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American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
Brainbench
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Certified Internet Web Professional (CIW)
Certiport
i-SAFE
JobTarget
Junior Tours
March of Dimes Grants
Microsoft Store
National Leadership Conference Internship
National Association of Parliamentarians
National Technical Honor Society
The Princeton Review
Service Learning Curriculum
Stock Market Game
Visa Inc. - Practical Money Skills
America Saves is a program of the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) centered around America Saves Week February 19–26, 2012, 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@consumerfed.org or 216-375-3255.
AICPA wants to thank FBLA advisers for opening students’ eyes to the world of business and the possibilities available through accounting and the CPA credential. If you haven’t seen the newly redesigned Web site, www.StartHereGoPlaces.com, it’s definitely worth viewing. This site was first developed in 2001 to encourage high school and college students to pursue careers in accounting and ultimately become a CPA. Through a combination of online and print activities, the program provides students, parents, and educators with accounting-related career resources.
In the fall of 2009, the AICPA launched an updated version of StartHereGoPlaces.com to inspire the next generation of CPAs, providing an even more interactive and robust experience for students and educators. StartHereGoPlaces.com is a place for students to realize the incredibly rich possibilities of a career in accounting while exploring the many career paths available as well as hear from and ask questions of real life CPAs. All of these enhancements were developed to provide a more personal and interactive experience for students as well as educators.
Encourage your students to visit the site and create and save their FutureMe™. There’s also an Educators’ Portal (www.startheregoplaces. com/for-teachers), which contains secure information just for educators, like you. The information includes resources like classroom curricula to keep your students engaged and an Educators Forum where you can exchange dialogue with fellow educators across the country.
To learn more about StartHereGoPlaces.com and how to incorporate the Web site and its resources into your classroom, contact the AICPA at startheregoplaces@aicpa.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 Membership Benefits on the national Web site at www.fbla.pbl.org and click on Discounts and Added Benefits for details.
CFP Board is a nonprofit organization acting in the public interest by fostering professional standards in personal financial planning. CFP Board sets and enforces the standards for CFP® certification, the recognized standard of excellence for personal financial planning. Individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements—including requirements related to education, examination, experience, and ethics—are awarded the right to use the CFP® certification marks. CFP® certification identifies financial planners who are true professionals in one of the fastest growing and exciting careers today, allowing the public to find professionals qualified to provide competent and ethical financial planning services delivered with a fiduciary standard of care, putting the client’s best interests first.
Information for those interested in pursuing a rewarding career in financial planning is available on CFP Board’s Web site, www.CFP.net.
CFP Board’s new “Let’s Make a Plan” public awareness campaign encourages people to pull together their finances by working with a CFP® professional. The campaign features free consumer resources and information, available at www.letsmakeaplan.org.
CIW (Certified Internet Web Professional) is a vendor-neutral web education and certification program. CIW certifications verify that certified individuals have the skills necessary to master a technologydriven world.
Built for the Web industry by the Web industry, CIW courses and certifications are designed using leading technological standards, rather than any one specific software or hardware vendor.
CIW includes applications and competencies, but their core curriculum focuses on the foundational standards that sustain the infrastructure of IT: Web design; security; administration; networking; databases; and enterprises.
The CIW program is offering FBLA-PBL members reduced fees to set up your own CIW Certified Testing Center, which offers extreme discounting on all CIW certification exams. To learn more about this exciting program, please contact them at 1-888-370-5512 or ciwinfo@ciwcertified.com, or visit our Web site at www.CIW-certified.com.
Certiport is the leading provider of certification exam development, delivery and program management services delivered through an expansive network of over 10,000 Certiport Authorized Testing Centers worldwide. Certiport manages a sophisticated portfolio of leading certification programs including: the official Microsoft® Office Specialist (MOS) certification program, The Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification, the Adobe® Certified Associate certification program, the Autodesk Certified User certification program, the CompTIA Strata™ IT Fundamentals and the Internet and Computing Core Certification (IC³®). Certiport reliably delivers over two million tests each year throughout the secondary, post-secondary, workforce and corporate technology markets in more than 142 countries and 24 languages worldwide. To learn more about Certiport call 888-999-9830 or visit www.certiport.com.
i-SAFE, a nonprofit 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 how to be safe and responsible online. FBLA-PBL members are introduced and instructed on ways to extend their e-safety knowledge beyond the classroom by becoming Certified i-MENTORS. To become certified today go to xblock.isafe.org.
FBLA-PBL members can get involved with i-SAFE through various service learning opportunities. These can range from conducting student assemblies to speaking to parent groups. In fact, you and your FBLAPBL chapter can bridge that gap between students and community by reaching out and teaching the i-SAFE materials right in the classroom of younger students. To learn more about this great opportunity, sign up today and become an i-MENTOR by going to xblock.isafe.org. There you will find online training videos and information to help you get started. If you have questions, e-mail i-SAFE's Director of Professional Development and Community Outreach, Jonathan King at jking@isafe.org.
JobTarget is the leading provider of Internet job boards and is the technology provider of choice when it comes to recruitment and career solutions. They host a job board on our Web site where students may post their resume for free. Please visit www.fbla-pbl.org to complete your free resume and learn about additional benefits.
Imagine the excitement of showing your students first hand the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Chicago Board of Trade or CNN Studios. Junior Tours has over 40 years experience planning all inclusive tour packages to New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and others. Each affordable trip is customized on the dates you choose to travel and complete in every detail. Chaperones travel free. Please call us at 1-800-631-2241 or visit us online at www.juniortours.com. Don't miss out on this tremendous opportunity for both you and your students.
The Mission of the March of Dimes is to help moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies. For more than 30 years, FBLA-PBL and the March of Dimes have partnered to raise money in support of the March of Dimes' mission and to date has raised over $15 million. In doing so, hundreds of thousands of young people have been exposed to their health and mission messages.
As an incentive to chapters, the March of Dimes provides national awards to the FBLA-PBL chapters and states that raise the most money. In addition the March of Dimes provides grants to reward members and chapters for their support of the March of Dimes partnership; and to identify and support innovative ideas and projects that enhance the growth, recognition, and support of FBLA and the March of Dimes partnership.
Local and state chapters that participate 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. For more information and to get resources please visit http://www.marchofdimes.com. REFERENCE: March of Dimes Grant Application Form PROGRAMS-20.
Microsoft Store is your source for technology products and service. Our friendly experts can answer questions, make recommendations, fix problems and provide training in a relaxed setting where you set the pace. From improving the speed and performance of your PC to coaching you on how to get the most out of your equipment, we've got you covered. Our team scours the globe to find and present an edited assortment of best-in-class products for you and your students. Enjoy peace of mind knowing everything you buy is fully guaranteed by the company who pioneered the industry. Shopping for technology has never been easier. The Microsoft Store invites local organizations to take part in complimentary Microsoft Store events. Our store is an interactive, hands-on technology classroom where you can explore all of our technology.
Each year PBL 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 stipend plus complimentary NLC registration. More details and an application form can be found at www.fbla-pbl.org.
The examination for membership in the National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP) is now available online. National dues for fulltime students are $37.50 plus payment of state dues. Complete details about applying for membership, taking the examination online, and the amount of state dues can be found at www.parliamentarians.org/applications.php or by calling the NAP toll-free at 888-627-2929.
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. This is a one-time fee and can transfer to another school where the member meets the school's requirements. 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, a general letter of recommendation for the member's portfolio, 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 awards around $100,000 in scholarships through the Jon H. Poteat Scholarship Fund.
Go to www.nths.org/JoinUS/CTSOWelcomePages/FBLAPBL.aspx to complete your chapter application.
If your students are thinking about college, they are also thinking about admissions tests such as the SAT or ACT. The Princeton Review is a market leader in test preparation and has been helping students get into their top choice schools since 1981. Their classroom and online courses as well as private tutoring services have earned a reputation for taking the tedium out of, and putting the results into, test preparation. As a special promotion, FBLA members, plus family and friends, are entitled to 10 percent off classroom and online courses for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, LSAT, MCAT, GRE, USMLE and GMAT. Just use the promotional codes found at www.PrincetonReview.com/FBLA when you register online or when you call 1-800-2Review (800-273-8439).
The Princeton Review Approach:
• Guaranteed results with our proven methodology and score-raising strategies
• Passionate and engaging expert instructors who know how to motivate you
• Personalized coaching
• Comprehensive and up-to-date study materials – all yours to keep
• Extensive online resources including exams, drills, lessons and explanations
• Full-length practice exams with detailed score analysis
Local Opportunities: Successfully collaborate with a local Princeton Review office to raise your chapter's profile at school. Take advantage of a practice test fund-raiser where you collect a fee from testers and they'll deliver a practice test or set up an expert speaker series covering topics such as testing strategies, financial aid, or the ins and outs of the SAT or ACT (at no charge to you, of course). Contact AnthonyR@review.com to receive your local Princeton Review office contact details.
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 though its local and nationwide community service programs. Student achievement is assessed on related projects as an integral part of the curriculum. If you would like a printed binder of the materials, it is available for free by contactingmembership@fbla.org. New curriculum materials are also available on the March of Dimes Web site at www.marchofdimes.com/youth.
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 6 to December 16,2011 (registration deadline September 21) and January 9 to April 20,2012 (registration deadline January 24). Participants will be ranked and winners will be publicized through FBLA-PBL.
Practical Money Skills for Life is a free, award-winning, teachertested and educator-approved financial education program available in English and Spanish. The Practical Money Skills Web site features complete money management resources and lesson plans designed for use at home, in the classroom or in the workplace. Consumer resources include downloadable Practical Money Guides covering everything from credit cards and budget basics to the ins and outs of credit history.
The program features a free monthly e-newsletter offering the latest financial education news and personal finance tips and trends. Practical Money Skills helps people prepare for life- changing financial events, from planning for a baby to saving for college and retirement. The Web site features numerous interactive tools, including a suite of financial calculators, a FIFA World Cup™-branded Financial Soccer game and an NFL-themed Financial Football game (also available as a free iPhone and iPad app), as well as new elementary games Peter Pig's Money Counter and Money Metropolis. Follow Practical Money Skills for Life via its social media channels on Facebook (facebook.com/practicalmoneyskills), Twitter (twitter.com/practicalmoney) and YouTube (youtube.com/pmsfl). To learn more about Visa's innovative financial literacy programs, visitwww.practicalmoneyskills.com.