Riverwood Students Win Awards At National FBLA Conference

From The Riverwood International Charter School: Three Riverwood International Charter School students competed in the 2018 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference in Baltimore, Maryland in July. Congratulations to junior Luca Maddaleni (Class of 2020) for placing 6th in the Help Desk Category and to Class of 2018 graduate David Antonino for placing 4th in the Marketing Team Event. Antonino and junior Chandler McCleskey (Class of 2020) also received the America Award, the highest level recognition for FBLA Business Achievement.

These students qualified for nationals by competing and placing at the March 2018 State Conference. At the state level, Maddaleni placed 1st in Help Desk and 6th in Computer Problem Solving. McCleskey placed 2nd in Sales Presentation and 4th in Introduction to FBLA. Antonino qualified as an alternate by placing in the Top 10 in the Marketing Team event.

The Help Desk and Marketing Team category requires competitors to first complete a timed objective test on the subject matter while the Sales Presentation category requires students give their pitch to a panel of judges. Adding to the excitement of the four day event is the tradition of not learning until 5 o’clock in the morning of the final day of competition the names of the top 15 students to advance in each category. After learning of their advancement, the Georgia students immediately proceeded to a mandatory 5:30am meeting with Georgia FBLA Executive Director Monty Rhodes.

Following a day of practice and preparation, the final performance event took place later that same day.

Help Desk is an interactive role-play scenario based on customer service. This event requires competitors to demonstrate an understanding of and ability to provide technical assistance to end users. Marketing is a role-play scenario where a marketing problem is proposed, and a solution is discussed. This event requires team members to demonstrate their knowledge of the fundamental principles of marketing. Sales Presentation presentation requires the effective delivery of a pitch that attempts to persuade someone with a planned sales presentation strategy of a product or service designed to initiate and close a sale.

The America Award is an intensive leadership development program that recognizes FBLA members for achievements in a variety of career-related projects, goals, and programs. High school students create a portfolio of real-world accomplishments and develop their business and leadership skills. The students complete all portfolio requirements prior to the National conference. Maddaleni and McCleskey are currently International Baccalaureate Diploma candidates at Riverwood; Antonino is in his freshman year at the University of Texas, Austin, studying Business Administration. The four-day national conference in Baltimore, Maryland, considered the pinnacle of FBLA events, brought together thousands of high school students from across the country (and world) to compete in leadership events, share their successes, and learn new ideas through workshops and exhibits. The Raider FBLA chapter looks forward to another strong year under faculty advisors Paula Chesser, Michelle Finley, and Veronica Randolph and is already setting their sights on next summer’s national conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Image via Riverwood International Charter School