VAIL — The Colorado Future Business Leaders of America kicked off the conference year with the 2018 Fall Leadership Conference in Vail, Colorado on October 22nd and 23rd.

A familiar territory for Colorado FBLA, members had the opportunity to return to Vail in outstanding efforts to compete, learn, and lead others into the exciting 2018-2019 FBLA year. The first-of-its-kind conference allowed members to showcase their knowledge and competitive edge in mock-tests, have the opportunity to attend workshops held by their Colorado FBLA State Officers, learn about college and career opportunities, and gain lifelong business skills.

Sangre de Cristo FBLA represented by Daniel Bryant, Elaina Lopez and Mercades Gregory along with adviser Carol Sessums joined members and advisers from 30 Colorado FBLA Chapters, totaling over 300 in attendance, spanning from all corners of the state.

Members dove into insightful Leadership Seminars given by workshop presenters as well as have the opportunity to hear from the University of Northern Colorado’s Monfort College of Business, Colorado University’s Leeds School of Business, the United States Navy, FBLA’s official non-profit organization March of Dimes, as well as attend workshops held by the state officers

presenting on various areas of FBLA. Members attending the conference transitioned from their workshops to putting their knowledge to the test–literally–in a mock testing competition. Both a competitive and anxious atmosphere flourished the Hotel Talisa while providing members the experience of a competitive testing event while educating new members on the basics of FBLA tests.

However, most noteworthy of the conference came from the combination of fleece, scissors, and good hearts for the community service project in which members participated. Headlined by the sound of fleece trimming, hands tying, laughter aplenty and singing members serving with all their hearts, students exemplified the Service pillar of the Future Business Leaders of America organization. Including blankets of size big and small, fabric soft and heavy, and patterns vivid and calm, the total number of blankets hand-cut and tied by students reached 120 in total. The best part: all 120 blankets were delivered after the conference to the Children’s Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.

The fleece blankets, which will be given to babies of premature birth, were part of the service project Fleece for Fighters; an exemplary display of service to the community from the mountaintops of FBLA.