Recently, forty-six West Morris Mendham High School students qualified for the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference and will be competing in March in Atlantic City. In a conversation with Mendham teacher and FBLA advisor of nineteen years, Ms. Fabin emphasized, “[FBLA] has so many different activities and avenues for students.” She added, “The gains students receive are phenomenal. The presentation habits and just even the practice leading up to their competitive events really set them apart.”
FBLA is one of the largest national organizations for business students, providing networking and scholarship opportunities. In order to qualify for the state competition, students must place in the top eight of all competitors in the regional competition. New Jersey is divided into four regions: Northern, North Central, Central, and Southern. Mendham resides in the Northern New Jersey region, so the students who have qualified for states in this region will compete against the top eight of North Central, Central, and Southern New Jersey. If students finish in the top four at the state conference, they can then compete at the national level during the summer.
There are over one hundred different events open for students to compete in, such as entrepreneurship, business and financial systems, business management, marketing, advertising, etc. Some events are presentation and performance-based, meaning they do not have to compete in the regional competition to qualify for states. These events are known as “Direct to State Events.”
FBLA remains highly recognized by individuals around the country, showing colleges and future employers that students have taken on a large commitment and initiative to immerse themselves in the world of business. It develops significant presentational skills, allows students to network with professionals and other competitors, and offers financial opportunities, like college scholarships.
Isabella Haddock and Ella Langsford have been members of FBLA since their sophomore year. They are officers of the Mendham chapter this year and have participated in several events and opportunities provided by the organization. It will be their third year participating in the state competition. When asked about what they enjoy most about FBLA in an interview, Isabella mentioned, “All the skills that you learn can be applied to whatever industry you go into.” Similarly, Ella stated, “Business can be applicable to anything in life.” The officers will be competing in Sales Presentation this year. In the past, they have competed in Event Planning and Broadcast Journalism. The two officers are very enthusiastic about FBLA and the State Leadership Conference. They greatly enjoy the networking opportunities, field trips, and hearing firsthand from business professionals.
Mendham High School wishes the state qualifiers luck this coming March, and The Patriot looks forward to reporting on all of their accomplishments!
FBLA State Qualifiers:
- Christian Ash
- Julie Amin
- Sophie Buzot
- Vanessa Castro-Salazar
- Neil Chopra
- Anna Connolly
- Xavier Cresti
- Nicolas DeVos
- Jiyaa Elavia
- Naya Gabai
- John Gefaell
- Isabella Haddock
- Charles Harrison
- Collin Jeffreys
- Viraj Kataria
- Jacob Kertesz
- Nirvaan Kohli
- Jon Michael Koulouris
- Joseph Kuncharia
- Olivia Kutlu
- Ella Langsford
- Benjamin Lanier
- Dominic Mathews
- Monica Mathews
- Noa Marenberg
- Patrick McChesney
- Brady Melton
- Brynn Miller
- Pieter Miltenberg
- Raymond Moore
- William Moul
- Ava Moynihan
- Collin Pajunas
- Nathaniel Perkins
- Matthew Pini
- Kaylee Randolph
- Lachlan Rawson
- Ranveer Reddy
- Michael Russo
- Bijan Sadr
- Cole Szabo
- Emily Theroux
- Maya Vinu
- Jackson Vitolo
- Charles Wagenbach
- Holly Wise
