FBLA chapter’s hard work pays off at state conference

Demopolis High members of FBLA worked hard all year, but when the chapter was named the Most Outstanding Chapter in Alabama, advisor Kelly Gandy had only one reaction.

“I was shocked. I did not expect it.”

The Future Business Leaders of America award, the first time the chapter has won state honors, is based on the points awarded for activities and accomplishments.

Gandy said she and the seven club officers started plans for the year before school started, setting goals and assigning duties. The task was especially challenging because of COVID-19 restrictions.

She said they considered, “What can we do? How can we do this and still be under the guidelines?”

And it worked. “This year was a very good year for officers because each one pulled their part,” she said. “Big things get accomplished when everybody does their small portion of work.”

The chapter brought home a slew of other honors, but the one it missed was being named the largest in District III, an honor it held for the past two years. Last year the DHS chapter had 124 members; this, year 90, coming in second largest in the district. The only consolation was the club that won also was recognized as the largest in the state.

District III includes 10 counties and extends from Marengo to Mobile and Baldwin.

The state FBLA conference this year took place entirely online. Students competed in categories such as Advertising, Agribusiness, Financial Math, Event Planning, Public Speaking and Healthcare Administration, and 21 members placed in the top four of their events, and nine of them took first place honors.

The DHS chapter of FBLA had disbanded before Gandy joined the teaching staff. She had been a member of DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) when she was a student and became the advisor to the group when she was hired.

The state FBLA advisor kept after her to reactivate the chapter. DHS Career Tech director Connie Davis, told her, “If we have both (clubs), then our students have double the opportunity to go to a business conference to compete.”

Gandy finally agreed, and the chapter was reactivated in 2015 with 32 members. Two years ago, Gandy was recognized at the National Conference as the Alabama Advisor of the Year.

Membership has grown every year until it reached its highest point in 2020 with 124 members. The pandemic cut into member numbers, and the chapter this year had 90.

“When January rolls around, I’m in competitive mode,” she said. “I do a lot of data. I have to know where we are to know how to get to where we want to be.”

At the state conference, DHS also was recognized as achieving the Outstanding level of the Blueprint for Success. To reach a certain level in the Blueprint, the chapter must complete 11 required tasks and then finish a certain number of elective activities. For Outstanding, the chapter had to do 25 electives, but the DHS members did 30.

“The kids eat this up,” said Gandy. They earn ribbons for badges to go on their name tags for completing certain tasks. “We’ve had ribbons dragging the ground.”

As FBLA is becoming known for its excellence, “We don’t have to sell our product,” she continued. “Students sign up because they want to be part of a successful organization.”

Beyond that, Gandy is pleased with how businesses in the city have reacted to FBLA’s success.

“I’m just excited to see the community recognizing the chapter,” she said. “I’m trying hard to put us on the map so that it’s easy for my kids to find community service opportunities.”

It’s working. Businesses are coming to her because DHS has a reputation that “we have students you can count on,” she said proudly.