FBLA qualifies 10 for national competition

Coal City High School's chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) received the Robert T. Stickler Outstanding Chapter Award during the 68th annual State Leadership Meeting.
Over 1,400 members, advisors and guest from 64 chapters across the state participated in the 2017 conference held March 24 and 25 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. The two-day conference, with “A Legacy of Leadership” theme, included activities in personal development, business and leadership training, competitions and the election of the state executive council.
Along with being recognized as an outstanding chapter, Coal City FBLA also received the state's Gold Seal Award, Presidential Membership Award and Annual Business Report Award. Additionally, 10 chapter members advanced to compete at the National Leadership Conference. Nicholas Berta, the local chapter president, was elected to serve on FBLA's state executive council as the Central Northern Area vice president.
Berta was one of the 10 members to advance to nationals, having placed first in mobile application development. He is the first person in the chapter's history to earn a first place at the state leadership competition.
Also qualifying for nationals were Preston Johnson and Cody Rodgers who took second place in entrepreneurship; Kyle Cowherd and Macey Spencer who placed third in digital video production; Cal Smolik, Bryan Stopka and Reid Scott who took third in computer game design simulation, and Mikayla Norris who placed fourth in the category of business leader.
FBLA's National Leadership Conference will be held June 29 to July 2 in Anaheim, CA.
Coal City had 14 other members who placed in the top 10 in their event and received medals in state competition. They were Ben Kreiger, fifth place, graphic design; Carter Copes, sixth place, insurance and risk management; Logan Schoen, sixth place, securities and investments; Beau Wills, seventh place, impromptu speaking; Oliva Norris, seventh place, public speaking; Lindsay Stopka and Lillian Solt, seventh place, hospitality management; Junior Arias, Blake Harseim and Kaleb Spreitzer, seventh place, publication design; Rylee Glagola and Alex Stevens, eighth place, marketing; Jessica Kroeger, eighth place, health care administration, and Aisha Malovski, 10th place, web design.
Berta, Spencer and Abigail Charles served as the chapter's voting delegates.
FBLA and Professional Business Leaders (PBL) is the largest student business organization in the world with more than a quarter of a million members. FBLA prepares students for real world professional experiences.