Walla Walla High School Competes at FBLA Nationals in Anaheim
Anaheim, CA — Over 565 of Washington’s top business education students traveled to Anaheim, California, this summer to participate in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference (NLC). Among them were members of the Walla Walla High School FBLA chapter, who joined more than 15,000 students from across the country to “Dare to Dream, Dare to Lead” while showcasing their leadership and business skills on the national stage.
Only the top three percent of FBLA’s 250,000 high school and middle school students qualify for the National Leadership Conference, making the competition an elite opportunity. Nearly 11,000 students from over 2,000 schools in 48 states and territories competed in more than 100 business-related events, vying for cash prizes totaling over $120,000.
Representing Walla Walla High School at Nationals were Noelia Perez, Nahomi Sotelo-Navarro, Jakob Sullivan, Kaitlyn Billingsley, Graham Johnson, Cameron Morgan, and Lexi Sullivan. Each of these students earned their place at Nationals by excelling at the Washington State FBLA competition earlier in the year. In addition, Matthew Yao also qualified for Nationals but was unable to attend.
In addition to competing, WaHi students participated in leadership development opportunities, attending more than 120 educational workshops and networking with representatives from over 260 colleges, universities, and employers. The conference also featured keynote speaker and proud FBLA alumna, Karissa Bodnar, Founder and CEO of Thrive Causemetics and Bigger Than Beauty Skincare, who inspired students during the opening ceremony.
The WaHi chapter continues to make its mark in FBLA by preparing students for future careers in business, leadership, and beyond. Their success at the national level highlights not only the talent and hard work of individual competitors but also the strength of the program at Walla Walla High School.
