The Mount Pleasant ISD Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Middle Level, grades 5th – 8th, competed at the State Leadership Conference in Round Rock on February 23-25. Thirty-six MPISD middle level students representing Wallace Middle School and Mount Pleasant Junior High made the trip to the Kalahari Resort with all 36 placing in their events and 27 qualifying for Nationals.

Placing first in their events and advancing to Nationals are:

Annual Chapter Activities Presentation

Emily Arrington, Nicolas Gonzalez & Zuniga Zoe

Career Exploration

Hudson Rider

Career Research

John Hollis Chamness

Community Service Presentation

Sage Jordan & Jeta Means

Critical Thinking

Anna Henry, Chloe Mancera & Mallory Mancera

Exploring Business Ethics

Jimmy Aguilar & Jaliyah Brown

Exploring Business Issues

Valeria Aguilar, Kaylee De La Cruz & Yamilex Rodriguez

Exploring Computer Science

Carter Cameron

Exploring Economics

Sebastian Cates

Exploring Public Speaking

Jaretzy Villeda

Exploring Technology

Kolten Heeren

Exploring Website Design

Aubree Hawkins, Logan Latiolais & Sebastian Otero

FBLA Mission & Pledge

Emilee Martinez

Financial Literacy

Jake Jones

Video Game Challenge

Hatzael Antolin, Tristan Kirkland & Joshua Morrison

Also placing in their events were:

Business Etiquette

Nathaniel Martinez – 3rd place

Digital Citizenship

Ian Crockett – 2nd place

Exploring Computer Science

Cesar Munoz -2nd place

Exploring Leadership

Taisha Chong- 2nd place

FBLA Concepts

Ayleen Rodriguez – 2nd place

Financial Literacy

Yaden Villanueva – 4th place

Marketing Mix Challenge

Cassidy Burns & Abi Verner – 2nd place

In addition, eighth-grader, Sage Jordan, made history by being named the very first Texas Middle School Ambassador. In this new role, she will work closely with the newly elected Texas FBLA officers, representing middle school students and helping to shape the future of the organization. Seventh-grader, Jimmy Aguilar, was named Who’s Who and eighth-grader, Jaliyah Brown, was named Outstanding Middle Level member for the Mount Pleasant Middle Level chapter.

“Attending the Future Business Leaders State Leadership Conference in Round Rock, Texas, was an incredible experience for Mount Pleasant Middle Level students,” said advisor, Dana Armstrong. “A total of 36 students, accompanied by five dedicated advisors, participated in various competitive events, showcasing their knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities. Their hard work and determination paid off, making this event a memorable success for all involved. Beyond the competitions, students had the opportunity to unwind and celebrate their achievements at the waterpark, creating lasting memories with their peers. A special thank you goes to my fellow advisors, Matthew Armstrong and Daisy Banda, for their unwavering dedication and support. Additionally, heartfelt appreciation is extended to Nathan and Lisa Rider for their continued encouragement and contributions to our FBLA chapter. Their guidance and commitment played a significant role in making this conference a successful and rewarding experience for our students.”

Mount Pleasant ISD FBLA Middle Level was chartered at Wallace Middle School in the fall of 2018 with the help of Matthew Armstrong, 2018-19 MPHS FBLA President and Texas FBLA Area 6 State Vice-President, along with the MPHS FBLA advisor, John Whitten. In 2021 the group expanded to include members from Mount Pleasant Junior High.

The FBLA National Leadership Conference is set for June 29-July 3 in Anaheim, CA. MPISD FBLA Middle Level advisors are Dana Armstrong, Matthew Armstrong, and Daisy Banda.

Photos:

1: MPISD FBLA Middle Level at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock

2: FBLA Middle Level Ambassador Sage Jordan, Outstanding Middle Level Member Jaliyah Brown, and Who’s Who award recipient Jimmy Aguilar