45 Fort Mill High FBLA members qualify for state competition
Dozens of students at Fort Mill High School are determined to prove they have what it takes to make it in the business world – and next month they’ll use their skills to compete on a statewide level.
Fifty-three students from the school’s Future Business Leaders of America club competed in the district level competition held Jan. 30. Each competition has more than 100 events in which students can participate. The FMHS students chose a wide range of events from “Impromptu Speaking” and “Personal Finance” to “Computer Problem Solving.”
Of the 53 who competed, 45 students placed in the top five in their events and earned the right to attend the state level competition.
Christy Tolentino teaches business and computer programming at the school. This is her second year as the club’s advisor and said she’s proud of what her students accomplished and thinks they’ll do very well at the competition in Charleston next month.
“When they get up on that stage and win those awards it’s just a huge sense of accomplishment for those kids,” she said.
The purpose of FBLA is to help mold students to be successful in their future professional careers. FBLA is a worldwide organization; Tolentino said the club at FMHS has been around for more than 20 years. In that time, it has helped shape the careers of countless people through its goal of leadership development. Tolentino said it all starts with the competitions.
“They get the exposure to the situations but also they feel accomplished, they have a sense of importance and credibility,” she said.
Going head-to-head in a business competition isn’t a requirement of membership in FBLA, but it’s strongly encouraged, Tolentino said.
“To get the full benefit of the club you have to compete and be put in those situations,” she said.
While competition is a huge component, that’s not all there is to it. There’s also a community service aspect. FBLA members at Fort Mill High School sponsor a powder puff football game during homecoming each year, adopt a family at Christmas and give Build-A-Bears to kids at the Shriner’s Hospital.
Katie Rutland: mkrutland@comporium.net
How they rank
The following students placed in the top five in their events and will compete at the state level competition in Charleston on March 10. Those who place in the top three in Charleston will go to National Competition in Atlanta this summer:
Emily Ambrose, Introduction to Business Procedures 1
Nicholas Bellof, Introduction to Information Technology 1
Jake Bukuts, Computer Problem Solving 1
Madison Cornwell, Computer Applications 1
Sara Greene, Word Processing 1
Julian Masters, Business Plan 1
Hailey Morris, Impromptu Speaking 1
Isabelle Moss, Client Service 1
Anna Constantine, Introduction to Business Communication 2
Rebecca Fanta, Health Care Administration 2
Joseph Flanagan, Cyber Security 2
Catherine Harris, Introduction to Financial Math 2
Taylor Hennessy, Desktop Application Programming 2
Ryan Katz, Publication Design 2
Jenna Pehowski, Publication Design 2
Brianna Lewis, Impromptu Speaking 2
Jackson Prince, Sales Presentation 2
Ania Rzepka, Business Ethics Team 2
Olivia Young, Business Ethics Team 2
Chase Adamek, Computer Problem Solving 3
Will Beachum, Global Business Team 3
Keith Hammock, Global Business Team 3
Kristina Wang, Global Business Team 3
Nick Botko, Introduction to Financial Math 3
Alex Brandt, Graphic Design 3
Taylor Goins, Personal Finance 3
Brittany Lewis, Health Care Administration 3
Emily Potts, Accounting I 3
Sophie Young, Introduction to Business 3
Conner Young, Sales Presentation 3
Joshua Busch, Economics 4
Stefon Gambrell, Sales Presentation 4
Skye Jacobson, Job Interview 4
Zoe Kuhlkin, Introduction to Business 4
Jonny Lee, Client Service 4
Phillip Beachum, Social Media Campaign Team 5
Elizabeth Lewis, Social Media Campaign Team 5
Cansu Hanold, Social Media Campaign Team 5
Trey Fitzmorris, Publication Design Team 5
Regan Willis, Publication Design Team 5
Brennan Hanlon, Impromptu Speaking 5
Aidan McNeill, Introduction to Business 5
Camden Miller, Client Service 5
Samantha Silva, Introduction to Business Communication 5
Cameron Sumner, Personal Finance 5
This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 2:50 PM with the headline "45 Fort Mill High FBLA members qualify for state competition."