FBLA Finds Success at Gold Coast Section Conference

Six SPHS entries qualified for state competition in Sacramento.

STORY ROSE VANDEVELDE

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South Pasadena High School’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America attended the Gold Coast Section Leadership Conference on Saturday, Feb. 11 in Westlake Village.

At the conference, students demonstrated and expanded on their business knowledge in competitions and workshops. They also had the opportunity to network with the students of other schools in attendance.

About 20 students participate in the SPHS FBLA chapter, which is led by advisor Cathy Mason and student officers, juniors Elijah Macias and Lance Leung, sophomore Miles Woo, and senior Roy Liou. In FBLA, students get the opportunity to participate and compete in multiple conferences throughout the year, including this section conference. Of the students, 13 traveled to the competition where they competed in events that ranged from spreadsheet applications to public speaking.

“It was the first time we had been back in person so I was expecting the students to get reacclimated into the culture of FBLA… [I was] very happy with the results,” Mason said. Of the 19 entries of both teams and individuals, six automatically qualified for the state conference in their events, which will be held in Sacramento this April.

The entrepreneurship, marketing, business management, hospitality and event management, and public speaking entries placed in the top six or top two results in their category in order to qualify for state, and some placed higher, such as hospitality and event management who placed first.

South Pasadena’s entries competed against over 500 other students in these events. Those who did not qualify for state, which in some competitions meant a top two finish, in others top six, can enter as a wildcard.

“My brother Miles Woo and I placed first in our team event hospitality and event management, and I placed fifth in public speaking,” FBLA member and senior Anette Woo said. “We also had many other members placing within the top ten spots of their competition, and [I] am overall happy with our results.”

At this conference, as well as at state conferences, students also have the opportunity to run for leadership roles which include president, vice president of membership, vice president of activities, secretary, and public relations. SPHS FBLA member Woo was elected last year as president for the state of California, a position that bears responsibility for over 6,000 FBLA members. This year she is serving out her term as president of the state with duties that include preparing for the state competition.

“I think the students had a good time, and I think most of the competitions that we won were team competitions so it was a collaborative effort which I am very proud of,” Mason said. FBLA’s next of multiple conferences throughout the year will be their state conference which will take place on Thursday, April 27 to Sunday, April 30.

Student qualifiers at the next conference will enter into their respective competition, as well as having the opportunity to compete as wildcards in events of their choice ranging from objective skills to public speaking.