Student Activities: FBLA

Heartland FBLA Attends State Leadership Conference

Heartland FBLA students attended the Nebraska Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference in Omaha on April 3-5, 2008. Over 1,900 students and advisers attended the three-day conference. Heartland students earned 30 awards at this event. The students attending the conference were: (Seniors) Lauren Braun, MacKenzie Dick, Andrea Eck, Lauren Klute, Erica Lundstrom and Jessica Quiring; (Juniors) Michelle Barr, Quint Geis, Christianne Kroeker, Clint Kroeker, Megan Leaming, Brianna Rader, Tiffanie Squire and Whitney Steingard; (Sophomores) Laini Aiken, Crista Buller, Jennifer Goossen, Randian Spencer, and Katie Wilhelm; and (Freshmen) Tori Bittinger, Kim Goossen, Mariah Kliewer, Tyler Kliewer and Carlie Weisheit. Also attending was adviser Kristy Most.

The keynote speaker of the Opening General Session was Andrew McCrea. His message was to make the most of life and make the most of your abilities to help others. Participants also had the opportunity to listen to campaign speeches from the 14 candidates for State Office.

Thursday and Friday were filled with competitive events ranging from Marketing and Accounting II to Business Communications and Introduction to Business, plus many more. Nine seminars covering topics such as tools for academic and career success, gearing up for college, be a hero for March of Dimes, from FBLA to beyond were presented while the State Officer candidates were actively campaigning for office. The Formal Caucus to question the candidates took place Thursday night, and the Second General Session was held Friday evening. By that time, nearly all events had been completed, the votes for State Officers were in, and the final results were being tallied.

Saturday morning was the time of truth as the winners were revealed—not only for State Office but also for qualifying for the National Leadership Conference to be held in Atlanta. Only the top two or three from each event earn the honor to compete on the national level, which is a great accomplishment. Other highlights during the Awards Program were the farewells of the retiring officers and the installation of the 2008-09 State Officer Team.

FBLA is a professional organization with an emphasis on business and leadership. Nebraska has over 5,500 members in more than 140 chapters all across the state.

Students earning awards were: Lauren Klute – 4th Entrepreneurship Team, 7th Future Business Leader, Honorable Mention Economics, Honorable Mention Business Law and Honorable Mention Job Interview; Lauren Braun – 4th Entrepreneurship Team, 7th Marketing, Honorable Mention Personal Finance and $250 FBLA Scholarship Alternate; Jessica Quiring – 3rd Marketing and Honorable Mention Job Interview; Clint Kroeker – 1st Accounting II, 2nd Community Service Project, 5th Business Communications, 6th Banking and Financial Systems Team and Honorable Mention Business Procedures; Brianna Rader – 2nd Business Procedures, 4th Accounting II and 4th Entrepreneurship Team; Whitney Steingard – 1st Word Processing II and 2nd Community Service Project; Michelle Barr – 2nd Community Service Project and 6th Banking and Financial Systems Team; Quint Geis – 6th Banking and Financial Systems Team; Jennifer Goossen – 5th Word Processing II and 6th Proofreading; Crista Buller – Honorable Mention Accounting I; Tori Bittinger – 1st Word Processing I; Tyler Kliewer – Honorable Mention Introduction to Business; Kim Goossen – 2nd Word Processing I.