Future Business Leaders of America, one of the largest clubs in the school, is back again, this time with a new team of officers and plenty of new members. Over 65 students showed up for the first meeting, similar to the 70 plus who attended the first meeting last year. One of the main challenges for the officers this year, however, will be to retain the high attendance numbers throughout the entire school year.

“Last year we had a great turnout for the first meeting, but about half of the club stopped showing up by the end of the year,” said senior President Ryan Guilbeau, “This year it seems as though we have a dedicated group and I can’t wait.”

Guilbeau plans to keep the club fun and engaging by starting business-oriented projects. Last year, the club worked on a Shark Tank project, in which groups of three or four created an imaginary invention or business idea, then pitched their plans to the rest of the club. The winning team received discounted tickets to the end of the year State Leadership Conference. Guilbeau plans to start similar projects, with incentives that range from discounts to club recognition on social media pages.

Guilbeau has even hinted at a possible first for the club: a business competition with a neighboring FBLA chapter. The plan is still in the works, but if Guilbeau could pull it off, it could encourage even more interaction from the members.  

Unprompted, senior Secretary Basim Hussain added his thoughts about FBLA: “It’s literally a fantastic club,” he exclaimed, “You get out of it what you put into it.”

Apart from trying to retain members, the club is always looking to welcome new students into the fold. Even if you missed the first meeting, you can still join! The next meeting is Wednesday, September 25. Questions can be directed to President Ryan Guilbeau or Secretary Basim Hussain at their school emails. And to stay updated, you can follow the club on Instagram (@fbla.westborough) and join the Facebook group (FBLA Westborough 2019-2020).