Five students from Valley Stream Central High School showcased their business expertise at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference from June 29 to July 2, competing against roughly 16,000 of the nation’s top student leaders.
The conference featured rigorous competitions testing business knowledge, professional skills, and public speaking abilities. Central celebrated two podium finishes:
- Sofia Vela: 3rd Place in Visual Design
- Aisha Khan: 5th Place in Introduction to Public Speaking
Juniors Kayla Duncan, Mishal Javed, and Alyssa Zen Singh also represented the school with distinction in the Graphic Design category, and demonstrated exceptional professionalism throughout the competition.
The Central students earned the opportunity to take part in the National Leadership Conference after successful showings at local, regional, and state competitions throughout the year.
“These students earned their spot at Nationals through months of preparation, practice runs, and back-to-back business competitions,” said advisor Mario Bakalov. “Their success reflects the Central community’s commitment to developing real-world business skills and leadership.”