The Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference began on April 24, 2025, bringing spirit and passion as business students across California joined together to compete for a spot at Nationals. As students filed into the Anaheim Hilton, tensions ran high as competitors prepared for the first round of objective tests. Yorba Linda High School’s FBLA was one of the chapters representing the Southern Section, led by the section advisor, Madison Waltemeyer, and the student board. 

On the first day, people with tests completed their last-minute studying and went to the testing site. At night, the Southern section gathered and played trivia, requiring students from different chapters to work together in their combined teams. FBLA is not just a competition, but also a chance to meet new people with similar interests and perspectives. The Southern Section board members said their farewells as they passed their positions to the incoming elected officers of the section. Afterward, everyone either retreated to their hotel rooms or left for home to rest before the next day.

Each California region met at the opening ceremony in the morning, and hundreds of FBLA members crowded the ballroom. From acknowledgments of long-term FBLA advisors to Emmy-winning guest speaker Bernie Su, the ceremony was an exceptional way to demonstrate pride in FBLA chapters across California. Students in roleplay events also discovered if they had moved on, and those who did began prepping for the final round.

After the roleplay events concluded, competitors and schools waited in anticipation for the final award ceremony to begin. During the awards, schools demonstrated their enthusiasm by cheering as each chapter’s president called out their respective schools. Yorba Linda High School won several events, with four individuals/groups moving on to Nationals. Congratulations, Mustangs! 

While FBLA boasts a multitude of competitions and awards for students to work toward, the program is the perfect place to develop communication and leadership skills through interacting with various people. Megan Tsou (12), YLHS’s FBLA president, shares her experience on FBLA: “While competition and professional development are both integral to the FBLA experience, connecting with other students at local chapter meetings and leadership conferences throughout the year has made FBLA one of the highlights of my high school career. From planning our next big event to hanging out at study sessions to cheering and screaming at awards ceremonies, FBLA has given me the opportunity to build life-long friendships while also developing my leadership skills.”

While competing may seem daunting, most events do not require expertise in the subject and only need time and effort to earn a winning place. Do not let the fear of failure deter you from trying something new. Moreover, students in CTE (Career and Technical Education) classes should consider joining FBLA not just for the competitive aspect but also for the valuable connections and memories. As you enter regional, state, and national conferences with YLHS FBLA, it feels much like a team and a family. As Madison Waltemeyer (S) says, “The FBLA family is very supportive of one another; it is the perfect place to develop a close-knit community.”