More than 336 Nebraska students and advisers recently attended the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, GA. Nebraska FBLA members competed June 29-July 2 in 65 competitive events. More than 12,000 FBLA members from 46 states, as well as U.S. territories and international chapters attended the conference.
Nebraska members brought home 18 Top Ten awards. The Top Ten award winners are:
Second Place
- Nicole Kent, Dundy County Stratton – Future Business Leader
Fourth Place
- Makayla Damme, Johnson-Brock – Business Plan
- Jesse Lin, Lincoln East – Economics
- Owen Wurst, Ethan Hall, and Haley Huebert, Heartland – Entreprenuership
- Akshay Sharma, Lincoln East – Introduction to Business
- Hundter Biede, Adams Central; Abi Sheen and Mia Kegley, Kearney; Danielle Neugebauer, Lincoln Southwest – Parliamentary Procedure Team
Fifth Place
- Jayden Garrett, Chadron – Job Interview
- Elmwood-Murdock – Local Chapter Annual Business Report
Sixth Place
- Leslie Braun, Heartland – Business Law
- Shailee Hayek and Jac Clements, Elmwood-Murdock – Public Service Announcement
Eighth Place
- Jared Ladd, Nick Hodge, and Autash Parvanehgohar, Lincoln Southwest – Hospitality Management
- Blair – Local Chapter Annual Business Report
- Ashtyn Cooper, Elmwood-Murdock – Sales Presentation
- Aubree Noble, Brooklyn Stack, and Hunter Hawk, Chadron – Website Design
Ninth Place
- Hannah Nelson, Wausa – Accounting I
- Jacob Sorensen and Brett Petersen, Blair – Life Smarts
Tenth Place
- Jonna Bart, Megan DeVries and Cassidy Brechbill, Aurora – Emerging Business Issues
- Claire Redinger and Mary O’Keeffe, Hastings St. Cecilia – Publication Design
The following students were Top 15 Finalists:
- Banking and Financial Systems: Ojus Jain, Keenan Allen, and Andy Zhu, Lincoln East
- Community Service Project: Maddy Rinkol, Calista Shanle and Shyla Oberhauser, Twin River
- Digital Video Production: Hunter Koepke, Kade Moural, Lisa Oswald, Aurora
- E-business: Scott Hedglen, Ryan Walter, and Matthew Wittig, Bellevue East
- Introduction to Business Presentation: Jadyn Cattau, Jacalyn Kliewer, and Vanessa Wergin, Aurora
- Marketing: Devan Blancett, Emma Milenkovich, and Alison Raszler, Elkhorn High
- Publication Design: Halie Lewin and Ethan Percival, Ashland-Greenwood
Other national awards included:
Second Place:
- Largest State Chapter – Mt. Plains Region
- Largest Increase in State Chapter Membership – Mt. Plains Region
Ninth Place:
- Business Achievement Award (BAA) Fight to the Finish
National Business Achievement Awards – America Level (top award in this four-level program)
- Nicole Kent of Dundy County Stratton High School
- Abi Sheen of Kearney High School
- Abby Kile of Lawrence-Nelson High School
- Alyssa Miller, Lawrence-Nelson High School
- Brooke Orcutt of Raymond Central High School
- Samantha Young of Syracuse High School
- Michaela Lawrence of Weeping Water High School
- Erin Finley of Wilber-Clatonia High School
National Community Service Awards – Achievement Level
- Marian Sanchez of Bellevue West High School
- Zachary Vincent of Bellevue West High School
- Anne Ryschon of Burke High School
- Abigail Etherton of Cozad High School
- Clarissa Bors of Dorchester High School
- Nicole Kent of Dundy County Stratton High School
- Megan Hawks of Elmwood-Murdock High School
- Eliza Donley of Hastings Adams Central High School
- Grant Moles of Johnson County Central High School
- Bryce Sahs of Johnson County Central High School
- Jack Duffy of Kenesaw High School
- Rose Wehrman of Kenesaw High School
- Henry Molnar of Lincoln East High School
- Elise Pape of Omaha Marian High School
- Danielle Gilliland of Wakefield High School
- Megan Muller of Wakefield High School
- Alejandra Orona of Wakefield High School
- Michaela Lawrence of Weeping Water High School
National Recognition Event Winners
- Nicole Kent, Dundy County High School, Who’s Who in FBLA
- Dawn Friedrich, Wausa, Nebraska Outstanding Local Chapter Adviser
- Nebraska FBLA, 9th in Big Ten Business Achievement Awards
Gold Seal Chapter Award of Merit
- Columbus Lakeview
- West Boyd
- Elmwood-Murdock
- Sandhills
- Blair
- Arlington
- Bellevue West
- Raymond Central
- Kearney
- Twin River
- Filmore Central
- Tri County
- Dundy County Stratton
- Litchfield
- Auburn
- Centura
- Syracuse-Dunbar-Avoca
- Bellevue East
- Sargent
- Weeping Water
- Wilber Clatonia
- Johnson-Brock
- Fairbury