The Future Business Leaders of America club and Sports Marketing class have been giving their students the opportunity to attend field trips to go visit different arenas. They first went to the PNC Arena here in Raleigh to meet with the Carolina Hurricanes staff, and then went on to Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte to meet with the Charlotte Hornets staff.

“We take the students on these field trips to expose them to opportunities and operations in the business world,” said teacher Trent Wilson. “The students were offered the opportunity to speak and ask questions of the executives from the Hurricanes and Hornets. They were also allowed to tour certain parts of the facilities, and the night ended with them seeing a game.”

These field trips are meant to open up student’s eyes to potential careers in sports that they may have not known about before.

“A lot of our students are interested in sports,” said teacher Garrett Stevens. “I think these trips exposed them to another side. There are all kinds of job available within sports organizations that students aren’t always aware of. At the Charlotte Hornets career day, the panel spoke about their educational background and experiences that led them to working for the team. They were able to hear from professionals, ask questions, and find out more about potential career options.”

Since these field trips were optional, the students who did go made the best out of the opportunity. Many FBLA members, including senior Owen Drugan, took advantage of this opportunity.

“From these trips,” said Drugan, “I have learned that the world of pro sports is very fast paced and changing every day. Taking the initiative to prepare for your future while in high school can make a big impact on your work ethic and drive later in life.”

FBLA was not the only way to be included on these field trips, however. The Sports Marketing class also offered this opportunity to students as well.

“It is really interesting to learn about how athletes make it big and how much money they make,” said junior Sara Harmon. “It is also a very fun class that can help you with a lot of jobs in the future!”

The students are not the only ones who benefit from this experience. The teachers enjoy taking the students.

“It’s been great to see students engage with the panel,” said Stevens. “We had several students ask very intelligent questions and they represented Wakefield extremely well. I have also gotten to know students through FBLA that I might not have otherwise. And of course, being a huge basketball fan, I enjoyed being able to see the Hornets play.”

Field trips is just one of the bonuses to the FBLA club. There are many benefits that come from joining this club.

“Every student should consider joining FBLA,” said Drugan. “Many of the skills we have learned are applicable to all areas of life, not necessarily just in business. Even if you do not have an interest in business, the fun and fellowship that FBLA has to offer is still a fantastic experience.”