Great Bend High School students are used to taking tests, but this is one test they are so eager to take that they are willing to pay for it.
The Data Match questionnaire is actually a fund raiser sponsored by Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Students answer a 30-question quiz answering things like “What’s your favorite pizza?” to “Where do you spend your free time?” to “Who in history would you most like to meet?”
The questionnaires are then submitted to a computer program and the top 10 matches of each gender are selected.
“Students enjoy this fund raiser,” said Dylan Dreiling, FBLA president. “Since we have so many kids in our school, it’s a really fun and unique way to see the people who share their same interests.”
Dreiling said students can take the survey for free, but must pay $2 to view their results.
“Some just look at the results for a chuckle,” he said. “Others use it as a great conversation starter or ice breaker with that special person they’ve always wanted to talk to, but never could muster up the courage.
“I’m sure a few dates have sprung out of this,” he continued. “I don’t know of any specifically, but I wouldn’t doubt it if there were a few long-term relationships that started because of this.”
“The students really enjoy the program and they look forward to it,” said Cody Lee, FBLA sponsor and GBHS business teacher. “Our members enjoy putting it on and students love seeing who they are paired up with.
“We do this project every other year to allow each student to do it twice before they graduate,” she said.
“We don’t make tons of money on this project, but the kids enjoy it,” she noted. “Every little bit helps right now since it is our competition time.
“We have some very talented future business leaders at GBHS and hope to send some of them to the state and national competition again this year,” Lee said. “Of course, along with that comes the cost to send them there, so this is just another thing we do to pay for a small portion of those costs.
“We are always looking for business sponsors in the community also who are willing to support students in attending the national competition, if they qualify,” Lee said. “We have sent students the last three years, so we are hopeful for another great year.”
This year’s national competition will be held in San Antonio, Texas.