Shenandoah Valley’s new FBLA chapter qualifies two for state competition
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Shenandoah Valley's first ever FBLA state qualifiers, Cesar Estrada and Laureny Salguero.
SHENANDOAH – For the first time in school history, Shenandoah Valley not only has a Future Business Leaders of America chapter, but two students will represent the district in the state competition.
Laureny Salguero, a senior, and Cesar Estrada, a junior, both qualified for states.
Salguero will compete in the journalism competition while Estrada is in cybersecurity.
The state competition is set for April 13 in Hershey.
Mrs. Laura Bradley, the chapter’s advisor, told the Sentinel Wednesday that the chapter began to form last school year and that this school year is the first full year. It’s the first time the district has had an FBLA chapter.
There are about 14 students in the program, Bradley said, with more students expressing interest.
The program also has support from local businesses and entities, including Grizzly Roofing, the West End Fire Co. in Mahanoy City, and the Rescue Hook and Ladder Co. in Shenandoah.
Bradley emphasized that the chapter is student-led, with members organizing fundraisers for the chapter and for a Mini-THON program which recently returned at the high school.
Chapter President Danna Chagolla was one of several Shenandoah Valley students to attend last year’s State Leadership Conference as the chapter was beginning to form.
“We were all very new to it,” Chagolla told the Sentinel. “So when we got there, we were just flabbergasted at the way everything works in FBLA. We wanted to be a part of that and be a chapter and we had such a great time at Hershey last year.”
“To me, FBLA is more than just business. Business is such a general topic,” Jayden Mulkusky, secretary, said. “There’s so much more to business. To me, it also meant making a lot of friends, connections, and ways of viewing people around our school that I never knew about.”
Mulkusky added that it’s allowing him and other members to bring the school together.
“Not everyone has that,” Mulkusky said. “It’s all about connections.”
That mission, Chagolla said she believed, is being accomplished through their efforts.
One of the highlights, Salguero said, was a contest organized during a basketball game.
“People could play one v. one with the Devils mascot,” Salguero said. “I feel like that one specifically brought everyone at the school, the team, and the community together.”
“We always want to give back to our community,” Mulkusky added.
As for the upcoming state competition, Estrada said “It’s time to start locking in.”
He said he’s been studying using flash cards and other tools to prepare.
“At the end of the day, I see FBLA as making great memories, making new friends and moments that you’re never going to forget,” Estrada said.
The Shenandoah Valley FBLA chapter, in addition to Chagolla as President and Mulkusky as Secretary, is led by Vice President Ava Antz and Treasurer Brayan Chagolla.
The officers will join Salguero and Estrada in Hershey.
Bradley said that she hopes the program will continue to grow next year and emphasized that the program is more than just business and many topics students can test and compete in go well beyond what most would expect from “business.”
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