Dear FBLA,

There are so many reasons for me to thank you. Without joining this organization, I don't know who I would be today. Future Business Leaders of America was the absolute best part of my high school experience and blessed me with so many opportunities. I saw cities I had always dreamed of visiting, met people who have changed my life, and learned who I was. I know this letter cannot even begin to encapsulate all you have done for me and so many other students both at the high school and collegiate levels, but it needs to be written.

Thank you for the memories. Some of my best high school memories are the ones I made at state and national conferences. I went to nationals twice, once in California and once in Chicago, and both trips were completely paid for. Those experiences were honestly life changing. I checked off so many things on my bucket list, from walking across the Golden Gate Bridge to eating that famous Chicago pizza. However, it's not always the places you go that mean so much but the people you meet and the memories you make. I met people that I wouldn't have otherwise, and I don't know what my life would be like without having formed these friendships or making these wonderful memories.

Thank you for pushing me to achieve my goals. FBLA pushed me to stop procrastinating. I was given a deadline and everything I needed to succeed, but I was the one who had to take that step. Nothing was handed to me. I taught myself that I can do anything given I work hard enough. What more could I want? One of the best memories I made during my time with FBLA was when I was standing on that stage with my friends, listening to them announce the winners, and realizing that we were going to nationals. We had achieved what we set out to do, and there is no better feeling to me than that sense of accomplishment.

Thank you for teaching me valuable life skills. Sure, I may not run a business one day, but there are so many other important skills I learned in FBLA. I learned how to became a leader. FBLA was the first club that I ever held a positon in. It pushed me to be willing to do what was needed to lead. After joining FBLA, I began to run for other positions in different clubs. Furthermore, I gained skills that will help me later on in life, especially right now in college. I learned how to dress professionally, study efficiently for tests, manage my time effectively, and how to push myself to succeed. All of these skills are essential later on in life, and learning them in high school put me a step ahead of my peers.

Thank you for helping me discover who I was and who I could be. Before I joined FBLA, I had no idea what running a business entailed. My senior year I actually created a business plan, and it was the hardest thing I have done thus far. I had to actually create an entire business. I found parts of myself I didn't know about those late nights I spent dreaming up this company. I discovered I had an imagination more powerful than I ever believed and a drive I could have never imagined.

Thank you for changing my life, and me, for the better.