To prepare for state, FBLA students competed at the Northern Area Conference on Jan. 23 at Warren Township High School where 11 out of 13 competitors placed.

The conference consisted of different competitions. Students took tests in personal finance, introduction to business, communications and also had performance events such as marketing and sports and entertainment.

Seniors that competed were Kyle Olson, George Gonzalez and Ethan Cuka.

Cuka won first place in computer game simulation. Gonzalez placed seventh in personal finance. Olson competed in economics and won tenth place.

“It feels really good winning first place. It was a fun competition and we got to do something neat. My event tends to be a little bit less competitive so there were less teams, but it is still a challenge especially since so much work goes into the final product. So I feel like it really paid off and I am happy for that,” Cuka said.

Juniors Maddie Smith and Marli Welch competed and both won seventh place in sports and entertainment management.

“It was a good feeling. We only had 20 minutes to prepare when I had to present to four judges which made it nerve wracking, but I had a partner which wasn’t that bad,” Welch said.

Sophomores that placed include Kyra Meyer, Dean McMahome, Mike Sawicki, Jack Brotnow, Matt Dupasquier and Shivani Dave.

Meyer and Dave took tenth place in marketing, Dupasquier won tenth place in introduction to financial math, Brotnow competed in introduction to business communications and took seventh place. Sawicki placed in seventh in introduction to business, and McMahon competed in introduction to business procedures and won second place.

Freshman Eric Latham took home fourth place in insurance and risk management.

“I am so proud of every single one of the students that competed. Our membership this year is a little low and we only had 13 competitors compete compared to Wauconda and Stevenson that had over 100 competitors. Eleven of our 13 competitors placed which is just amazing,” FBLA adviser Maria Wirth said.

To prepare for the conference, competitors had to look over study materials from the FBLA website and from business teacher Donna Durbin who is also an adviser for FBLA.

FBLA will compete in the state competition on April 1 and 2.

“The regional conference is a chance for the kids to get a good practice as far as what the tests may look like and what the presentations may be like. With regionals they can get that in and when they compete in regionals how they do determines if they can do the event in state or pick another event at state,” Wirth said.