Pam Dudding-Burch Contributing writer

Kaylee Pauley was excited and pleased to hear that she had won second place in the Annual Spring Future Business Leaders of America, FBLA Regional Conference in Accounting I.

Today’s competition for FBLA members is a bit different from years before. “They compete by taking an online test,” shared Wanda Reynolds, a Business and Finance teacher at Craig County High as well as the FBLA Sponsor.

Since Reynolds was their teacher, Hope Smithwick, the high school librarian proctored the test. “It was an in-depth accounting test which is based on the information they expect students should have learned,” Reynolds explained.

CCHS competes annually and has had winners in the past. However, due to the snow last year, CCHS was unable to compete on the date it was scheduled. Another student, Tarah Medley, placed third. “Both girls were surprised because the test was very difficult but that is their purpose in order to get the best students,” Reynolds said.

The conference was held at Virginia Western Community College on March 3. All of the FBLA members were welcome to attend and were given a tour of the college. “Sadly, the speaker was unable to attend, but the awards ceremony took a while to complete,” Reynolds shared. After the ceremony, Reynolds treated her students to dinner at Cici’s Pizza.

Pauley is scheduled to compete at the state level as well. If she cannot, Medley will be able to compete. The state competition will be online as well and given at their school. Afterward, on April 8, the state conference will be held in Reston, Virginia, where the winners will be announced.

“I am very proud of my students,” Reynolds shared. “I look forward to one of them competing and encourage them to give their best.”