be completed in 45 minutes.

Teachers may also use Take Time to Teach (T3), a mentoring program matching NFIB members with educators utilizing the curriculum and answering any questions about entrepreneurship.

Additionally, check out our Johnny Money Online Game this fall to help your students explore entrepreneurship. Available September 2008, this online, small business simulation game allows users to run a virtual business for two years and see what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

Everything is available online at www.nfib.com/eitc. There is a registration process, but everything is free! Please check out these great entrepreneurship classroom resources.

NLC Internship
Each year FBLA members can work as a National Leadership Conference (NLC) intern. Interns help national staff with conference logistics and headquarters office management on site. Interested applicants must be available to attend the NLC. All interns receive a $100.00 stipend plus complimentary NLC registration. More details and an application form can be found on this Web site under Conferences.
The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is a market leader in test preparation, and they are here to help your students prepare for the SAT and ACT. Their programs are renowned for their extensive materials, engaging, knowledgeable instructors, and guaranteed results.  They offer:

· Private and Small Group Tutoring
· Classroom Courses
· Online Programs and Tutoring

As a special promotion to FBLA members, students are entitled to 10% off classroom and online courses. Just use the promotional codes found on their Web page at www.TPR.com/FBLA when you register online or mention them when you register over the phone by calling 1-800-2Review.

They also provide fundraising opportunities for your chapter.  You market the event and collect a fee from attendees and they’ll deliver a practice test, financial aid speakers, or a strategy session for the SAT or ACT taught by their instructors at no charge to you.  These successful collaborations are a great opportunity to raise your chapter’s profile at school or on campus.  Contact KatieK@review.com to receive your local Princeton Review office contact details.

Looking for a flexible, part-time job?  They’re recruiting instructors for their SAT and ACT courses. Go to www.princetonreview.com/footer/jobsite/teach_for_us.asp to find out more about this rewarding opportunity.

School Store Manual
Do you run a school store or would you like to start one? Through a partnership with the Raymond Geddes Company, FBLA-PBL has developed a school store manual complete with tips, do’s and don’ts, and the necessary forms to make your business venture a success. Download a copy of the School Store Manual.
 
Service Learning Curriculum
The March of Dimes and FBLA-PBL has teamed up to become involved in the service learning movement that is sweeping the nation. This movement integrates classroom learning with community service, a process that career and technical education has traditionally developed and supported thought its local and nationwide community service programs. Student achievement is assessed on related projects as an integral part of the curriculum.

This service learning curriculum was designed to be cocurricular—implemented within the classroom or in a chapter workshop and extended into the FBLA-PBL chapter. This curriculum has five modules:
  • Volunteers: How to Make a Big Impact
  • Marketing Your Event: Maximizing your Mission
  • Selling: Getting Results
  • Public Relations: Getting the Word Out
  • Selling and Organizing Your Event
Each module is aligned to the National Standards for Business Education and contains goals, a teaching outline, overheads, student reading, tests, portfolio assignments, and individual and group activities. There is a strong emphasis not only on service learning, but also on school-to-work and leadership training. If you would like a printed binder of the materials, it is available for free by contacting communications@fbla.org. New curriculum materials are also available on the March of Dimes Web site at www.marchofdimes.com/youth.

Stock Market Game
Students in The Stock Market Game work in teams to invest a hypothetical $100,000 in stocks and funds to build a virtual investment portfolio. They track and manage their investments over the course of 15 weeks. Students participating in The Stock Market Game are provided with valuable opportunities to practice core skills in math, Social Studies, English Language Arts, Business, Economics, and other subjects in a real world scenario. For details on the game go to the Adviser Section on the national Web site at www.fbla-pbl.org and click on The Stock Market Game.

Game dates are September 2 to December 12, 2008 (registration deadline September 16) and January 12 to April 24, 2009 (registration deadline January 26). While participants will be ranked and winners will be publicized through FBLA-PBL, contest prizes will no longer be awarded.

Visa—Practical Money Skills for Life
Practical Money Skills for Life is a free, award-winning, teacher-tested and teacher-approved financial education program that is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. The Web site is divided into three comprehensive sections, complete with money management resources and lesson plans tailored for use at home, in the classroom, or at work. It also contains an array of tips to help people prepare for life changing financial events, from planning a baby to saving for college and retirement, as well as numerous interactive tools, calculators, and games. To learn more about Visa’s innovative financial literacy programs, visit www.practicalmoneyskills.com.

Virtual Business Challenge—Personal Finance Track
Virtual Business Challege is introducing a new Personal Finance Track during the 2008-2009 school year. This event will be based on the all-new Virtual Business—Personal Finance software simulation. FBLA members will use the software to test their skills at managing their own lives and will compete against students across the country. Members will experience real world financial issues such as budgeting and saving, choosing and balancing a checking account, getting a credit card, fixing your credit, education and advancement, using online banking, paying your taxes, intro to investing, time management and health, finding a job, finding an apartment, buying a car, shopping, risk vs. return, diversification, investing for retirement, buying a home and insurance.

There will be two qualifying rounds (Challenges) held via the Internet during the school year.  The first challenge is October 27, 10:00 a.m. EST–November 21, 5:00 EST and the second challenge is February 9, 10:00 am EST–March 6, 5:00 pm EST. During the events, FBLA members will:
•    Register an individual or team up to three (3) people
•    Download the software and competition file
•    Run the simulation
•    Upload files
•    Compete and be ranked against other participating FBLA teams

Top teams from fall and spring will participate in a final round at the 2009 NLC for scholarship money. Winners will be announced by Knowledge Matters. To register go to www.KnowledgeMatters.com and click on the FBLA area. Questions may be e-mailed to VBCCentral@KnowledgeMatters.com.

Note: This activity is not a part of the competitive events program. Participating in this activity does not preclude a student competing in the national competitive events.
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