To be a State Officer means more than just standing up on a stage and looking nice. It means dedicating a year’s worth of hard work and leadership toward impacting the lives of thousands of students through FBLA. Not only do you help shape the lives of others, but you will also be provided the experiences to expand your leadership capabilities. Running for and serving as a State Officer is a life-changing experience that very few have the opportunity to pursue, so if you are reading this, then hopefully you will be one of the few! Running for State Office can be an overwhelming task, so to make it easier, here are the basic steps to doing so:
Step 1: Decide the Position
With six various State Officer positions available, it can be hard to determine which position you want to run for. The six positions are President, Secretary, Executive Vice President, Parliamentarian, Public Relations Officer, and Regional Vice President. To get an idea of the duties of each position, you can contact the current state officers regarding questions you have upon their experience serving in that position. You can also look at the State Officer Candidate Guide (http://wafbla.org/Websites/washingtonfbla/images/State%20Officer%20Candidate%20Guide.pdf), which has a description breaking down each position. Every position is voted on and elected except for the Parliamentarian which has a different process to be appointed. Once you have decided which position you want to run for, you are ready to go!
Step 2: Complete the “Future” level of the BAAs
The Business Achievement Awards are a big part of FBLA that many students have not taken advantage of. It is a great opportunity to take part in tasks to increase your leadership ability while getting recognized for it as well. All the details on how to achieve the “Future” level of the BAAs can be found on the national FBLA website or by asking your chapter adviser.
Step 3: Forms!
Forms are the most tedious things to complete, but they provide various details about your background and decide whether you are qualified to run for State Office. Additionally, you will need to answer about six short-essay questions to provide insight into your character and leadership abilities. All the required forms to run for State Office can be found in the State Officer Candidate Guide.
Step 4: Upload Materials
After completing all your forms, you will need to upload them to the WA FBLA submission form (https://trileadership.wufoo.com/forms/z1wulmmx0e9crek/) before March 1, 2018. Then you will wait and if you are selected as a candidate, you can start to prepare for your campaign to be elected as a State Officer!
Step 5: Prepare for your Campaign
At SBLC you will need to deliver a speech to either your region or the entire state (depending on the position you plan to run for). So, you will need to develop a speech following the guidelines that are delivered to you after you are selected as a candidate. Then, you will need to put together materials for your campaign booth. Make your campaign surround a vivid and memorable theme that will stand out to members in both your speech and your caucusing sessions.
Step 6: SBLC
At SBLC, the main things you will need to do surrounding your campaign are
- Attend the Officer Candidate Briefing session
- Present your speech
- Caucus at your campaign booth
- Interact with as many students as possible
- Have fun!
With all the hard work and dedication you have put forth through your campaign, don’t forget to have fun. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so be proud that you are pursuing such an outstanding opportunity. Good luck with your pursuit, and I hope to see you at SBLC!
