Students from Mazama, Lost River, Bonanza and Gilchrist high schools competed in the FBLA state competition April 5 to 7 in Portland. The top four in each division will proceed to nationals.

During the school year, students take part in a regional and state-level competitions where each student selects a specific category to be tested in. Students may need to pass a written exam before advancing to a hands-on competition, where they make a presentation pitch on a specific topic relating to business, technology and career skills.

Nationals
Twenty-three students from the Klamath County School District will travel to Maryland to attend and compete at the Future Business Leaders of America's National Leadership Conference at the end of June.

The students, who range from freshman to seniors, represent one of the largest qualifying groups in the high schools’ recent history to attend the national event.

The students will be in Baltimore, Maryland, June 26 to July 2.

The students going to nationals reflect years of experience in FBLA clubs across several grade levels and across the school district. Mazama High School freshman Johnathan Havener and senior Matt Volpe said they each drew on personal interests and experiences when selecting their competitive FBLA events. Havener will compete in computer programming and design, while Volpe will compete in 3-D animation on a team with Jackson and Logan Boulter.

A packed field
The nationals-bound students will be joining 15,000 others from across the country. In each competition, they'll face-off against hundreds of other students. Competitors who place in the top ten may qualify to make formal, in-person presentations to several judges on stage for the chance to earn a national ranking and title.

For Volpe, who has previously been to nationals three times, but has not placed in the top ten, this year's trip represents an opportunity for him to “really go for it,” he said. He hopes to make it to the stage for the opportunity to place amongst the top ten in the nation. Mazama senior Jordan DeLorme expressed similar thoughts about his final competition as a high school student.

Bonding opportunity
The competition also represents an opportunity for the FBLA members to meet other students across the nation, as well as bond with one another.

Mazama senior Zach Landry said he's looking forward to getting to know his classmates better on the trip by spending time with them outside of school. Junior Brazil Cisneros said she is also looking forward to having the opportunity to represent Mazama High School on a national platform.

Students have been fundraising for the trip by asking for donations from business owners, hosting yard sales and by selling Krispy Kreme donuts.

FBLA is a national organization designed to teach students business practices, college and career preparation techniques, and business communication and networking skills. The organization offers middle school, high school and college-level opportunities.

Written by Sergio Cisneros, business teacher, FBLA advisor, Mazama High School Photos from Mazama FBLA and Bonanza FBLA. Submitted by Samantha Tippler, Public Relations, Klamath County School District. Edited for flow by Klamath Falls News.

State Competition Results

Mazama High School

  
    Place
    Event
    First Name
    Last Name
  

    2
    3-D Animation
    Logan
    Boulter
  

    2
    3-D Animation
    Matt
    Volpe
  

    2
    3-D Animation
    Jackson
    Boulter
  

    1
    Accounting I
    Zachary
    Landry
  

    3
    Business Calculations
    Jordan
    DeLorme
  

    6
    Business Communication
    Matt
    Volpe
  

    8
    Client Service
    Adrianna
    Jasso
  

    4
    Coding and Programming
    Jonathan
    Havener
  

    8
    Computer Applications
    Tyler
    Sorenson
  

    1
    Entrepreneurship
    Brazil
    Cisneros
  

    1
    Entrepreneurship
    Gordon
    McCreadie
  

    7
    Impromptu Speaking
    Gabriel
    Moran
  

    6
    Introduction to Business
    Nathan
    Hantzmon
  

    5
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Joanna
    Henry
  

    5
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Brooklyn
    Mattson
  

    6
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Kristalyn
    Hayes
  

    6
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Priscila
    Zendejas
  

    9
    Introduction to Business Procedures
    Priscilla
    Zendejas
  

    5
    Introduction to FBLA
    Nathan
    Hantzmon
  

    5
    Introduction to Information Technology
    Hagen
    Baird
  

    7
    Local Chapter Annual Business Report
    
    
  

    7
    Marketing
    Jake
    Healy
  

    7
    Marketing
    Mario
    Segura
  

    9
    Public Speaking
    Gillian
    Crowder
  

    10
    Sales Presentation
    Cadence
    Balsz
  

    9
    Social Media Campaign
    Bowen
    Hunt
  

    9
    Social Media Campaign
    Zachary
    Landry
  

    9
    Social Media Campaign
    Trey
    Wortman
  

Lost River High School

  
    Place
    Event
    First Name
    Last Name
  

    8
    Business Ethics
    Yajaira
    Cobian
  

    8
    Business Ethics
    Makenzie
    Girtman
  

    8
    Business Ethics
    Ximena
    Lemus
  

    7
    Computer Problem Solving
    Eric
    Jimenez
  

    1
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Benjamin
    Hernandez
  

    1
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Maddy
    Surane
  

    2
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Ashleigh
    Taylor
  

    3
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Aurora
    Cerri
  

    3
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Madison
    Hartman
  

    3
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Maria
    Huizar
  

    7
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Karla
    Hernadez
  

    7
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Luis
    Romero
  

    8
    Introduction to FBLA
    Giovanni
    Rizo
  

    10
    Introduction to FBLA
    Benjamin
    Hernandez
  

    10
    Public Service Announcement
    James
    Lyman
  

    10
    Public Service Announcement
    Stephanie
    Rizo
  

    10
    Publication Design
    Irene
    Aguirre
  

    10
    Publication Design
    Nicole
    Lopez
  

    10
    Publication Design
    Isabel
    Venegas
  

    2
    Social Media Campaign
    Yulisa
    Alonzo
  

    2
    Social Media Campaign
    Giselle
    Cobian
  

    2
    Social Media Campaign
    Suzy
    Cobian
  

    5
    Social Media Campaign
    Marcus
    Mantanona
  

    5
    Social Media Campaign
    Israel
    Ruedas
  

    5
    Social Media Campaign
    Euduardo
    Murrillo
  

    9
    Website Design
    Gracie
    Britton
  

    9
    Website Design
    Torena
    Ochoa
  

    9
    Website Design
    Berenice
    Ramirez
  

    6
    Career Exploration - Middle Level
    Michelle
    Ruedas
  

Bonanza High School

  
    Place
    Event
    First Name
    Last Name
  

    3
    American Enterprise Project
    
    
  

    4
    Business Communication
    Megan
    Southard
  

    5
    Community Service Project
    
    
  

    10
    Computer Applications
    Cassidy
    Byrne
  

    4
    Digital Video Production
    Brooklyn
    Cunningham
  

    4
    Digital Video Production
    Rafel
    Neri-Lopez
  

    4
    Electronic Career Portfolio
    Rafel
    Neri-Lopez
  

    10
    Electronic Career Portfolio
    Megan
    Southard
  

    5
    Health Care Administration
    nicholas
    herrera
  

    3
    Impromptu Speaking
    Madelyn
    Cunningham
  

    6
    Introduction to Business Communication
    Madison
    Butler
  

    4
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Jessie
    Vaughan
  

    10
    Introduction to Public Speaking
    Danilo
    Vado
  

    10
    Local Chapter Annual Business Report
    
    
  

    7
    Website Design
    Michelle
    Viorato
  

    7
    Website Design
    Austin
    Kuhn
  

    7
    Word Processing
    Jacy
    Wasoski
  

Gilchrist High School

  
    Place
    Event
    First Name
    Last Name
  

    6
    Business Law
    Daniel
    Barstead
  

    6
    Business Plan
    Madison
    Mefford
  

    8
    Introduction to Business
    Ashley
    Kelley
  

    8
    Introduction to Business Presentation
    Teri
    Wright
  

    7
    Introduction to Information Technology
    Ashley
    Kelley
  