Future leaders tackle current community issues

SPARTA-Throughout the month of October, Sparta High School's (SHS) Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) members raised over $300 for the March of Dimes through paper pumpkin sales. The project also allowed the students to raise community awareness on how the March of Dimes' programs help combat birth defects. In other news, this year five members attended the statewide FBLA annual Leadership Conference at Pines Manor, in Trenton, New Jersey. During the conference FBLA students attended workshops on leadership and learned ways to create effective business-related projects. Each year SHS's FBLA participates in the nationally run "Investment Challenge" which assists students in establishing their career goals. This year Sparta High School's FBLA team ranked first in the state and seventh in the nation. The Investment Challenge is a simulation game of the stock market, in which members trade stocks using their knowledge of market trends in order to compete to attain the highest profit during a two-month time period. As of Nov. 12, the team leading the first position in the state included Rebecca Jin and Mallory Betridge. Together they had increased their portfolio by $24,262.99 from a starting principal of $100,000, which is a 24.26 percent increase. This month, the FBLA will be collecting winter coats that will be donated to Pass-It-Along for cleaning and distribution to those in need. Special notes of good wishes will be written and added to each coat's pocket for the new owner. FBLA is a student-run club, and the officers for this year are President Rebecca Jin, Vice Presidents Mallory Betridge and Arielle Lusardi, Treasurer Kateri Benjamin, Secretary Bethany Younkers, Public Relations Megan Peterson, Professional Liaison Katie Schwester, and Historians Rachel Perlmutter and Kristen Fabian and Advisor Sharon Cannavale.