Fourteen competitors qualify for state FBLA competition

Fifteen students from LSMSA competed in the FBLA District III Leadership Conference held on Friday, Feb. 9, on the campus of Northwestern State University.

Fourteen qualified for state competition to be held March 25-27 at the Lafayette Convention Center and Cajun Dome in Lafayette.

Students competing included Cooper Miller, a junior from Natchitoches; Autumn Downen, a senior from Choudrant; Cynthia Russell, a junior from Pitkin; Jada Bezue, a junior from Hammond; Gabriella Papillion, a senior from Oberlin; Marcus Shallow, a senior from Elton; Pasha Farley, a sophomore from Campti; Ryann Hamilton, a sophomore from Baton Rouge; Chirstan Bates, a sophomore from Ruston; Kathryn Lee, a sophomore from Natchitoches; Funke Adeleye, a sophomore from Natchitoches; Nicholas Adams, a sophomore from Zachary; Joan Sporer, a junior from Leesville; Alena Noakes, a senior from Dry Prong; and Emery Haynes, a sophomore from Prairieville.

Miller won first place in business calculations; Downen rated superior in hospitality management and placed first in business communication; Russell rated superior in business communication and personal finance; Bezue rated superior in personal finance and excellent in job interview; Papillion rated superior in computer applications and word processing; Shallow rated superior in word processing and health care administration; Farley placed first in introduction to business; Hamilton rated superior in introduction to business; Bates rated superior in introduction to business communication and marketing; Lee placed first in introduction to financial math; Adeleye rated superior in introduction to financial math and introduction to FBLA; Adams placed first in introduction to information technology; Noakes placed first in journalism; and Sporer rated superior in organizational leadership.

FBLA is a non-profit education association with a quarter million students preparing for careers in business and business-related fields.

Headquartered in Reston, Va., FBLA is organized on local, state and national levels. Business teachers, advisers and advisory councils guide local chapters. State advisers and committee members coordinate chapter activities for the national organization.