Carbondale, Ill (WSIL) � The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter at Carbondale Community High School has made its mark at the 2025 State Leadership Conference, bringing home five state championships and qualifying 11 students for nationals.
Held March 28-29 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield, the conference brought together 1,700 members, advisers, and guests from across Illinois. With 74 schools competing in more than 77 events, CCHS students stood out, placing in the top 10 in 23 different events.
Among the standout achievements: Five students earned the title of State Champion in their respective events:
Business Ethics � Robert Wigfall & Grant Hertzing
Business Management � Dylan Schoof
Impromptu Speaking � Hannah Thomas
Economics � Ryan Dai
The chapter also received the 3rd Place Robert T. Stickler Outstanding Chapter Award, solidifying its reputation as one of the top FBLA programs in Illinois.
With their success at state, 11 CCHS students have qualified for the FBLA National Leadership Conference, set for June 29 - July 2 in Anaheim, California. The team is now focused on preparing for the national stage and is actively seeking community sponsorships to help fund the trip.
Those interested in supporting the team can contact adviser Christi McGee at [email protected] or call 618-457-3371.
Full List of Winners
State Champions (1st Place - Qualify for Nationals)
Business Ethics � Robert Wigfall & Grant Hertzing
Business Management � Dylan Schoof
Impromptu Speaking � Hannah Thomas
Economics � Ryan Dai
2nd Place (Qualify for Nationals)
Intro to Public Speaking � Reka Nabe
Public Speaking � Arturo Almanza-Martinez
Spreadsheet Applications � Zoya Chowdhury
3rd Place (Qualify for Nationals)
Public Service Announcement � Jasmine Lee
Who’s Who in Illinois FBLA � Sydney Davis
4th Place (Qualify for Nationals)
Electronic Career Portfolio � Sydney Davis
Local Chapter Annual Business Report � Sydney Davis & Isabelle Hou
5th - 10th Place Finishers
Marketing (5th Place) � Emily Edwards
Website Coding & Development (5th Place) � Bill Xu
Word Processing (6th Place) � Jonathan Hawes
Broadcast Journalism (6th Place) � Shayla Murray
Organizational Leadership (8th Place) � Isabelle Hou
Digital Video Production (8th Place) � Awaab Alkhatim, Francis Bu & Hayden Mack
Human Resource Management (9th Place) � Laila Al-Asfour
Intro to Business Procedures (10th Place) � Sara Schurz
Job Interview (10th Place) � Sammy Albeedh
