This past week was supposed to be FBLA Week due to the District 8 Leadership Conference that was held at Chesterfield Mall this past Tuesday, Feb. 12. While the plans of FBLA Week fell through at the school, FHN’s FBLA ended up with 22 out of 37 attending students place at the conference consisting of 24 schools from the St. Louis and St. Charles area.

“I thought our school was very spirited, and it was nice to see everyone dressed up and competing and excited about competing,” FBLA co-sponsor Angie Winship said.

Two FHN students qualified for the High School Leadership State Conference in Columbia April 21-23 at the District conference. Senior Jordan Stobart took 1st place in the individual performance event of client services to qualify. Troy Ostermann placed 2nd in the individual online test of introduction to business communication for his qualification. If either student moves onto the National Institute for Leaders competition, they will attend that in Anaheim, CA June 26-27.

“I was so excited,” first year FBLA member Stobart said. “Once I heard FZN got 2nd, I knew I got 1st. I was so excited I just jumped up and down.”

In December, Students had to chose what events out of the 40 offered they wanted to do with three being the maximum. To help those students prepare for the respective events, FBLA  sponsor Angie Mason found websites that would benefit them. While at the event, Mason said she was there for monitoring students, checking in on how they did and giving moral support.

“We did very well,” Mason said. “Before the events, I always gave them a little pep talk.”

For the conference, not all events were performed at the Chesterfield Mall. Many events were online tests that were taken Jan. 10-25 along with skills testing that was Jan. 15-25. Students who took the online tests were not required to do an event while at the mall. The events that students participated at while at the mall were held in various stores such as Macy’s, Dillard’s and the Cheesecake Factory. Events lasted anywhere from 20 minutes to two and a half hours, and the awards ceremony began at noon in the food court. The Chesterfield Mall remained open to the public during this conference, as well.

“I think [participating] helps develop leadership skills, and it gives them a glimpse of what it’s like in the business world,” Winship said.