KEYSTONE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Students were milling about campus at Keystone College, but these aren't college students, they're high school students. Eleven school districts from our viewing area were here for a Future Business Leaders of America conference.
"Students from those 11 schools are competing in various events. There's objective tests, job interviews, group presentations," explained Tunkhannock senior Jack Chilson.
Students who took part in their school's FBLA program are invited to this conference to learn good business practices, but it doesn't mean you plan on majoring in business in college.
"Even if you don't really care about business and you want to do something else, just these skills in general, human skills you'd need in any field that you're going to deal with in your everyday life," said Tunkhannock senior Dylan Yeust.
"We learn how to be leaders here. We learn how to dress respectfully, how to act respectfully, how to network with each other, and those are important in all kinds of careers, not just business," said Wyalusing senior Emily Lewis.
This isn't just a chance for students to learn about real-world scenarios. It's also a chance for them to network with other students.
"Those relations that you create will go a long way, and many people have found lifelong friends at these types of conferences," Chilson said.
Some students can take part in workshops held throughout the day to learn how to handle business situations. Others chose to take tests in different subjects like public speaking and how to work with clients.
"I had to handle a situation where a customer was facing a problem, and I had to help them work through it and find a solution. It was kind of an uncomfortable situation, but you have to realize that those are the types of situations that you'll end up facing in life no matter where you could be," said Tunkhannock senior Elizabeth Demarco.
If students tested well in their chosen categories, they have a chance to test their skills at the state conference in April.