When former FBLA advisor Travis Zelmer took a position in a different school district last summer, FBLA had to find a new advisor. Luckily, we found two — Jarrett Davidson and Hunter Warner. Despite the change, students will have plenty to look forward to, and this club has many benefits for its members.
Senior Riley Kostuch, Amherst’s FBLA president, had many positive things to say about FBLA.
“The key benefits of joining FBLA are learning about your chosen activity or competitive event and networking with peers that have similar interests,” Kostuch said. Kostuch also added, “The expectations and responsibilities of FBLA members are as follows: go to meetings, either pay yearly dues or sell Kringles for the fundraiser, and compete in an event. During competitions [members] are expected to wear business attire.”
Warner agrees that FBLA is a good club for Amherst students to join.
“FBLA is a great way to connect and meet with your peers,” Warner said. “[Members can] develop more of an understanding for the world of business through FBLA.”
Davidson added that FBLA is one of the top clubs students should consider joining in high school.
“This is a great opportunity to showcase your skills outside of the classroom. [It] looks great on a resume and shows that you would like to work in the field of business in the future!” Davison said.
FBLA can help with college applications and future career plans. Kostuch explained that FBLA offers opportunities for students to take on leadership positions, learn about business careers, and demonstrate their knowledge through the different competitions offered by FBLA. These aspects of FBLA are very important to Kostuch, who qualified for Nationals last school year as a Junior.
There are many things that not only FBLA members but community members can look forward to. Members plan to attend two different conferences this year — the regional leadership conference, which will take place on February 1, and the state leadership conference, which will be held on March 31 to April 1. The community is always encouraged to get involved with our school clubs, and FBLA is a good example. Non-members and the Tomorrow River community are encouraged to buy Kringles at the beginning of each school year to raise money for the club, and FBLA is working on hosting another donkey basketball game in Spring 2026.
Warner is enjoying his first year as an advisor because of the connections he makes with students and the joy it brings him to see students succeed through FBLA competitions. Davidson is also enjoying his new role as an advisor.
“We have so many talented students here that make it to state FBLA year in and year out,” Davidson said. “And students like Riley, who make it to nationals, make FBLA a really enjoyable experience.”
