Jul. 13—SELINSGROVE — Three Selinsgrove Area High School students competed last month in the annual National Leadership Conference of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA).
Olivia Hoffman, Mackenzie Heddings and Matthew Stebila participated in the event held in Atlanta, Ga., from June 27 to 30. The FBLA is the largest career and technical student organization focused solely on business in the nation.
Matthew Stebila, an incoming sophomore, competed in Spreadsheet Applications, an event which requires knowledge-based testing and producing functioning spreadsheets in less than one hour.
Olivia Hoffman and Mackenzie Heddings competed as a team in Hospitality and Event Management, a team knowledge-based test event.
Hoffman, the local chapter president and an incoming senior, is a three-time national qualifier. Heddings is a 2023 graduate of Selinsgrove.
"Our students enjoyed countless opportunities to network, learn, and lead. They experienced Atlanta, Georgia in so many ways," said Dan Frake, local chapter adviser.
More than 9,500 middle and high school students from 1,850 schools competed for cash prizes in more than 100 competitive events over four days.
Students also engaged in learning workshops, met with representatives from more than 60 colleges, universities, and employers.
"Our student members did an exceptional job in wowing the judges with their keen understanding of areas as diverse as accounting, cyber security, and health care administration," FBLA President and CEO Alexander T. Graham said. "They headed home with a renewed sense of accomplishment, a robust network of peers from across the country, and connections to colleges and employers as they explore future career opportunities."