Local Students Attend North Dakota Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference

FBLA students in front of FBLA sign

By: Kelly Olson, Business Teacher & FBLA Advisor at DHS

Dickinson, ND—Members of the Dickinson High School Future Business Leaders of  America (FBLA) chapter attended the 56th annual North Dakota FBLA State Leadership Conference on April 2 – 4, 2023. Over 60 FBLA chapters from across the state participated in this conference, connecting approximately 1,150 middle and high school students to test business skills against their peers from around the state.

The most exciting aspect of the conference is the competitive events program. Students have the opportunity to test the business skills they’ve learned in the classroom in a variety of individual, team, and chapter events. Students can enter events such as accounting, computer applications, public speaking, job interview, website design, or business ethics. The culmination of the competitive events program is the awards ceremony, where winners are recognized for their accomplishments. We also find out who will represent North Dakota at the National Leadership Conference this summer. In addition to the competitive events program, students had the opportunity to attend workshops, vote for the 2023-24 state officer team, and network with members from around the state. This year, members also got to hear from keynote speaker, Brooks Harper, with his keynote, “Turning Learning Into Earning” showing students how academic success, relationships, leadership opportunities and digital citizenship impacts their college and career options and future earning potential.

The following students placed in the top 10:

  • 9th Place Accounting II  Samantha Harris
  • 5th Place Business Communication Samantha Ficek
  • 7th Place Health Care Administration Samantha Ficek
  • 9th Place Website Design Harlie Muggli and Haley Parsons 

FBLA is a professional organization for students interested in pursuing business careers. This year’s theme of “One Association for Service, Education & Progress” reflects the goals of FBLA members, some of the best and brightest of today’s young people. The mission of FBLA is to inspire and prepare students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences. To learn more, visit FBLA’s website at www.fbla.org, ND FBLA’s website at www.nd-fbla.org, or visit us on Facebook at ND FBLA or Instagram at northdakotafbla.