This year, national FBLA has offered Middle Level members many more opportunities to demonstrate their skills through the Competitive Event Program. Competitors can now qualify for NLC in 23 events. Eleven new events have been added, and three have been modified substantially. The events have a variety of formats.
Many events have an objective test, which is a 50 question, 30-minute multiple-choice exam taken by individual competitors based on the competencies found in the Competitive Event Guidelines. Seventeen events consist solely of objective testing, while one event (Business Ethics) contains both an objective test and presentation component. Study resources and practice tests can be found here and in the Adviser Livebinder. The Region Leadership Conference (RLC) testing window is December 1-7, and chapters may administer the tests to competitors any time within the window. Likewise, the State Leadership Conference (SLC) testing window is February 9-11 and February 14. Chapters may enter an unlimited number of entries into objective test-only events. Competitors do not need to qualify at RLC to compete at SLC in events consisting only of an objective test. The top 2 competitors in all objective testing events except Business Concepts, Employability Skills, Introduction to Business Communication, Microsoft Office Concepts, and Social Media Concepts will qualify for NLC.
In the Chapter Presentation events, teams of 1-3 competitors will make an unlisted YouTube video of a 5-minute presentation, and the top 5 teams statewide will qualify for SLC. Each chapter may only enter one team in these events (Annual Chapter Activities Presentation & Community Service Presentation). Qualifying teams will then give their presentation live to a panel of judges at SLC, and the judges will ask questions for 3 minutes afterward. The top 2 competitors in these events will qualify for NLC.
In the Skills events, competitors will use their knowledge of various Microsoft Office tools to produce either a business letter, a one-page report, and a spreadsheet (Computer Applications) or a flyer, brochure, and invitation (Desktop Publishing) in 45 minutes. Only individual competitors may compete in Computer Applications, while teams of 1-3 competitors may compete in Desktop Publishing. These events begin at SLC.
In the Project events, teams of 1-3 competitors (individual competitors for Career Research), will submit unlisted YouTube videos (lasting no longer than 30 seconds for Video Public Service Announcement, 5 minutes for Career Presentation, and 7 minutes for all other Project events) demonstrating their projects between January 17 and January 25. Each chapter may enter up to 2 entries in each of these events. These events begin at SLC, and the top 2 competitors in these events (except Mobile App Design and Video Public Service Announcement) will qualify for NLC.
In the Performance events, teams of 1-3 competitors (only individual competitors in Creed, Elevator Speech, and Public Speaking) will make an unlisted YouTube video of a presentation following the guidelines and topics for their events and the top 10 teams will qualify for SLC. Each chapter may only enter one individual each in Creed, Elevator Speech, and Public Speaking, may enter one team in Critical Thinking and Exploring Business Issues and may enter two teams in Marketing Mix Challenge. Qualifying teams will then give their presentation live to a panel of judges at SLC, and the judges will ask questions for 3 minutes afterward (except in FBLA Mission & Pledge). The top 2 competitors in these events will qualify for NLC.
Chapters may enter no more than 2 teams of 1-3 competitors in Business Ethics. Teams will complete a collaborative objective test during the RLC testing window and submit an unlisted YouTube video of a 5-minute presentation of the case study topic (within the November 30-December 7 window). The top 10 entries will qualify for SLC, where they will take another test and submit another presentation link between the January 17-25 window. The top 2 teams in each of these events at SLC will qualify for NLC.
Check the Middle Level Competitive Event Guidelines found in the Adviser LiveBinder for event rubrics, topics, and additional information.
