November 15 - A National Celebration. This day is set aside to recognize how free enterprise has made our country great! Through improved productivity, better technology and entrepreneurship, the American free enterprise system builds a better tomorrow for all. American Enterprise Day began with a proclamation from Jimmy Carter in the late 1970s and developed into an awareness program entitled Getting Involved under a grant from the Chevron Corporation. This program, which was conducted in the 1980s, was designed to generate chapter activities through the use of Getting Involved guidance materials created and distributed by the FBLA-PBL National Center. Getting Involved had three objectives: To get local chapter members involved in their business community, placing particular emphasis on the free enterprise system. To provide opportunities for members of the local business community to become involved in the process of educating tomorrow's business leaders. To generate activities which promote American enterprise on November 15 and throughout the school year. Getting Involved's first component, an economic education packet, was introduced in 1982 following research into the needs of local chapters. A film and a free enterprise poster were added in July 1983. Chapters across the nation reported their Getting Involved success stories in surveys conducted in the Spring of 1983 and 1984. Selected chapters were asked to share their success stories at seminars presented during the 1983 and 1984 FBLA-PBL National Leadership Conferences. A Data Bank Report was also published featuring the success stories of all chapters surveyed. Because of the success of chapter's in promoting and getting involved in Free Enterprise, National FBLA continues to promote FBLA-PBL this day since that time even though there is no longer a grant from the Chevron Corporation. Chapters can do a variety of different projects to promote American Enterprise Day. Some examples are below: American Enterprise Day Posters around town, community, and in school promoting November 15 as American Enterprise Day. For example, a past theme was, American Free Enterprise, It Works Because We Do. CEO Day - have members dress in their professional attire to let the other students know that they are the "Chief Executive Officers of the Future" Proclamation with mayor Individual shadowing of local businesses Guest speakers Business trivia game for the membership Letter to the editor/newspaper article Article for school newspaper Radio announcement Partnership with Business American Enterprise Day gives chapters the perfect opportunity to plan projects with local businesses. Host an annual businesspersons' breakfast Conduct projects dealing with shoplifting, environment, safety, etc. Assist Chamber of Commerce Invite business speakers to chapter meetings Attend a local Business Organization's luncheon (i.e. Rotary Club) Participate in partnership with business shadowing project Do a database mailing for a local business Help businesses with their inventory Hold chapter's installation and initiation ceremony at a local business preceding a tour of facilities Hold a Social Hour with local business professionals Tour businesses Participate in the Stock Market Game and have a stockbroker come in to speak Work with a local bank to learn the duties of each of the different personnel Career shadowing program Local business advisory committee Field trip to businesses Attend Chamber of Commerce meetings Hold an entrepreneurship session Businessperson panel invite several local businesspersons to attend a meeting and discuss their careers, include Q & A time

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