The Oconto Falls High School FBLA adviser earned state recognition and an OFHS junior was elected to state office at the Wisconsin State FBLA Leadership Conference held April 13 and 14.
Adviser Tracy Tate received the Outstanding Local Chapter Adviser Award, also known as the Les and Rosemary Korbel Award, in honor of the husband and wife team of business education teachers who established FBLA at OFHS.
Tate will be honored at the national conference this summer in Chicago.
Brittany Russell was installed as the 2015-2016 state FBLA vice president and will help plan and run the state conferences and leadership workshops. She is also responsible for writing the annual Wisconsin report for FBLA and researching and recommending a community service project for the state FBLA organization.
She will be the fourth state officer to represent OFHS under Tate’s leadership, following Michael Poradek, Cassie Kussow and Jon Leja.
In her application for the position, Russell described the goals she’d like to accomplish and answered questions regarding FBLA. She campaigned at the state contest with the slogan “Vote for Brit, She’s a Hit,” and defeated two other candidates for the office.
Tate was selected as the outstanding adviser in the state for her contributions to the association at the local, state and national levels. OFHS is the only school to have two state winners; Al Perucco won in 1993, the first year the award was presented.
“It was actually a student who nominated her, and I think that speaks volumes for the relationship she has with the kids,” OFHS Principal Bruce Russell said. Tate was nominated by FBLA President Elizabeth Coopman.
“It’s great to be recognized like that,” said Tate, who has taught business education classes at OFHS for 10 years and, before that, at Marion for one year.
Tate sheepishly acknowledged she was not involved in FBLA as a high school student, although she was active in a similar organization, DECA, in college. As a student teacher, she co-advised FBLA and DECA.
“Oconto Falls High School has always been strong in FBLA, and I picked it up when I came here,” she said.
The chapter has 45 members this year and has had as many as 98 members. FBLA helps students develop communication, networking and leadership skills — plus confidence, Tate said.
Tate said the changes she sees in students from freshmen to senior year are amazing.
“They grow so much from FBLA,” she said.
According to Tate, the local chapter has become known statewide for its success in FBLA competitions.
“Since 2007, I’ve had national qualifiers every year, which is unheard of,” she said.
“She’s an awesome adviser,” FBLA member Mary Posig said. “She puts all the work she can into making sure we are prepared.”
This year, all of the OFHS students competing at the state conference placed in the top 10, and seven students placed in the top three, qualifying them for the National Leadership Conference. National qualifiers are Alexa Barribeau, Liza Leja, Corrina Romandine, Brittany Russell, Mikaela Thomson, Matthew VerVelde and Holly Virtues.
At the state conference, the Oconto Falls FBLA chapter received the Gold Seal Chapter Award, Membership Mania Award, second place Community Service Award, and fifth place Business Achievement Award of Excellence. Coopman received the Lorraine Missling FBLA scholarship.
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