2025-2026 Competitive Events Guidelines

Coding & Programming

Coding & Programming challenges members to design and develop a standalone application
that solves a specific problem or accomplishes a defined task. Members present their
completed program to a panel of judges, demonstrating technical skills, logic, and creativity in
software development.

Event Overview

Division High School

Event Type Team of 1, 2, or 3 members
Event Category Presentation
Event Elements Presentation with a Topic

Educational Alignments

Career Cluster Framework Connection Digital Technology

NACE Competency Alignment Career & Self-Development, Critical
Thinking, Communication, Leadership,
Professionalism, Technology

2025-2026 Topic
Byte-Sized Business Boost
Use your programming skills to build a tool that helps users discover and support small, local
businesses in their community. Your program can be a command-line tool, desktop
application, or interactive interface. You choose what best fits your coding approach.

Your program should include features such as:

• Sorting businesses by category (e.g., food, retail, services)
• Allowing users to leave reviews or ratings
• Sorting businesses by reviews or ratings
• Saving or bookmarking favorite businesses
• Include a way to display special deals or coupons
• Implementing a verification step to prevent bot activity

This topic was created in partnership with code.org. Learn more about code.org,
resources available, and expanding computer science in your school or district at this
link.

District/Region/Section
Check with your District/Region/Section leadership for District/Region/Section-specific
competition information and deadlines.

State
Check with your State Leader for state-specific competition information and deadlines.

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National

Required Competition Items

Items Competitor Must Provide Items FBLA Provides
Preliminary • Conference-provided nametag • Table
Presentation • Photo identification • Internet Access
• Attire that meets the FBLA Dress
Code
• Technology and presentation
items
Final • Conference-provided nametag • Table
Presentation • Photo identification • Power
• Attire that meets the FBLA Dress • Projector with HDMI
Code cord
• Technology and presentation • Projector screen
items, including any adapter or • Internet Access
cord needed beyond an HDMI
connection

Important FBLA Documents

• Competitors should be familiar with the Competitive Events Policy & Procedures
Manual, Honor Code, Code of Conduct, and Dress Code.

Eligibility Requirements
To participate in FBLA competitive events at the National Leadership Conference (NLC), the
following criteria must be met:
• Membership Deadline: FBLA national membership dues must be paid to the specific
division by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 1 of the current school year.
• Repeat Competitors: Members may only compete in an event at the NLC more than
once if they have not previously placed in the top 10 of that event at the NLC. If a
member places in the top 10 of an event at the NLC, they are no longer eligible to
compete in that event at future NLCs, unless the event has been modified beyond a
name change. Chapter events are exempt from this procedure.
• Conference Registration: Members must be officially registered for the NLC and must
pay the national conference registration fee to participate.
• Official Hotel Requirement: To be eligible to compete, competitors must stay within
the official FBLA housing block.
• State Entry Limits: Each state may submit up to four entries per event.
• Event Participation Limits: Each member may participate in:
o One individual or team event, and
o One chapter event (e.g., Community Service Project or Local Chapter Annual
Business Report).
• Competitor Responsibility: Only registered competitors are permitted to plan,
research, prepare, and set up their presentations. Advisers and others may not assist.
• Participation Requirement: To be eligible for an award, each competitor must
complete all components of the event at the National Leadership Conference.
• Team Composition: All members of a team must be from the same local chapter.

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• Identification at Check-in: Competitors must present valid photo identification
(physical or digital) that matches the name on their conference name badge.
Acceptable forms include a driver’s license, passport, state-issued ID, or school ID.
• Late Arrivals: Competitors will be allowed to compete until such time that the results
are finalized, or participation would impact the fairness and integrity of the event, as
determined by Competitive Events staff. If judges have left the competitive event area,
it is no longer possible to compete. Five penalty points will be assessed for late arrivals
in any competitive event.
• Event Schedule Notes:
o Some events may begin before the Opening Session.
o All schedules are posted in local time for the NLC host city.
o Schedule changes are not permitted.

Event Administration
This event consists of two phases: a preliminary presentation and a final presentation.

Preliminary Presentation Details

Timing Structure
• Equipment Set-Up: 3 minutes
• Presentation: 7 minutes (a one-minute warning will be provided)
• Question & Answer (Q&A): 3 minutes
• Important: Time allocations are exclusive. The presentation must begin
immediately after the 3-minute set-up time concludes. Time may not be shifted
between segments. Competitors will not interact with judges during the set-up
period.
Venue & Format
• Presentations occur in-person at the National Leadership Conference (NLC).
• Competitors/teams are randomly assigned to presentation sections.
• Presentations will take place in a large, open area with a designated space of
approximately 10' x 10', which includes a table and chairs for the judges.
• The preliminary round is closed to conference attendees and audience.
Technology Guidelines
• Internet Access: Provided (Please be aware that internet access at conference
venues may be unreliable. Always prepare a backup plan in case the connection is
lost or does not work with your device.)
• Presentations must be delivered using no more than three personal devices
(laptop, tablet, mobile phone, or monitor approximately laptop-sized).
• Projectors and projector screens are not permitted, and competitors may not
bring their own.
• Wireless slide advancers (e.g., presentation clickers or mice) are allowed.
• External speakers are not allowed; audio must come directly from the presenting
device(s).
• Electricity will not be available.
Non-Technology Items
• Visual aids, samples, notes, and other physical materials related to the project may
be used.
• Items may be placed on the provided table or on the judges table, if space allows.
• No items may be left with the judges following the presentation.

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Restricted Items
• Animals, except for authorized service animals.
• Food, which may be used for display only and may not be consumed by judges.
• Links and QR codes, which may be shown but may not be scanned or clicked by
judges at any time.
Research
• Information must be supported by credible, well-documented sources.
• Any use of copyrighted material, images, logos, or trademarks must be properly
documented.
Team Expectations
• In team presentations, all members must actively participate in the delivery of the
presentation.
Event Specific Information: Competitors should incorporate the following aspects in
response to the topic
• The development, usability and functionality of the program must be demonstrated
and explained to the judges.
• Solution must run standalone with no programming errors.
• Data must be free of viruses/malware.
• Competitors must provide comprehensive documentation including a readme file,
source code, templates/libraries used, and documentation of any copyrighted or
open-source material used.
• The presentation should follow the rating sheet and include the following:
o Language Selection: Language choice is explained using industry terms and
reflects the project’s needs.
o Code Comments: Comments are complete, logical, and enhance readability.
o Programming Knowledge: Follows best practices and demonstrates advanced
skills: modular design, clean logic, effective use of data types.
o User Experience (UX): Includes clear design rationale and user flow,
accessibility features are present.
o Program Intuitiveness: Interface is easy to navigate and instructions are clear
and well-integrated.
o Intelligent Feature: Includes advanced functionality (e.g., Q&A,
recommendations, smart filters).
o Input Validation: Validates both format and meaning, Prevents crashes and
provides helpful error messages.
o Functionality & Relevance: Fully meets prompt requirements, instructions
explain how the program addresses the topic.
o Output & Data Analysis: Customizable reports or output allow for meaningful
data analysis.
o Data Structures & Scope: Uses arrays/lists appropriately and variable scope is
logical and efficient.

Final Presentation Details

Timing Structure
• Equipment Set-Up: 3 minutes
• Presentation: 7 minutes (a one-minute warning will be provided)
• Question & Answer (Q&A): 3 minutes
• Note: Each time segment is exclusive. Once the 3-minute set-up period ends, the
7-minute presentation time begins automatically. Competitors may not shift time

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between segments. Competitors will not interact with judges during the set-up
period.
Advancement to Finals
• The top-scoring competitors or teams from each preliminary section will advance
to the final round in equal numbers.
• The number of competitors or teams advancing to the final round depends on the
number of preliminary sections:
• 2 sections: Top 6 from each section advance
• 3 sections: Top 4 from each section advance
• 4 sections: Top 3 from each section advance
• 5 sections: Top 3 from each section advance
• More than 5 sections: Top 2 from each section advance
Audience & Viewing Rules
• Final presentations may be open to conference attendees, depending on space
availability.
• Finalists may not view other presentations in their own event.
Technology Guidelines
• Internet Access: Provided (Please be aware that internet access at conference
venues may be unreliable. Always prepare a backup plan in case the connection is
lost or does not work with your device.)
• Presentations must be delivered using no more than three personal devices
(laptop, tablet, mobile phone, or monitor approximately laptop-sized).
• If the final round takes place in a conference room, the following equipment will be
provided: a projector, projector screen, power access, and a table.
• Competitors using laptops or devices without an HDMI port must bring their own
compatible adapters.
• It is the responsibility of final-round competitors to decide whether or not to use
the provided technology.
• Wireless slide advancers (e.g., presentation clickers or mice) are allowed.
• Electricity will not be available.
Non-Technology Items
• Visual aids, samples, notes, and other physical materials related to the project may
be used.
• Items may be placed on the provided table or on the judges table, if space allows.
• No items may be left with the judges following the presentation.
Restricted Items
• Animals, except for authorized service animals.
• Food, which may be used for display only and may not be consumed by judges.
• Links and QR codes, which may be shown but may not be scanned or clicked by
judges at any time.
Research
• Information must be supported by credible, well-documented sources.
• Any use of copyrighted material, images, logos, or trademarks must be properly
documented.
Team Expectations
• In team presentations, all members must actively participate in the delivery of the
presentation.

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Event Specific Information: Competitors should incorporate the following aspects in
response to the topic
• The development, usability and functionality of the program must be demonstrated
and explained to the judges.
• Solution must run standalone with no programming errors.
• Data must be free of viruses/malware.
• Competitors must provide comprehensive documentation including a readme file,
source code, templates/libraries used, and documentation of any copyrighted or
open-source material used.
• The presentation should follow the rating sheet and include the following:
o Language Selection: Language choice is explained using industry terms and
reflects the project’s needs.
o Code Comments: Comments are complete, logical, and enhance readability.
o Programming Knowledge: Follows best practices and demonstrates advanced
skills: modular design, clean logic, effective use of data types.
o User Experience (UX): Includes clear design rationale and user flow,
accessibility features are present.
o Program Intuitiveness: Interface is easy to navigate and instructions are clear
and well-integrated.
o Intelligent Feature: Includes advanced functionality (e.g., Q&A,
recommendations, smart filters).
o Input Validation: Validates both format and meaning, Prevents crashes and
provides helpful error messages.
o Functionality & Relevance: Fully meets prompt requirements, instructions
explain how the program addresses the topic.
o Output & Data Analysis: Customizable reports or output allow for meaningful
data analysis.
o Data Structures & Scope: Uses arrays/lists appropriately and variable scope is
logical and efficient.

Scoring
• Preliminary round scores are used to determine which competitors or teams advance
to the final round from each section.
• Final round scores determine the final rankings and top award winners.
• Judges are responsible for breaking all ties in both preliminary and final rounds.
• All judging decisions are final. Results announced at the National Leadership
Conference are considered official and will not be changed after the conclusion of the
National Leadership Conference.

Penalty Points
• Competitors may be disqualified if they violate the Code of Conduct or the Honor
Code.
• Five points are deducted if competitors do not follow the Dress Code or are late to
their assigned presentation time.

Recognition
• A maximum of 10 entries (individuals or teams) may be recognized per event.

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Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• FBLA complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by providing reasonable
accommodations for competitors. Accommodation requests must be submitted
through the conference registration system by the official registration deadline. All
requests will be reviewed, and additional documentation may be required to
determine eligibility and appropriate support.

Recording of Presentations
• Unauthorized audio or video recording is strictly prohibited in all competitive events.
• FBLA reserves the right to record presentations for educational, training, or archival
purposes. Competitors should be aware that their presentations may be recorded by
FBLA-authorized personnel.

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Coding & Programming Presentation Rating Sheet
Below Exceeds Points
Expectation Item Not Demonstrated Meets Expectations
Expectations Expectations Earned
Code Quality
Language presented,
Language with detailed
No language selected Language presented,
presented, without explanation of selection
Coding language selection or presented with details missing
explanation process using industry
terminology
0 points 1-2 points 3-4 points 5 points

Comments provided
Appropriate use of Comments provided are
No comments Comments provided assist judges
comments, naming logical, useful, and
provided but are not logical throughout the
conventions, and proper complete
demonstration
formatting
0 points 1-2 points 3-4 points 5 points

Program does not Program is either Program exhibits an

The program is modular in Program is logical and
make logical, logical or readable, advanced knowledge of
a way that makes logical, readable
readable sense but not both programming
readable sense

0 points 1-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 points

User Experience
UX design presented,
with details about the
UX Design: Some elements of
No UX design UX design presented, design rationale, user
User Journey, Design UX design are
presented with details missing journey, and
Rationale, Accessibility presented
accessibility features
Features highlighted
0 points 1-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 points

No instructions Instructions Appropriate & clear Program is intuitive and

User interface is intuitive
provided and is not provided are not instructions are clear instructions are
or clear instructions are
intuitive intuitive provided provided
provided
0 points 1-2 points 3-4 points 5 points

Interface contains no
Program use also
No help menu or Includes basic help spelling errors, has
includes an intelligent
Users can easily navigate navigation system menu and usable interactive help menu,
feature such as an
between pages incorporated navigation and has no navigation
interactive Q&A
errors
0 points 1-2 points 3-4 points 5 points
User input validation
attempted, but does Input validation applied
User input isn’t
not catch important User input is validated on both syntactical and
User input is validated validated
edge cases or is not semantic levels
done correctly
0 points 1-2 points 3-4 points 5 points
Functionality

Program fully addresses

Program does not Program addresses Program fully the topic/problem, and
Program addresses all address the the topic/problem addresses the the correlation is
parts of the prompt topic/problem at a minimal level topic/problem explained in the
instructions

0 points 1-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 points

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Below Exceeds Points
Expectation Item Not Demonstrated Meets Expectations
Expectations Expectations Earned

Output reports are

Output reports are Output reports are error free and provide Output reports allow
Program generates a not accurate or not not sufficient to all necessary user to customize and
presentable report available analyze data information to analyze analyze information
data
0 points 1-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 points
Variable name and
usage is clear.
More complex data
Variables store data
storage such as arrays
Variables are used that updates when
There is no storage of and lists are used where
inconsistently, or in necessary. Each
Data storage data appropriate and
a way that is unclear variable performs only
variable scope makes
one job, and the
sense
correct data type is
used
0 points 1-2 points 3-4 points 5 points
Presentation Delivery

Presentation flowed in a
Competitor(s) were
Statements are well- Competitor(s) did not Presentation flowed in logical sequence;
prepared, but flow
organized and clearly appear prepared logical sequence statements were well
was not logical
stated organized

0 points 1-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 points

Demonstrated 1-2 of
Demonstrated 3 of the
Consistently displays the listed skills
listed skills Demonstrated all skills,
confidence, poised body Did not demonstrate (confidence, body
(confidence, body enhancing the overall
language, engaging eye any of the listed skills language, eye
language, eye contact, presentation
contact, and effective contact, or voice
or voice projection)
voice projection. projection)
0 points 1-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 points
Responds accurately Responds confidently
Does not respond to Provides incomplete
and clearly to most with clear, accurate,
Demonstrates the ability questions or or unclear answers
questions, showing and thoughtful answers
to effectively answer responses are that show limited
adequate that enhance the overall
questions completely off-topic. understanding.
understanding. presentation.
0 points 1-6 points 7-8 points 9-10 points
Presentation Protocols
Execution Aligned with Guidelines: (All criteria must be met)
 Used only allowable technology devices (sizing specs followed;
maximum of three)
 Presentation aligned with the assigned topic
Competitor(s) Did  Maintained professional boundaries during set-up time (no interaction
Adherence to Competitive Not Follow with judges)
Events Guidelines Guidelines  Did not leave materials behind after the presentation
 Links or QR codes were displayed appropriately (not clicked or
scanned by judges)
 Audio was presented without external speakers (preliminary round)
 Avoided use of food or live animals
0 points 10 points
Staff Only: Penalty Points (5 points for dress code penalty and/or 5 points for late arrival penalty)
Presentation Total (110 points)
Name(s):
School: Section:
Judge Signature: Date:
Comments:

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