Johnston business students advance to state competition

JOHNSTON, Ia. (Jan. 31, 2023) — Every student in the JHS Business club who took part in the Iowa Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) District Leadership Conference this past weekend has qualified for the state competition.

FBLA aims to inspire and prepare students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences. The group helps to prepare students for careers in business, entrepreneurship, finance, information technology and management.

Three FBLA district conferences were held across Iowa on Saturday, Jan. 28. Johnston students attended the one at Ankeny High School. The event included general sessions, competitive events, workshops, awards and other planned leadership and educational activities. Students competed in many business-related events with 16 area schools for the first time.

Only the top four entries in each qualifying event — such as agribusiness, advertising and marketing, political science, business calculations, job interview, health care administration, banking and financial systems, insurance and risk management, securities and investments, accounting, economics, international business, and sports and entertainment management — advance to the State Leadership Conference.

Every Johnston student came back with a top four finish and advanced to the FBLA State Leadership Conference, which will be held March 29 to April 1 at the Hyatt Regency Coralville Hotel & Conference Center. Here are Johnston’s outcomes at the district conference:

1st Place Awards

Josh Derkenne – Accounting I and Accounting II

Jeffrey Zou – Agribusiness

Anirudh Soni and Alexander Wear (team) – Banking and Financial Systems

Alexander Wear – Securities & Investments and Economics

Hannah Erickson – Healthcare Administration

2nd Place Awards

Anna Pietsch – Future Business Leader

Simon Buttery – Accounting II

Hannah Erickson – Advertising, Marketing (team)

Kyla Finley – Job Interview

Bethany Smith – Insurance & Risk Management, Marketing (team)

Nathan Fagaroos – Securities & Investments

Jeffrey Zou – Economics

3rd Place Awards

Damian Axtell – Accounting I

Arseni Ceban – International Business and Sports and Entertainment Management

Anirudh Soni – Securities & Investments

4th Place Awards

Anna Pietsch & Kyla Finley (team) – Social Media Strategies

Damian Axtell – Business Calculations

WIll Lammers – Political Science