The Ruston High School Future Business Leaders of America led the way as they won a record number of regional titles this year.
RHS FBLA captured 20 of the possible 50 regional championships (the previous record was 16) at the Louisiana FBLA Northeast Regional Conference. This was impressive considering that FBLA changed to a regional format with two districts competing head-to-head, meaning double the competition for the titles.
RHS FBLA won more titles than all of District I combined, with most of their victories were by underclassmen. The chapter excelled beyond expectations as the host school, assigned to lead regionals as RHS had Matthew Daulton as the District II Vice President. Further, LAFBLA State Secretary Moriah Jackson and State Parliamentarian Peter Owen represented RHS FBLA.
RHS members earned 14 excellent ratings with two members placing in two events: Aylen Ibarra (Accounting 1 and Introduction to Business) and Katelyn Williams (Health Care Administration and Organizational Leadership). The other excellent ratings were Brittany Gutierrez (Business Communication); Paola Gonzales (Business Law); Atta Biscomb Carpenter (Client Services), Jaden Jackson (Help Desk); Amiah Turner (Hospitality & Events Management); Meredith Edwards (Introduction to FBLA); Jakhia White (Introduction to FBLA); Owen Frick (Personal Finance); Aaron Fallin (Spreadsheet Applications); and Dymon Robertson (Introduction to Events Planning).
RHS members placed superior in 44 events, qualifying in each for the state conference. Half of these came from 11 members who placed in two individual events: Brianna Alexander (Help Desk and Impromptu Speaking); Atlis Britt (Health Care Administration and Human Resource Management); Grantham Cline (Introduction to Business Communication and Introduction to Business Concepts); Grady Everdeen (Computer Applications and Computer Problem Solving); Kevin Gipson (Accounting II and Word Processing); Chad Hamlin (Introduction to Financial Math and UX Design); Moriah Jackson (Business Law and Ms. FBL); Alham Mohamed (Entrepreneurship and Personal Finance); Makenna Pollard (Introduction to Business Communication and Introduction to Public Speaking); Mariah White (Introduction to Business Communication and Introduction to information Technology); and Slaid Woodard (Introduction to Business Communication and Journalism).
Continuing with superior ratings, individual recognition went to Paola Gonzales (Accounting 1); Jed Denny (Advertising); Owen Frick (Banking & Financial Systems); Briley Kent (Business Calculations); Jayden Henderson (Business Communications); Aaron Fallin (Business Ethics); Hanna Kang (Business Law); Josh Ramachandran (Computer Problem Solving); Atta Biscomb Carpenter (Impromptu Speaking); Purab Patel (Insurance & Rick Management); GiGi Daughtry (Introduction to Business Procedures); Severin Kirbow (Introduction to Business Procedures); Jakhia White (Introduction to PLAW); Alexis Thompson (Journalism); Peter Owen (Personal Finance); Jason Willis (Political Science); Amiah Turner (Securities and Investments); Lainey Bowen (UX Design); and Kimberly Gardner (Word Processing). RHS also added 3 team superior ratings: Hana Kang, Purab Patel, and Matthew Yates (Current Events); Gigi Daughtry and Meredith Edwards (Introduction to Events Planning); and Taylor Bernard, Annie Hoang, Josh Ramachandran, and Alexis Thompson (Parliamentary Procedures).
RHS FBLA sent 20 winners to the stage (19 individual champions and a team champion). Five members were a part of 10 championships alone (more than the total of any other school at the conference). These were Matthew Daulton (Business Management and Health Care Administration); Grisham Locke (Advertising and Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures); Thomas Rogers (Introduction to Business Procedures and Personal Finance); Anhaar Wasi (Computer Problem Solving and Cyber Security). Claiming an individual championship and a team championship was Jackson Frederick (Spreadsheet Application and Marketing).
As Billy Mays used to say, “but wait….there’s more.” RHS FBLA brought home another nine individual championships: Lainey Bowen (International Business); Jed Denny (Economics); Kimberly Gardner (UX Design); Jayden Henderson (Accounting II); Jaden Jackson (Client Services); Briley Kent (Public Speaking); Peter Owen (Supply Chain Management); Dymon Robertson (Introduction to FBLA); Jason Willis (Mr. FBL); and Matthew Yates (Organizational Leadership). Closing out the championships was Severin Kirbow, the other half of the Marketing Team.
RHS Primary Adviser Lloyd R. Bruner said he could not be prouder of his young chapter and his 4 capable and supportive advisers.
“Louisiana Tech was an excellent host and took care of our every need, professionally and with great enthusiasm,” Bruner said. “My advisers kept the members in check as I spent most of my time coordinating between Louisiana Tech, the state HQs, regional advisers, students, our great RHS administration, security and many others. With a completely new state officer team that had never worked together before, I had to walk them through some of their duties and teach them on the fly how to handle the ceremonies, the transitions, introductions, and many other formalities that they would normally have received by the state HQs.”
The other four RHS advisers kept everything flowing smoothly so students could focus on their events and assignments.
Adviser Dori Lewis ensured the student center events ran smoothly
“I was proud of how many chapter members participated in our student center activities, especially those who hosted tables and those who prepared special cards and letters for the kids at ACH and Little Helpers,” Lewis said.
Adviser Melanie Garrison retired from teaching but not FBLA as she brought her expertise and experience to ensure that students remained focused and showed up at their designated times.
Adviser Jennifer Ham added, “Although this is a young chapter, they did well. I can’t wait to see how they perform when they gain even more experience.”
She should know as her two children were past champions in FBLA, with her daughter Joanna, the fourth RHS adviser who assists. Joanna, a past Who’s Who in Louisiana FBLA recipient when she was a member of RHS FBLA, now serves as the Louisiana Tech Phi-Beta Lambda (PBL) President, the college version of FBLA, and spoke to the members during opening ceremonies on college life and more.
RHS FBLA could hardly have asked for a better first Louisiana FBLA Northeast Regional Conference, a better host than Louisiana Tech or a better showing by their own chapter. Now they must focus that same energy that made records at regionals towards the state conference that will be held March 27-29 at the University of Louisiana -Lafayette.
