Earlier this month, 2017 graduates from George C. Marshall High School, Ethan Epstein and Sam Hassett, competed at the 2017 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference and took home cash prizes for winning first place in the FBLA LifeSmarts competitive event from June 29 – July 2, in Anaheim, California. Epstein and Hassett were both coached by Marshall High School FBLA Adviser Rebekah Glasbrenner.

More than 14,000 of America’s best and brightest high school students from across the country gathered in Anaheim for the annual leadership conference, hosted by FBLA, at which top future business students compete in 65 events.
Sixteen FBLA LifeSmarts teams competed over the course of the two days of conference, accumulating points through buzzer matches, a team competition and individual written assessments from both members of each team. The top eight teams advanced to the second day of competition and competed in a knock-out bracket. The team from Marshall High School beat a team from Lynbrook High School in San Jose, California, in the final match.

Students attended the FBLA conference to enhance their business skills, expand their networks, and participate in business-related competitive events, including the LifeSmarts competition.

LifeSmarts is an educational and scholarship program run by the National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization. LifeSmarts competitively tests high school students’ knowledge of consumer awareness, with subjects including personal finance, health and safety, consumer rights and responsibilities, technology, and the environment. The free program is available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and in partnership with student leadership programs FBLA, as well as the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).