The Mount Pleasant High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) members hosted the Area 6 Fall Leadership Conference on Thursday, October 17 on the MPHS campus. In addition to the MPHS chapter, seven other high school chapters representing Harts Bluff, Chapel Hill, Union Hill, Gilmer, Athens, Tyler High and Dallas Bryan Adams, as well as the Mount Pleasant Middle Level chapter attended the event. More than 370 students and advisers attended the workshop, making it one of the largest ever and surpassing last year’s attendance.

MPHS Principal Jason Adams, MPHS Career and Technology Education Director, Jay Silman, MPHS FBLA Lead Advisor and State Board President, John Whitten, and Area 6 State Vice President, Diya Desai, greeted and welcomed all the guests in attendance. Dr. Kevin Rose, a MPHS graduate and Senior Vice President for Student Success at Northeast Texas Community College, served as the keynote speaker. Dr. Rose spoke on investing in yourself, others and finances and overcoming your fear of failure as keys to becoming a great leader. Lesa Tyler, a published author and local business owner, also spoke on owning your own business.

High school students attended four workshops including “Break the Ice”, “Shark Tank”, “Team Building” and “College Q and A”. Middle Level students attended a “FBLA Q and A” instead of the college workshop. “Break the Ice” included ice breaker games focused on having students meet other members from other chapters and was presented by Desai, two area officers from MPHS, Gopi Amin and Alessandro Greco, Briza Gonzalez from Chapel Hill and Bree Fite from Union Hill. “Shark Tank” was an interactive event where students developed a new product and presented it to the judges. Four different groups were recognized at the end for having the best product and best presentation during their rotation groups. In “Team Building”, presented by State Officer Coordinator, Donna Crook, students had to take a bag of items and create a skit using the items. All students had to speak in the skit and all items had to be used. During the college Q and A, students had the opportunity to ask former MPHS graduate and current NTCC College Navigator, Ja’Quacy Minter, and Financial Aid Specialist, Fatima Fuentes, questions and expectations about college life. MPHS FBLA chapter officers Xitlaly Sanchez, Brissia Alvarez and Jennifer Luna spoke to middle level students and answered questions on high school expectations.

MPISD FBLA will compete at the annual Area VI Leadership Conference on Dec. 9 at the Region VIII Education Service Center. MPHS FBLA Advisors are John Whitten, Shanta Lockett, and Tracy Porter. MPISD FBLA Middle Level Advisors are Dana Armstrong (Wallace), Daisy Banda (Wallace) and Matthew Armstrong (Wallace and MPJH).

Photos:

1: MPHS FBLA Chapter President, Gopi Amin, welcomes the other FBLA Chapters in attendance

2: Area 6 State Vice President, Diya Desai, speaks a word of welcome to all the guests

3: MPHS FBLA members (L to R) Jennifer Luna, Leinad Rodriguez, Angel Flores, and Camauri play an ice breaker game

4: MPHS FBLA members Erick Bernardi (left) and Irlanda Gasca play an ice breaker game trying not to be the first one to laugh

5: MPHS FBLA members (L to R) Jennifer Luna, Brissia Alvarez, and Xitlaly Sanchez speak to FBLA Middle Level members from Wallace Middle School and Mount Pleasant Junior High

6: MPHS FBLA members participate in “Shark Tank”, inventing a new product they must then pitch to the judges