Jim Thorpe Area School District highlighted Future Business Leaders of America week on Wednesday morning with a proclamation from Carbon County commissioners and a presentation from a local business owner.

Delayed by several weeks due to weather, the event, according to Jim Thorpe High School FBLA adviser Tonia Thompson, was aimed at emphasizing the importance of the service, learning, leadership and other aspects of FBLA.

Aggie Schoenberger of Castle Gate Realty and founder of Peaceful Knights, a local transitional living and emergency shelter, presented to Jim Thorpe students on entrepreneurship and service.

Schoenberger’s talk highlighted the challenges faced when starting a business and tips on how to start investing early for financial security later in life.

“Around 45% of businesses fail in the first year,” Schoenberger told students. “finding your personality type early on will help you determine what business you may want to get into. Whatever you dream of being, you can start today. Everyone in the room has something amazing to offer.”

Thompson said Schoenberger was at Jim Thorpe for a career expo in November and was requested back by a student.

“They really felt connected to her and asked if we could get her back to talk,” Thompson said. “I reached out to her and she was so excited to come and do it. I hope they take away Aggie’s messages about being a business owner and being a leader. Through Peaceful Knights, she also covers a lot of what we’re trying to get through to the students about the service aspect of FBLA. We do a lot of community service through different organizations.”

Carbon County Commissioners read a proclamation declaring Feb. 11-17 as Future Business Leaders of America week.

FBLA is an organization dedicated to bringing business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.

“We’re excited to be here because these are students who will be playing such an important role in the future of our country,” Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said.

Jim Thorpe has 139 high school FBLA members in addition to 26 at Penn Kidder and over 70 at LB Morris.

“We have had a social activity every month where the students do different things,” Thompson said. “Our advisors are really supportive of our students and everything they are doing. Right now, middle school is working on their competitive events and our high school is preparing to go to Hershey for our state leadership conference. We have over 100 students going to Hershey for three days. It’s an exciting time.”