By Emily McCune
Alliance High School FBLA has had a very successful year! FBLA stands for Future Business Leaders of America. Alliance FBLA’s theme this year was to make an impact, and they sure did from learning from local businessmen and women, helping their school and community, to competing at state and soon nationals! This chapter of future business leaders has persistently tried to be the best leaders for their school, community, and country. Over the school year, students could be seen helping the less fortunate at food banks, cleaning up our school, and working hard on their competitions.
This January, Alliance FBLA placed second at the Best of the West competition at Chadron State College. Nine students placed in 8 different competitions, which are listed below. Alliance FBLA, however, wasn’t done competing or proving that they are the best. In April, 12 members traveled to Kearney, Nebraska, to compete against the entire Nebraska FBLA chapter. Walking away from the conference, members learned valuable lessons to employ in their personal and professional lives along with six students placing in the top 8 in the state and four students placing in the top 4%. While the school year might be coming to an end, five members’ FBLA journeys aren’t over quite yet. Kinzie Bridge, Emily McCune, Mario Rodriguez, Christian Soriano, and Mason Trumble have the opportunity to compete at the national competition in Atlanta, Georgia, this summer. The chapter’s success would not have been possible without the generous support of the chapter’s sponsors: Darren’s Carquest, Box Butte General Hospital, Westco, Alliance Community Pharmacy, Platte Valley Bank, Harris Sales, Snake Creek Landscaping LLC, Cover Jones Motor Company, PREMA, A Head’s Up, Carter’s Home, Hardware, and Appliance, Tim Lecher- State Farm, Steph’s Studio, Special Stitches, and Studio A. With the help of its sponsors, FBLA was able to complete nine ribbon projects with the support of AHS staff and the Alliance Public Schools Board of Education. Ribbon projects focus on making an impact in the school, community, and state through monetary donations, volunteering, and making a difference in the lives of students, staff, and Alliance families. To end the school year, Alliance FBLA hosted a need drive on April 17 through April 21 at AHS to collect diapers, food, clothes, toys, blankets, and pillows to donate to local community service groups. Combined with students, staff, and generous community members, AHS FBLA collected 1,656 items that we distributed to the Bulldog Backpack Program, DOVES, and the Alliance Public Library. All of which will directly made an impact on Alliance because of the generosity and kindness of Alliance members and FBLA.
Looking toward the future, the new officer team was inducted on Monday, April 17, 2023. The 2023-2024 officers are President; Emily McCune, Vice President; Mario Rodriguez, Secretary; Kinzie Bridge, Historian; Mason Trumble, Parliamentarian; Carlie Schneider, and they are ready to take Alliance High School FBLA to the next level of leadership, service, and progress along with all Alliance High School Future Business Leaders of America.
Best of the West Results:
Accounting: Matthias Benzel – 3rd
Business Calculations: Matthias Benzel – 5th
Business Communications: Simmi Kaur – 2nd
Intro to FBLA: Kinzie Bridge – 1st
Breanna Meggison – 2nd
Intro to Financial Math: Ayvrie Waldron – 5th
Job Interview: Carver Hauptman – 3rd
Marketing: Simmi Kaur – 4th
Personal Finance: Mason Trumble – 3rd
State Leadership Conference Results:
Intro to Business Communication 2nd Place – National Qualifier – Kinzie Bridge
Public Service Announcement 3rd Place – National Qualifier
Mario Rodriguez
Christian Soriano
Mason Trumble
Digital Video Production 4th Place
Mario Rodriguez
Christian Soriano
Mason Trumble
Spreadsheet Applications 7th Place – National Qualifier – Emily McCune
Human Resource Management 8th Place – Kalli Bridge
Business Communication – Top 4% – Abe Gomez, Carver Hauptman
Personal Finance – Top 4% – Carver Hauptman
Healthcare Administration – Top 4% – Simmi Kaur
Sales Presentation – Top 4% – Emily McCune