Off the Field: FBLA Continues District Dominance

Republic’s FBLA chapter claimed its fourth consecutive district title and will send more than 30 students to the Missouri State Leadership Conference in April.

The chapter racked up 13 first-place finishes at districts across a wide range of events, from Accounting to Business Plan to Customer Service to Marketing. In all, the chapter placed in dozens of individual events.

Noah Haigler won Business Plan. He and his partner, Lillian Zinter, worked together on a 20-page business plan for a fictional Ethiopian cafe called House Habesha. Haigler said the competitive aspect is part of the draw, but the conference experience matters too.

“I am a very competitive person and so being able to compete and show off some people skills or use big words is fun itself, but additionally the competition days are just fun,” Haigler said. “At the state conference last year, we wandered around downtown a little doing a digital scavenger hunt with the Missouri FBLA. That would probably be what I look forward to the most, other than of course sweeping everyone and winning. Seeing all of my friends get to go to other levels of competition and seeing how much fun they have encourages me to get to their level and have those experiences too.”

Advisor Kendra Howard said watching the results accumulate year after year is always rewarding.

“It’s honestly really fun,” Howard said. “Seeing them win four years in a row and getting to celebrate with them is one of the best parts of my job. They put in the work, and watching it pay off never gets old.”

State competition is scheduled for April 12-14 in Springfield.

The state qualifiers:

Matilyn Carpenter – 3rd in Advanced Accounting; Sami Carter – 5th in Business Communication; 2nd in Human Resource Management; Alexandria Day – 1st in Accounting; 1st in Advanced Accounting; Aubree Dover – 1st in Impromptu Speaking; 2nd in Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures; Parliamentary Procedures (team); David Factor – 2nd in Data Science & AI; Dylan Factor – Introduction to Marketing Concepts; Scotlynne Elley – 1st in Insurance & Risk Management; 3rd in Organizational Leadership; Haley Edwards – 3rd in Human Resource Management; 3rd in Public Administration & Management; Trever Entsminger – 2nd in Retail Management; Parliamentary Procedures (team); Charles Goodnight – 1st in Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures; Parliamentary Procedures (team); Lexi Grell – Local Chapter Annual Business Report; Gabe Harris – Parliamentary Procedures (team); Joshua Haigler – 5th in Business Law; 2nd in Securities & Investments; Noah Haigler – 3rd in Business Law; 1st in Business Plan; Kamryn Hancock – Banking & Financial Systems; Joshua Harris – Parliamentary Procedures (team); Gracey Hawkins – Management Information Systems; Jonathan Kayser – 2nd in Advanced Accounting; 3rd in Insurance & Risk Management; Taegan Krider – 5th in Advanced Accounting; 4th in Real Estate; Alexa Langdon – Local Chapter Annual Business Report; Kaydence Lee – Journalism (move-up); Jack Noggle – 3rd in Cyber Security; 3rd in Data Science & AI; Cynthia Nieto – 1st in Retail Management; Joshua Obafemi-Ajayi – 1st in Job Interview; Allison Pliler – 2nd in Real Estate; Local Chapter Annual Business Report; William Payne – 3rd in Computer Problem Solving; 1st in Data Science & AI; Computer Game & Simulation (team); Liberty Radford – 1st in Business Communication; 2nd in Journalism; Addison Rodgers – Parliamentary Procedures (team); Gracie Shanks – 2nd in Hospitality & Event Management; 1st in Marketing; Lexi Simmons – 1st in Customer Service; 5th in Economics; 5th in Real Estate; International Business (team); Lauren Shipley – Retail Management (move-up); Management Information Systems; Eric Travis – 3rd in Securities & Investments; Maddox West – Move-up in Advertising; 4th in Insurance & Risk Management; Lillian Zinter – 4th in Project Management; 3rd in Real Estate; 1st in Business Plan