Swainsboro High School’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter hosted Region 4’s leadership conference at the school on Tuesday, January 21. Nearly 400 FBLA high school and middle level members and advisers representing 30 schools from across the region competed at the conference.
The SHS FBLA chapter and its members experienced much success while at the conference and received the Georgia FBLA Region 4 Sweepstakes Award for their competitive events wins.
Josie Peebles, local chapter president remarked about the conference, “Our officer team set a goal last summer to increase participation in competitive events and win the region sweepstakes award. We are super excited about qualifying and competing at the state conference in March. It is our goal to qualify several members for national competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, and performing well at region was the first step!”
Krishi Patel, local chapter vice-president, serves as Georgia FBLA state secretary and presided over the conference. Abby English, Region 4 president, also presided. She, along with other region officers, conducted workshops and presided over conference activities and the Awards of Excellence Program.
During the Awards of Excellence Program, many of the members placed and qualified to compete in March at the state leadership conference in Atlanta.
Members who placed first in performance events included: Skylar Stephens, Job Interview; Josie Drake, Sales Presentation; Savannah Reynolds, Impromptu Speaking; Josie Peebles, Public Speaking; Mitali Patel and Krishi Patel, Social Media Campaign; Arham Shah, Electronic Career Portfolio; and Krishi Patel in Future Business Leader.
Other members placing in performance events include: Hollan Coleman, second place, Business Ethics; Abby English and Daniella Delgado, second place, Introduction to Business Presentation; Jared Drake, fourth place, Introduction to Public Speaking; and Kimberly Rios, second place, Electronic Career Portfolio.
Also placing in written tests and skills events were: Josie Peebles, first place, Computer Applications; Michael Bravo, third place, Spreadsheet Applications; Hollan Coleman, third place, Word Processing; Daniel Cruz, second place, Business Calculations; Andy Martin, seventh place, Business Calculations; Lessi Johnson, fourth place, Business Communications; Evan Rogers, sixth place, Intro to Information Technology; Jose Hernandez, seventh place, Intro to Information Technology; Josie Drake, fourth place, Economics; Michael Bravo, sixth place, Economics; Nix Hooks, sixth place, Personal Finance; Mitali Patel, first place, Personal Finance; Jared Drake and Andy Martin, third place, Sports and Entertainment Management team; Ruchit Patel and Paul Warren, first place, Sports and Entertainment Management team; and, Krishi Patel, second place, Accounting I; Skylar Stephens, third place, Accounting I; and Lance Hutcheson, fourth place, Accounting I.
Others placing in events included: Malaysia Lockett, fourth place, Entrepreneurship; Savannah Reynolds, third place, Global Business; Manuel Fernandez and Evan Rogers, third place, Graphic Design; Sam Peebles, third place, Help Desk; Lance Hutcheson, second place, Help Desk; and Samuel White, first place, Help Desk; Cormizhia Durden, Layla Connor and Treazure Franklin, third place, Hospitality Management team; and, Jessalyn Young, seventh place, Marketing.
Overall, Swainsboro FBLA placed first in the Region 4 Sweepstakes Competitive Events Award with Evans High School of Columbia County in second and Metter High School in third.
In addition to a variety of business-related competitions, members also had the opportunity to participate in informative leadership workshops. Workshops were presented by region and state officers on a variety of business topics. Many SHS FBLA members also served as conference hosts and assisted in competitions and food service. After the competition, members enjoyed a meal from Ware’s BBQ and attended the Awards of Excellence Program held in the auditorium.
JoBeth Walker, Donald Avery, and Cherie Hooks are the SHS FBLA advisers, and Hooks serves as the Georgia FBLA Region 4 conference coordinator.
