Marquand-Zion students compete in FBLA Conference

For the first time in many years, 13 Marquand-Zion students competed in the District 12 Future Business Leaders of America Leadership Conference. 

Marquand Zion High School brought home the following awards: Angel Blake, senior, second in Agribusiness and fifth in Entrepreneurship; Chaley Dry, freshman, third in Agribusiness; Madison Tinker, freshman, fifth in Introduction to FBLA; Matthias Whitener, freshman, third in Job Interview; Jack Starkey, junior, fifth in Personal Finance; Jack Starkey, junior, and Daryann Whitener, senior, second in the team event Banking & Financial Systems; Madison Tinker and Matthias Whitener, freshman, second in the team event Graphic Design. 

April 13-16, FBLA adviser Crystal Stephens, will be taking six of these award winners who advanced to the State Leadership Conference to Springfield, to compete at the state level against more than 500 chapters. 

In an effort to raise money for this conference, Marquand-Zion students and staff participated in a district-wide Penny War Polar Plunge fundraiser where several staff members volunteered to be a candidate. 

There were jars with all 20 candidate’ names placed on them in both the elementary and the high school buildings. The teacher with the most amount of points in each building had to jump into the cold Castor River.

Coach Steffens won in the elementary with a total of 6,109 points and Mr. Dickey won in the high school with a total of 8,957 points. March 20, all the students loaded into the bus and went to Castor River to watch Mr. Dickey and Coach Steffens take the plunge into Castor River. They were both great sports and even went in twice so the elementary students could get a better view. 

Stephens and the FBLA members would like to thank everyone who made this event such a huge success. In total, they were able to raise $402.59. These funds will be used to cover the expenses of transportation and hotel fees. 

Pictured, from left, are front row, Chaley Dry and Madison Tinker; and back row, Angel Blake, Jack Lin Starkey, Matthias Whitener, and Daryann Whitener.

Coach Steffens and Mr. Dickey take the “Polar Plunge” in the Castor River to raise money for students to attend the state FBLA competition.