Student Business Leadership Conference - FAQ

Competitive Events

How many competitors may I register for each event?: The general rule is that if you had winners placing in the top 5 at the regional level, those winners have an automatic berth at state. If you do NOT have a regional winner in any event, you may enter 1 person in that event. For example, if Linda and Jeff both placed in the top 5 in Business Procedures at regionals, they may both enter that event at state. If your chapter had NO top 5 regional winners in Accounting I, you may enter 1 person from your chapter in Accounting I.
May students who placed at regionals last year compete in the same event at state this year?: Yes. There is a rule that if a student won first place or competed at nationals in any event, he/she may not enter that event again. There’s no rule about winning at regionals except for those events that only grades 7-10 may compete in (read your guidelines).
What if I register a team (parliamentary procedure, entrepreneurship, etc. – see guidelines) because we placed at regionals, but someone on the team has to cancel. Does this cancel out my entire team?: No. You still have the right to enter your team. Substitute another chapter member who is registered for conference.
If my students' project (Community Service, Partnership with Business, American Enterprise, Business Plan) is chosen to give a presentation, do we have to bring equipment?: Yes. The presentation room will have a screen in it. Any other equipment necessary for your presentation must be supplied by the chapter.
When will we know if the projects are chosen for the final presentation?
: The finals lists will be posted outside conference headquarters as soon as possible after all preliminaries have ended.
How about Multimedia Presentation and Web Site Development and equipment?: Same answer as the previous question – A screen will be in the presentation room; all other equipment is your responsibility.
When will our Web site be judged?: Immediately after registration deadline, the site addresses are sent electronically to the judges by the state office. Judges could go into those sites THAT day if they wish to do so. If changes are made to the sites after that day, they might not be judged. If your site is connected to a server that is down, it probably will not be judged. In all fairness, I must advise you to make sure your server is up and running when you send in your registration for this event.
Do you supply the pencils for the written events?: At the state level, we do all previously written tests on computers.
My students are uncomfortable having an audience in the performance events (Public & Impromptu Speaking, Multimedia, Network Design, project reports, Entrepreneurship). May I request that there be no observers so my students will be at their best?: These events provide real life experiences for students, and performing to an audience is preparation for the real world. Observers are always invited to watch performance events, unless they are themselves performers. The only exception is in the preliminary rounds of the project reports, because no observers are allowed to observe those presentations. To rule out observers is to provide a disservice to the performers and observers. Everyone deserves an equal opportunity for success.
Are there sample tests my students can study?: The national office has a guide that has sample questions for all events. It's called "FBLA Competitive Events Study Guide" and is available through the Marketplace. To order the complete guide, go to www.fbla-pbl.org/marketplace and order FB7056 for $40 plus shipping & handling. Washington State FBLA is working on sample tests as well. You may purchase sample reports from Washington State FBLA for $20. This includes the first-place reports in American Enterprise, Community Service, Business Plan, Local Chapter Annual Business Report, and Partnership with Business.
Can’t we get finals lists out earlier than we have in the past? We can’t stay up all night!: Seattle was a unique situation with so many hotels. We’re looking at using in-house video at the hotels and other technology solutions to getting lists out as soon as they’re available. Much of the challenge is time – starting and finishing on time, getting judges’ results, inputting scores.
Are guests permitted in performance rooms?: Traditionally, no. Our Board is considering a guest registration. Family members may attend opening and closing sessions and the event(s) in which their family member performs. To protect our members, guests may not be admitted to workshops or other activities unless they pay the full registration fee and are identified with a chapter.
May notes be used in Public and Impromptu Speaking?: Note CARDS may be used in both events. Paper notes not on cards may NOT be used.

Registrations

If my students cancel at the last minute, do I get their registration fees back? Hotel charges?

Our refund policy for cancellations allows refunds until 3 weeks from opening day of conference. After that time, all arrangements for conference facilities, meeting room rentals, gifts for attendees and advisers, general session productions, keynote speakers, workshop presenters, and other expenses have been made, based on the number of registrations received. We still have to pay for them if you cancel. Your commitment to attend determines our commitment to the hotels and convention centers. Hotels usually have a 72- or 48-hour refund policy, determined by each hotel. If you do not cancel, however, and do not show up for your reservation, you will be charged for one night. Legally, they can hold you to that.

Why is the registration fee so high?

Actually, if you compare our registration fee to some of the other student organization conference fees, ours is relatively inexpensive. We base our registration fee on costs to us, which include convention center and hotel rental fees, keynoter and workshop presenters, entertainment (dances, inflatable games, etc.), contracts, rentals of equipment/lights/sound, shuttle service, gifts for attendees/judges/presenters, and multimedia, to mention a few. Also, part of the conference fee pays for the operating costs of the state office when there is no income from dues or fees during the months of June – October.

There are so many dates to remember. What are they?

February 15 – Dues must be paid in order to compete.
March 1 – Applications for state and national officers are due.
March 5 – Online conference registration must be completed. Also postmark deadline for all reports, applications, resumes, projects, reports, multimedia, Web URL.
March 17 – No refunds issued after this date. Also, call state office if your home site tests have not been received (after checking with your test proctor).
March 19 – Home site test postmark date. No changes to registrations or entries after this date. April 8 – Conference begins.

Can I change my competitors after my registration is complete? What is the process?: We can accept changes to competitors up to two weeks before the conference. If you are making a change, the person you are entering in the event must be a paid, registered member who is already attending conference. Absolutely no changes can be made within two weeks of conference or on-site at the conference. By that point the names and competitor information has been entered into the performance time slots or the ExamView testing program, and we have to re-do all the lists to change just one competitor.

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Dress Code

Last year my students complied with the dress code but observed a lot of other students – and advisers – out of compliance. Why isn't the dress code enforced?: We depend on local chapter advisers to take care of their own students and themselves. We hope advisers know our dress code and enforce it. If it’s in doubt, please “rule it out!” The simplest answer to your students when they comment on someone else’s inappropriate attire is “Thank YOU for looking so good! Let’s make sure we’re an example for others.” Advisers make excellent role models. Review the dress code.
It’s difficult for kids to find “proper” attire when it’s not in style.: Let’s face it – FBLA dress code is conservative. Remember that this is a business organization, not school. Our business is FBLA, and we have a “company policy” concerning appropriate attire, as do many companies. It’s true that a person’s attire affects his or her professional image. We will continue to look the best of all student organizations and reap the rewards of excellent scholarship and employment opportunities.

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Advisers Working At Conferences

I don’t want to work at conference because I have to be with my students. Let someone else in a multi-teacher school do it!: Unfortunately, it would be impossible to run this conference without advisers’ help with events. Many advisers bring an extra chaperone or parent to monitor student activity while the adviser is working. This applies to small school and large school advisers. If you don’t have an extra chaperone, require your students to be in workshop sessions or competitions during the time you’re working.
Okay, then, schedule me for an hour.: We don’t have enough teachers and chaperones to allow this to happen. Everyone would have multiple assignments to fill all the necessary roles, and that would increase the “no shows” for timekeepers and receptionists.