ATLANTA — Students from Northeast Community College won top prizes at the 2023 Collegiate National Leadership Conference of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Inc., the nation’s largest career and technical student organization focused solely on business.

FBLA’s annual National Leadership Conference, held recently in Atlanta, brought together 14,000 middle school, high school, and college members for dozens of competitive events with cash prizes, learning workshops and career development opportunities.

“I could not be prouder of these students. Not only were they top performers, but they are amazing individuals,” said Cara Hoehne, business instructor and FBLA adviser who accompanied nine Northeast students to the conference. “They have demonstrated their strong business, communication and problem-solving skills and knowledge from their Northeast classes by placing in the top of the nation against their peers. Any employer would be fortunate to have them.”

Nebraska FBLA members in all divisions took 71 top 10 awards at this year’s national event with nine Northeast students placing in the top 10 in their respective contests.

The Northeast team of Olivia Meaux of Norfolk and Emma Nelson of Albion placed second in community service project. Meaux earned second place in the small-business management plan category. Paul Einero of Cape Town, South Africa, and Kyra Louthan of Stanton finished fifth in business ethics. The team of Dayci Luttrell of Hebron, Eli McPhillips of Humphrey and Nelson placed eighth in management analysis and decision making. Nelson was joined by Rebeca Martinez of Norfolk and Jordyn Steffen of Hartington in placing eighth in emerging business issues. Luttrell, Martinez and McPhillips placed ninth in marketing analysis and decision making.

Also competing at the conference for Northeast was Mori Lopez of Neligh. Angie Shaffer, business instructor, is also an FBLA Collegiate adviser.

Northeast students earned 27 awards at the Nebraska FBLA Leadership Conference in Kearney earlier this year, including six first-place and eight second-place honors. Students earning first and second at the state conference automatically qualified to compete at the national competition.

The awards were part of a comprehensive national competitive events program sponsored by FBLA that recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas.