For the City Times

NEKOOSA – The Nekoosa chapter of Future Business Leaders of America joined nearly 1,900 fellow students and advisers at the State Leadership Conference in Madison on March 28-29.

“This was the first state conference being held in person since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and it was an exciting atmosphere as students donned their business attire to compete in over 70 different competitive events, elect the next state officer team, go on business tours, support the March of Dimes and so much more,” said a Nekoosa School District release.

“Nekoosa was represented by seven members who had advanced out of the Regional Leadership Conference back in February to vie for a spot at the National Leadership Conference in June. In order to get there, they would need to finish in the top four in the state to earn their spot at nationals.”

Students representing Nekoosa included: Lucas Arendt, Paradise Allord, Elizabeth Clouston, Brandon Swensen, Nathan Swensen, Lilly-Jo Stojak, and Alyssa Wahlborg.

The Papermakers had five events make it to the finals, placing them in the top eight in the state.

Final results were: Lucas Arendt – ninth place, Electronic Career Portfolio; Paradise Allord – eighth place, Job Interview; Paradise Allord and Lilly-Jo Stojak – eighth place, Community Service Project; Lilly-Jo Stojak – seventh place, Future Business Leader; Elizabeth Clouston, Brandon Swensen, and Nathan Swensen – fourth place, Local Chapter Annual Business Report; Nathan Swensen – fourth place, Political Science; Brandon Swensen – first place, Securities and Investments,

“The conference was also the culmination of a busy and rewarding year for Lilly-Jo Stojak who completed her term on the State Executive Board as the Region II Vice President. Throughout her time on the leadership team, she has worked to grow FBLA in Region II, a region covering all of central and northcentral Wisconsin, while never being sure if in-person events would be able to be held,” the release added.

“Lilly-Jo has presented at the National Fall Leadership Conference, hosted the Region II Leadership Conference at Nekoosa High School for over 500 students, connected with legislators, and will now pass the role on to Mason Gay of Owen-Withee. Stojak was the fifth Nekoosa HS student to serve on the FBLA State Executive Board since 2015.”