Add 2009 Washington Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Outstanding Local Chapter to the list of accolades the White River High School club has received in six short years of existence.

Since it was started by business teacher and adviser Brian Reckling, White River FBLA has had four state officers, a national officer, a regional adviser, the chairman of the board of the state chapter, a member of the national board of directors, the outstanding local chapter adviser.

The latest honor was presented by the Washington Business Education Association at the Washington FBLA State Business Leadership Conference in Spokane April 8-10. Washington FBLA has 168 chapters and nearly 5,000 members throughout the state; worldwide, FBLA has more than 250,000 members.

As part of the entry process for Outstanding Local Chapter, White River FBLA leaders filled out extensive paperwork and had to meet a long list of criteria that are part of the FBLA’s goals. Among the criteria, White River had to fulfill were recruitment of professional members, sending representatives to FBLA regional, state and national conferences, encouraging other schools to organize chapters, participating in state and national projects and programs for the current year, visit businesses and industries, inviting business people and other professionals to become involved in chapter activities and conducting a public relations program in the school and community and documenting the activities with newspaper clippings and reports of radio/TV coverage.

Reckling, who was named the Local Chapter Outstanding Adviser last year, said the White River chapter is quite active. The chapter not only spends time preparing for events with study in areas like public speaking and cyber security, it also performs community service and supports itself through coffee sales at the school.

White River’s chapter has 36 paid members, of which about 20 are active. The chapter took 10 students to the state conference and one group placed well.

Juniors Morgan Wilson, Olivia Phillips and Katie Siewart placed third at the state conference in emerging business issues where the topic was illegal immigration in the workforce. Wilson serves as the National Western Region vice president. Phillips is a state vice president representing the mid-west region, which covers FBLA chapters from Enumclaw to Burien.

Reckling, who came to White River from Fife and started the chapter in his first year, also serves as the regional adviser, chairman of the board for the Washington FBLA and is one of two teachers on the national board of directors. The school year following its initial start, White River had its first state officer. Only 13 officers statewide represent the 5,000-student membership. White River has produced four state officers in its six years.

Reach Brenda Sexton at bsexton@courierherald.com or 360-802-8206.