Simsbury FBLA Team Competes in National Event in Chicago

Summer was a bit delayed for members of the Simsbury High School Future Business Leaders of America club, as they participated in a national competition - and emerged victorious.

At the FBLA National Leadership Conference in Chicago, IL, LifeSmarts team members and rising SHS juniors Joshua Hollis and Michael Seaman earned second place honors and cash awards.

The FBLA LifeSmarts competitive event begins with an online challenge during the school year, and the 12 top-scoring teams from each challenge are eligible to participate at the national conference.

The event, sponsored by the National Consumers League and VISA, included both preliminary written testing and “buzzer round” responses in the final matches and required extensive general knowledge ranging from consumer topics to questions concerning science, math, and the U.S. Constitution.

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Eighteen Simsbury FBLA members participated in the six-day conference, which offered competitive events, leadership workshops, and opportunities to experience the city of Chicago.

FBLA membership is open to all SHS students interested in business. Serving as advisor to the club is SHS Business teacher Deborah Manning, who accompanied the students on the trip, along with SHS Business teacher Douglas Nielson.

“These Simsbury students showcased their talents as future business leaders and networked on the national level,” said Manning in a statement. “The SHS chapter grew to 108 members this year, and this surge in membership demonstrates an increasing desire to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and the self-confidence needed to be adaptable and resilient in a changing workplace. FBLA encourages students interested in business to become motivated for successful careers by developing leadership skills, and the national conference provides the capstone experience that gives students the competitive edge.”

Photo: Back row: James Shaffer, Tobias Gattinger, Dan Peluso, Nick Sullivan, Michael Seaman. Middle row: Matt Safft, Maxwell Skalski, Ben Smith, Haley Latorre, Meredith Starrett, Katie Tietje, Michael Berman, Josh Hollis, Trevor Sebolt. Front row: Sammy Kratzer, Nikki Heller, Ana Cagganello, Nick Tefft. Photo courtesy of Simsbury Public Schools.