Kreutz serves 3rd year as FBLA president

Over the past four years, Giltner High School senior, Phillips Kreutz has seen a lot of growth in the school’s FBLA chapter. Now serving as the chapter’s president for a third year, Kreutz says the Giltner chapter has grown from 12 to 26 students who are eager to get involved with their local businesses and learn how to become business leaders themselves.
At the time Kreutz joined the program he said it was trying to come back from losses during the COVID pandemic. He said, even with the limitations faced by the chapter at the time, he was excited to play a part in its community service and activities.
“I had wanted to join them since freshman year,” Kreutz explained. “We had a small chapter and I thought it was a great way just to learn more about business and just to get involved in one more thing in school.”
When some students left the program, Kreutz said there were few upperclassmen ahead of him take on the empty leadership roles.
“It was a very big chapter, but then we had our seniors graduate,” Kreutz explained. “We didn’t have a lot of leadership so the sophomores had to step up and I stepped into that role.”
Throughout his time in the program, Kreutz and his fellow chapter members have participated in FBLA’s ribbon projects. The program challenges students to get involved with volunteer work in their community, connect with local businesses and demonstrate their own projects showing what they have learned from FBLA each year.
“I have participated in all our ribbon projects,” Kreutz commented. 
Among the ribbon projects Kreutz and his chapter participated in this year was Feed Nebraska.
“We did a food drive where we got canned food to the Aurora Food Pantry,” he explained, adding that the group collected 2,313 pounds of food with the help of other students at Giltner Public Schools.
“Now we’re starting to work on the Going Green project,” he commented.
In that project the chapter promotes recycling and continues its cleanup along village roads which it does several times a year.
The chapter has also participated in contests such as the business competition hosted by Wayne State College earlier this year. 
“Wayne State was a great experience and our chapter really learned a lot,” Kreutz said. “We also got some great practice and preparation for the State Leadership Conference (SLC).”
Noting that preparing for the upcoming state FBLA convention takes a great deal of work, Kreutz and his fellow chapter officers have had to juggle their time between FBLA and other activities including (for him) sports, band, speech and schoolwork.
“Being FBLA president, going on for many other activities and preparing for college can be stressful at times, but I embrace it because while balancing these activities, I have been able to learn how to manage my time well,” he commented.
He also expressed his thanks to his FBLA advisor, Jackie Hinrichs, who has helped him build the confidence he needed for his role.
“I didn’t really know too much about it,” he commented. “I didn’t know what was doing, but our FBLA advisors helped me out a lot. If I have questions, she’s more than happy to answer them.”
Kreutz also said he appreciates his fellow chapter members for allowing him to serve as their president over the past three years. 
He also said he is looking forward to Giltner’s involvement at SLC, which is set to take place at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney in April. There the Giltner chapter will compete against FBLA chapters from across Nebraska. In preparation for the competition, Kreutz is practicing his interviewing skills and developing his resume and cover letter.
“I will also be studying for my sports entertainment management test by doing my own research on this topic,” he commented.
Kreutz said his best memories from FBLA include time spent with his chapter at SLC.
“You just meet a lot of new people and you’re doing these volunteer activities and these competitions with friends,” he stated. “So it’s always a good time.  My favorite memory was State FBLA during sophomore year, because I didn’t get to go to state my freshman year. Sophomore year I was able to hang out with friends and meet new people.”
While Kreutz stated that he doesn’t plan on continuing in FBLA through college, he won’t forget what he has learned anytime soon.
“I’m taking the knowledge I’ve learned throughout high school doing this,” he stated. “I want to use what I’ve learned towards my major.”
After graduating from Giltner this spring, Kreutz plans to attend University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he will be majoring in agricultural business. He said that decision was inspired by his work in  FBLA as well as his father, Jim. 
“He’s a farmer but he also does a lot of business on the side so he’ll be on rental properties and stuff like that,” Kreutz said. “Seeing him do that got me interested wanting to know more about business.”
Looking back on the four years he has committed to FBLA, Kreutz said he hopes Giltner’s FBLA continues to grow after he and his classmates graduate.
“It’s a great way to go, get out, volunteer, interact with the community, hang out with friends and work with other people,” he concluded.