NEVC FBLA AND FCCLA STUDENTS ADVANCE TO NATIONALS

On April 12, while competing at the state convention of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) – held in Springfield – the student team of Senior Emma Bruce and Junior Charity Middleton from Northeast Vernon County High School (NEVC) walked away with third place and an automatic qualification to nationals at the end of June in Chicago.
Middleton and fellow Junior, Avery Minor, had earned a Gold Level Award at the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Missouri State Convention at Tan-Tar-A in March and were among the top two in their category and thus qualified for the national convention to held in San Diego.
Said Laurie Bybee, NEVC’s Faculty Advisor for the school’s FCCLA and FBLA clubs, “While we’ve had students qualify for nationals before, we’ve never had students qualify for nationals in FCCLA and FBLA the same year, let alone an individual student qualify for both.”
The Gold Medal FBLA Social Media Strategies Presentation focused on developing social media awareness, brand awareness and turning customers into advocates for a Nevada restaurant. The winning submission in FCCLA Event Management dealt with the NEVC Junior Class Pie Supper and Auction which annually raises thousands of dollars for the class.
And since Middleton qualified for both national events, this creates a bit of a problem since the conventions meet the same week.
Said Bybee, “We hope they’ll let us send just one team member to the FCCLA Convention in San Diego so the other two can compete in Chicago.
This year, Middleton is Missouri FCCLA Vice-President of Community Service and will be State President for the 2022-2023 school year.
Middleton, Bruce and Minor expressed their gratitude for Bybee as advisor for both clubs. Said Bruce, “While she makes us do the work, she keeps us on track, handles a million details and makes it fun.”