knowledge, land jobs
with firms they study
Lakewood students
get business training
Club members gain
knowledge, land jobs
with firms they study
BY DICK METZGAR
Staff Writer
LAKEWOOD — It’s been more than business as usual for a special group of students at Lakewood High School. They are members of the school’s Business Club, which is comprised of students who have an interest in the business world — even to the extent of seeking a business career.
In order to be a member of the club, a student must be a dues-paying member of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), according to Mary Starace, a business teacher at the school, who is the 2-year-old club’s adviser.
This year, club members won a number of FBLA awards at the state level during a special ceremony held May 25 at the Woodlake Country Club.
The club is sponsored by state Sen. Robert W. Singer, who is also a member of the Township Committee. Each of the club’s members received a proclamation from Singer at the awards ceremony.
"We now have 45 members," Starace said. "A student must have taken at least one business course in order to be eligible to join the club. Students must pay a $10 fee, which makes them a member of FBLA."
Club members also receive valuable assistance from the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, which plays a major role in one of the club’s most interesting projects. That is when club members individually shadow a selected Lakewood business for part of a day, according to Maureen C. Stankowitz, the chamber’s executive director.
"Club members visit a number of local businesses and closely observe how they operate," Starace explained. "The chamber helps line up the businesses to participate in the project."
"We are very interested in this club," Stankowitz said. "We send out notices to our 500 members to find those who want to participate in this FBLA ‘Student for a Day’ program. The selected businesses pick up the club members at the school and take them to their businesses to observe their operations. The students are then treated to a luncheon at which they receive a tote bag containing different items associated with various businesses in Lakewood."
The Business Club has a number of objectives and goals, according to Starace, who has been a business teacher since 1975.
"Our objectives are to teach business leadership skills, teach members about goals in business, help them serve their community, help them learn about the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce and do fundraising for the March of Dimes," Starace said.
Starace said the members of the fledg-ling club are excited with their success in the FBLA competition.
"Last year we won at the regional level," she said. "This year we won at the state level.
The awards at the state level this year included second place in the Scrapbook Contest, a win in the Web design competition and winning the prestigious Gold Key Award.
The club’s scrapbook was a collection of everything the club had accomplished over the past year through the use of pictures and news releases. The scrapbook is a 100-page display of what the club was involved with over the year.
The Gold Key Award is based on how well the club achieved its goals for the year, based on about 32 FBLA objectives, Starace said.
"One of the goals of such a club is to possibly help some of the members launch a career in business," Stankowitz said.
Stankowitz said one member of the club, junior Stacie MacLaughlin, will work for Watchung Water this summer. Other students have also landed positions with local companies, Starace said.
Senior Chie Ugwuala won a spot as an intern with Merrill Lynch. As a result of activities with the club last year, senior Bryan Powell was hired by Fleet Bank.
"We are very excited working with these high school students," Stankowitz said. "If only one student launches a career in the business world, it is worthwhile. A club member also could be encouraged to pursue a career he had not thought of before, such a going to law school to become an attorney."