Fifty-one students will represent MMI at PA FBLA State Leadership Conference

Fifty-one of MMI Preparatory School’s 78 competitors in ninth through 12^th grades advanced to compete at the Pennsylvania Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference, which will be held from April 9-11 in Hershey.

MMI competed against students from throughout Luzerne County during the FBLA Regional Leadership Conference and saw 24 students capture first place in individual and team events.

First place winners and their categories are: Jakob Schwabe (Accounting I); Alexander Kline (Business Communication); Kelisa Hysenbegasi and Mahum Ahmed  (Business Ethics); Kaitlyn Bellizia (Client Service); Zachary Young (Economics); Amanda Kalada-Kania and Alyssa Sweda (Entrepreneurship); McKenna Gallagher and Sydney Kohl (Graphic Design); Elliot Blasko (Impromptu Speaking); Samantha Sparich (Business Procedures); Jacqueline Snyder (Into to Public Speaking); Julia Snyder (Job Interview); Marc Lobitz, James Lambert, and George Palermo (Management Decision Making); Katharine Pinto, Philip Byriel, and Marcus Kassick (Management Information Systems); Chava Kornblatt (Organizational Leadership); and Julie Amentler, Kimberly Amentler, and Elizabeth Borchick (Publication Design).

Second place finishers are: Stephanie Zellner (Advertising); Madison Perchack, Talia Logerfo, and Aine Durako (Backing & Financial Systems); Hugh Solatu, Kai Mele, and Jonathan DeBellis (Emerging Business Issues); David Antolick, Nicholas Carrato, and Harry Kress (Marketing); and Morgan Long (Securities and Investments).

Students who placed third are: Marcus Danchision (Advertising), Robert Rinaldi (Intro to Business), Ethan Stine (Intro to Business Communication), and Andrellie Puntiel (Intro to Parliamentary Procedure).

Tyler Degenhart placed fourth in Insurance and Risk Management and will also advance to the state competition. Fifth place finishers Christian Badamo (Advertising), Jessica McClellan (Business Communication), Thomas Ansilio (Economics), Madeline Dryfoos (Insurance and Risk Management), Alexis Zola (Intro to Parliamentary Procedure), and Christine Park (Organizational Leadership) will also represent MMI at the state competition. Coleman Smith also advanced to the state competition in the Help Desk category.

Louis DeAngelo (Computer Game and Simulation) and Darren Zheng (Coding and Programming) will also represent MMI at the state competition after placing in the top 15 for state-only events.

Junior Andrew Decker will serve as the Region 16 co-vice president for the 2018-2019 term.

The teams of Carter Frask, Alexander Jordan, and Christian Yamulla (third in Global Business) and Gabriella Kupsho and Caelyn McGran (fourth in marketing) placed in the top four at regionals but did not qualify for the state championships.

MMI instructors Lisa Marie Ferry and Katherine Zucco serve as FBLA advisers.

Future Business Leaders of America is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational association of student members preparing for careers in business or who are interested in learning more about the free enterprise system. FBLA helps students develop leadership abilities and prepare for entry into, and advancement within, a business or business-related occupation. Members learn how to engage in business enterprise, how to direct the affairs of a group and how to compete honorably in competitive events. These activities help prepare students to be better employees and better citizens.