Nation Ford students get down to business

Nation Ford business teacher Lynn Marsh knows her chapter of Future Business Leaders of America is up against huge odds, but that’s what makes their recognition that much sweeter.

Marsh has been running FBLA for the past 11 years and has been at Nation Ford for the nine years the school has been open, but this year she led 20 of her students to the National Leadership Conference, which concluded July 2 in Atlanta.

All 20 competed at the conference, which had more than 12,000 attendees representing most states and additional countries such Puerto Rico, China, Haiti, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, the Dominican Republic and the Grand Cayman Islands.

Nation Ford not only was well-represented – the school’s students made up 20 of the 200 students South Carolina sent – but were well rewarded for their work.

“We did really well,” Marsh said.

“Some of that is because we have a large enough chapter and some is because we’re able to put people in different areas that other schools don’t teach or have.”

The Falcons picked up one of eight National March of Dimes grants, which was accepted by outgoing officer and recent graduate Terrell Stauffer.

“That was a big accomplishment,” Marsh said.

“We were one of just eight chapters to get it, and that lets us do another Purple Out football game like we like to go, and it helps raise awareness for our organization without dipping into our grant money, which is limited anyway.”

Contingents from some other state have a built-in funding advantage, Marsh said.

“A lot of the bigger states like Georgia, who sends 1,000 people, or California, who sends 700, get a lot of extra help and stipends from their state lotteries, which we don’t get,” she said. “That helps them get tutors and extra coaches that help them. It’s nothing against those kids, because they work just as hard, but they get a little extra help that we don’t. Our kids do it all on their own, so it’s really nice to see us get recognized.”

Not only did Nation Ford’s team win, but members were awarded for individual work as well.

Recent graduates Jaysa Addison and Abbie Nance, who paired up on a Global Business team, placed in the top 15 teams in the nation, which came from a group of at least 75 competitors in their field.

Rising senior Sabah Bhamani focused her Public Speaking II goal on how FBLA helps transition a student from school to the workplace. Sabah was selected as one of the top 16 to compete in the finals and ultimately won fifth place in the nation.

“When you’re at nationals, it’s incredibly difficult,” Marsh said.

“South Carolina won three individual awards, and to have Nation Ford as one of them, it’s incredibly special. I feel like we’ve won an Olympic gold medal if you want to equate it to that because we have to work so hard. These kids study on their own, they get help where they can and I’m able to work with them and other teachers work on them, but I truly feel like they are the underdogs. When your name gets called at nationals, they have done something special.”

Marsh said the whole chapter, which had 48 members this year, worked hard, but hearing Bhamani’s name called as she crossed the stage was certainly one of the highlights.

“She made it to the top 15 and placed fifth in the nation,” Marsh said.

“To hear her name called on that stage was amazing. The whole time she was thanking me for my help but I said, ‘Honey, it was you. You had the initiative to seek out the help and to put in the time and never quit.’”

Marsh said the whole experience was good for her kids, some of whom haven’t traveled out of the Carolinas.

“It was a great experience,” she said. “The Chinese delegation sat in front of us. Our kids were talking to others from China, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Grand Cayman Islands and Canada, which was really neat because they couldn’t do that anywhere else.”

Marsh said she hopes the awards will get more people to come out and bring recognition to the chapter, which is always growing.

“The kids seem to really enjoy it,” she said.

“I’ve had a lot of kids tell me that although they don’t want to go into business, they’ve learned so much from FBLA, and they wouldn’t trade the experience. A lot of people join later and say they regret not doing it earlier. I’ve had people tell me they are going to tell everyone they know about it because it’s just so good.”

This story was originally published July 25, 2016 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Nation Ford students get down to business."