Decorah FBLA Sends Seven to National Leadership Conference

Your contribution today guarantees Decorah News is asking the questions tomorrow. Act now. DECORAH — Students from Decorah High School earned top honors and multiple national qualifications at the Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference, held March 29–31 in Cedar Rapids. During the three-day event, students competed in business-related contests, attended workshops and participated in leadership development activities with peers from across Iowa. The conference concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing top performers. Students placing in the top four of each event qualified for the FBLA National Leadership Conference, set for June 29 through July 2 in San Antonio, Texas. Seven Decorah students qualified for nationals across five events: Parliamentary Procedure: Sawyer Courtney, Clarence Nimrod, Oak Pasche, Liam Huang and Brandi Nehls (third place) Digital Animation: Clarence Nimrod (third place) Real Estate: Sawyer Courtney (second place) Introduction to Business Concepts: Claire Ko (third place) Financial Statement Analysis: Keaton Riehle (second place) In total, 18 Decorah students competed at the state level. Ten additional students placed in the top 10: Financial Planning: Ian Giddings, Mitchell Stemper, Oliver Bollinger (fifth place) Introduction to Business Presentation: Claire Ko, Molly Kuehner, Poppy Bellrichard (sixth place) Introduction to Social Media Strategies: Claire Ko, Molly Kuehner, Poppy Bellrichard (sixth place) Entrepreneurship: Kelby Kerndt (seventh place) Retail Management: Ian Giddings (seventh place) Networking Infrastructures: Oliver Bollinger (eighth place) Social Media Strategies: Josephine Lockhart (eighth place) Impromptu Speaking: Griffin Brauer (10th place) Students placing fifth through 10th remain eligible for national competition through FBLA's "bump" process if higher-ranked qualifiers are unable to attend. Four Decorah students are currently within range of advancing. Junior Josephine Lockhart also competed in the Iowa FBLA state officer election process. "We have an incredible group of Decorah FBLA members who have worked diligently to achieve these awards," said Kara Trettin, Decorah High School business teacher. "I am consistently impressed with their dedication and commitment to business education and am excited to see what they can achieve at nationals." Keaton Riehle said qualifying for nationals marked a significant milestone. "Competing at the State Leadership Conference and qualifying for the National Leadership Conference was an incredible experience that has helped me develop professionally," Riehle said. "After falling short last year, I was ready for another opportunity. At nationals, I'm looking forward to networking with other students and entrepreneurs and delivering a strong performance in Financial Statement Analysis." The Decorah FBLA chapter is seeking sponsorships to help offset travel costs for the national conference. Those interested in supporting the team can contact Trettin at kara.trettin@decorah.school. Your inbox, upgraded! Subscribe for free and enjoy handpicked stories, helpful advice, and local insights delivered weekly.