On July 1, 14 Future Business Leaders of America students competed at the 2018 National Leadership Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

Six of those students received first place in their categories including juniors Tanner Kalinowski, Jack Mettin, and AJ Taylor in the Computer Game and Simulation Programming; senior Spencer Falter and 2018 graduate Andrew Sautter for Network Design; and 2018 graduate Nathan Peterson in the Job Interview category.

Business teacher Pat Hinkle said she was proud of her students for all the hard work they had done to get to nationals.

“For me it’s very satisfying to watch them be successful,” Hinkle said. “I don’t know any other way to say it other than, good for them, because they’ll never forget the experience.”

Hinkle said she is thankful for all the help she and the FBLA students get.

“We have a lot of support in our department and across the building so I think it’s a team effort,” Hinkle said.

Mettin said he enjoyed the journey because it taught him how to be a leader.

“I was just so excited I jumped on my friends,” Mettin said. “It was just a great moment overall.”