While most students use the summertime to catch up on much needed shuteye and relaxation, members of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club who won top prizes at the state level trained for a chance to win over $179,000 in cash prizes at the National Leadership Conference, held June 29-July 2 in Atlanta.
More than 9,000 of the brightest high school students in America met at the Marriott Marquis convention center over the four-day period to connect with top future business leaders and showcase their talents in over 65 business-related competitive events such as Business Communication, Banking Financial Systems and Management Decision Making.
Three graduating seniors from American Heritage received national recognition at the FBLA Awards of Excellence Program on July 2. Jacob Becker, Brandon Becker and Maximilian Gazeroglu competed as a team in Sports and Entertainment Management and placed fifth in the nation.
The students first passed a written exam which qualified them to deliver a verbal presentation to a panel of judges. The trio then had 20 minutes to devise and present a business plan for a sports team. After being honored at the convention’s closing ceremony, each student brought home a plaque and check for two-hundred dollars.
The award was part of a comprehensive events program sponsored by FBLA and its partners. In addition to competitions, students immersed themselves in various workshops and exhibition halls and heard from motivational speakers on a broad range of business topics.
At Heritage, both junior and senior high students have the opportunity to join FBLA. The club typically meets once a week to discuss business-related topics and employ strategies for operating the school store.
Next year’s National FBLA Convention is scheduled to be held in Anaheim, California.
