Welcome from Jessica caterson 2020 rifbla president

WELCOME FROM JESSICA CATERSON…..
As the 2019 - 2020 school year comes to a close, we are forced to say goodbye to this year's membership of Rhode Island FBLA. Unfortunately, the circumstances have not permitted us to formally close this year with a banquet, but I hope that everyone is staying healthy and safe during this crisis, and for those who have been directly affected by COVID-19, you are all in our
thoughts and prayers.
Despite the sudden end to our year together, we were thankfully still able to have an incredible year statewide. Our overall membership included 11 Chapters and we gained one new
chapter in Providence: Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School. We had the opportunity to meet the new adviser and students at the SLC in March. Our State Leadership Conference was extremely successful, even amidst the conflicts due to the coronavirus. Congratulations to all of those who placed in their events and qualified for Nationals! This year, nationals will be held virtually,
allowing more people than ever to join. Stay tuned to the state website for more information.
With the ending of this year comes saying good-bye to our 2019 state officer team. It was such an honor to serve with such an incredible group of individuals, and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors. They will truly be missed!
As we look onwards to next year, I would like to take the opportunity to formally introduce myself as your new state President. My name is Jessica Caterson, and I am a rising
senior at East Greenwich High School. I've been involved in FBLA since my freshman year, and I've previously served two years as RI FBLA's state vice president. I'm very involved with my school, playing varsity volleyball, taking two languages, and participating in several clubs outside of FBLA. This year, I will be joined by Joshua Wang (Vice President) from Barrington HS, Eric Fang (Secretary) and Jason Page (Treasurer) from East Greenwich High School, and Vincent Emery (Membership Chair) from St. Rays. However, our team is not yet complete: two positions are still open:  Reporter/Historian (one position) and Web Assistant. If interested, apply today at www.rifbla.org.
 For the 2020-2021 FBLA membership year, my goals are simple. I hope to continue growing membership, establishing new chapters throughout the state, increasing membership, and expanding state fundraising by looking to use new and innovative ways to raise money for our state chapter. Most importantly, is to increase communication amongst state chapters to become a priority. The best way for us to grow as a state is to ensure that everyone's needs are being met. Communication information for all of the officers are listed with our bios at www.rifbla.org. Feel free to reach out!
Finally, I want to send a huge thank you to all of the chapter advisors, teachers, and students who make RI FBLA possible, and a special shout out to Dr. Brooks for all of the behind the scenes work he does for our organization to be successful. Thank you all, and have a great summer!
Thanks, Jessica