From left to right, top row: Ayan Das, Gavin Zheng, Janice Zhang, Alyssa Jiang, Rebecca Jung, Grace Powell, Ella Ng, Susmita Pasala, Eddie Guo, Leo Seo

From left to right, bottom row: Kayla Eshelman, Heather Tan, Vivian Zhang, Erica Novosad, Tiffany Kim, Justin Silva

On June 28, 2024, 16 remarkable students ventured out to Orlando, Florida for the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference. These students underwent a rigorous state level competition and placed top 4 in their event to qualify for the National Competition. Throughout the Conference the students competed in their specific events which ranged from taking a test to presenting a case study or displaying a project. Regardless of the outcome the students came prepared and went on to represent Cinco Ranch High School FBLA at the Conference! While there, the students attended various business related workshops aimed to prepare and advise the students for their future endeavors. “I felt that I learned a lot from listening to the guest speakers,” says Heather Tan, a sophomore. The students were led by the Cinco Ranch FBLA advisors: John Bryan and Gilvaner Soares, in which all the students collectively agreed that they “couldn’t have done it without them!” Over the course of the week the students had the chance to interact with various different people from different states and made many connections along the way. Leo Seo, a junior, says that he “got acquainted with members of the South Carolina chapter and it was a great experience to talk to people of all backgrounds!” An activity that really sparked interest within the students was pin trading – when conference members are able to exchange their state’s pins with others. Grace Powell, a junior, explains how “pin trading was my favorite activity and brought about a healthy competition among the members!” The conference started and ended with a grand ceremony in which Susmita Pasala details was “very exciting and inspirational to see the National Leaders empowering students from all over the world!”

Competition Results:

Alyssa Jiang winning 4th place

After hard work and dedication Alyssa Jiang, a sophomore, placed 4th place in the FBLA event, Introduction to Business Communication. Alyssa had come to the conference in a rush after catching a late night flight to Florida from Hawaii. “I had to pull an all-nighter in order to prepare for my test,” Alyssa explained. In the end, she was beyond excited that her efforts had paid off!

Rebecca Jung winning 9th place

Rebecca Jung, a junior, placed 9th in the FBLA event, Client Service. She explains that many “hectic efforts” were spent “preparing, studying, and practicing for her competition.” Rebecca’s diligent studying produced remarkable results at the Nationals competition.

Tiffany Kim winning 10th place

Tiffany Kim, a junior, placed 10th in the FBLA event, Website Coding & Development. Tiffany spent hours prepping her presentation to perfection making sure it was up to par for the nationals competition. “It was the most stressful and unforgettable experience” she exclaims.

Disney and Universal Experience:

Justin Silva, Leo Seo, Eddie Guo, Grace Powell, Susmita Pasala, Ella Ng

Erica Novosad, Rebecca Jung, Janice Zhang

Ayan Das

Gavin Zheng

Susmita Pasala, Ella Ng

During the conference the students had the opportunity to go to Disney and Universal Studios and they all agreed that it was a “magical experience!” Ella Ng, a junior, says “I overcame my fears of riding scary roller coasters, and I now have a newfound interest in them!” The students were able to see all the different parks Disney has to offer and were able to eat a variety of character themed foods. Janice Zhang, a junior, explains that “The highlight of my trip was experiencing Animal Kingdom and all the realistic animatronics!” “Disney was definitely an unforgettable experience,” says Tiffany Kim. “My favorite memory from the trip was visiting Hogsmeade Village and remembering how much I enjoyed Harry Potter when I was younger,” says Rebecca Jung. According to Susmita Pasala, her favorite part of Universal Studios was “riding the VelociCoaster from Jurassic Park because of how fast and intense the ride was!” Overall, Disney and Universal Studios was a well deserved treat for the students, who will take the memories they made with them on their next stage of life. Who knows what these great kids will go on to accomplish. According to Leo Seo, “I look forward to next year’s journey with FBLA.” The students are forever grateful for their experience at the National Leadership Conference in Orlando Florida!

Article By Susmita Pasala, Reporter and Upcoming Senior at Cinco Ranch High School