Students from all three Lee’s Summit R-7 high schools recently captured awards at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference with eight students qualifying for the FBLA national competition. The state conference was held in early April in Springfield and included workshops, keynotes and professional networking with Fortune 500 companies as well as the competitive events.

Students qualified for the national contest by placing first, second, third or fourth in their state events. They include Keaton DeGraeve, Mary Angotti and Hannah Keel, Lee’s Summit West High School, first place in website design; Tucker Knipp, LSWHS, first place in introduction to business management; Jacob Harris, Lee’s Summit High School, second place in insurance and risk management; Sara Alley and Jacob Harris, LSHS, second place in marketing; and Spencer Black and Drew Houk, Lee’s Summit North High School, third place hospitality management.

Other students from Lee’s Summit R-7 winning awards at state were Bryan Carter, Anthony Jaramillo and Jackson Phillips, LSNHS, fifth place in e-business; Andrew Balsman, LSWHS, sixth place in sales presentation; Kristen Scott, LSWHS, sixth place in introduction to public speaking; Jenni Plaskett, Lina Elkishawi and Ryann Elliff, LSWHS, seventh place in community service project; and Lailah Weatherspoon, LSHS, seventh place in mobile application development.

More than 5,000 students and advisers came together for the event, with over 150 business education related contests running during the event; contest topics range from accounting to website design, marketing to mobile application development. The FBLA National Leadership Conference will be held during June in Baltimore.

Missouri FBLA-PBL, a chartered member of National FBLA-PBL, is a registered 501(c)3. Their mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs. Missouri FBLA-PBL membership exceeds 15,500, making it the second largest state chapter of the organization in the nation and the second largest CTSO in Missouri.