Category Archives: FBLA

Hay Springs High School students represented the school with pride and professionalism at the 2026 Nebraska FBLA State Leadership Conference held in Kearney last week. The conference brought together students from across the state to compete, network, and develop leadership skills.

Jacob Dorshorst earned outstanding recognition in two competitive events, placing 3rd in Intro to Business Communications and 2nd in Intro to Business Procedures. These events test the student’s understanding of workplace communication, business terminology, office skills, and professional practices. These placings earned Jacob a slot at Nationals.

In addition to competing, Jacob also served as a Student Backstage Manager for the State Leadership Conference. The Student Backstage Manager assists in the creation and production of the Nebraska FBLA State Leadership Conference general sessions. Students in this role help coordinate facilities and vendors and may be on a headset to manage backstage operations during live productions and the Awards of Excellence Programs. This position requires professionalism, communication skills, and the ability to work under pressure — qualities this student demonstrated throughout the conference.

Easton Mintken also attended the conference, participating in workshops, leadership activities, and competitive events. Their involvement demonstrates a commitment to growing as future business leaders and contributing to the continued success of the Hay Springs FBLA chapter.

The Chadron State College Business Academy hosted its ninth annual Best of the West Business Competition on Wednesday, January 28, welcoming 173 students from eight Nebraska high schools. Competitors tested their skills in a wide range of business-related events, including Agribusiness, Accounting, Business Calculations, Business Communications, Economics, Introduction to Business, Introduction to FBLA, Introduction to Financial Mathematics, Job Interview, Marketing, and Personal Finance.

Hay Springs Public Schools was proudly represented by nine students this year, and three earned top-five finishes in their events:

1st Place — Introduction to Business – Easton Mintken
2nd Place — Introduction to Financial Mathematics – Jacob Dorshorst
3rd Place — Introduction to Agribusiness – Braydon Heiting

The contest, co-sponsored by Chadron State College and the Nebraska Council on Economic Education (NCEE) follows Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competitive guidelines and serves as valuable preparation for the upcoming FBLA State Leadership Conference.

We are proud of our students for their hard work, professionalism, and outstanding performance!

The FBLA team completed State FBLA in Kearney, NE over the last few days and had great success. We have two national qualifiers.

Lilly Dorshorst placed 1st in Spreadsheet Applications, 4th place in UX Design, and an honorable mention in Computer Problem Solving.

Jacob Dorshorst received 1st place in Introduction to Business Communications and 2nd place in Introduction to Business Processes.

The entire team did a great job representing Hay Springs!

The Hay Springs FBLA chapter participated in the Best of The West Business Competition in Chadron last Wednesday. Students competed in a wide range of business tests, each consisting of 100 questions to be completed within one hour. This year, we had eight students attend, with two placing in multiple categories.

Lilly Dorshorst achieved 2nd place in Personal Finance and 3rd place in Business Communications. Jacob Dorshorst secured 2nd place in FBLA Principles and Procedures and 5th place in Intro to Business.

We are excited to announce the outstanding achievement of two of our students in the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State competition, where their hard work has earned them a spot at the national competition.

After preparation and competition at the state level, our FBLA team came out on top, securing their place among the top performers in the state and earning the opportunity to represent our school on the national stage.

Abigail Russell showcased her talent across multiple events, achieving successful results in each. Her skills earned her 7th place in Business Calculations, 5th place in Banking and Financial Systems, and a victorious 1st place in Agribusiness, securing her spot at Nationals.

Lillian Dorshorst achieved remarkable success by placing in the top three positions in two competitive events. Her performance secured her third place in UX Design and second place in Computer Applications. These achievements have earned her a spot to go to Nationals.

On Monday, April 3rd the Hay Springs FBLA(Future Business Leaders of America) Chapter attended the state conference in Kearney. We had a great time competing in many different business competitions, with over 1,900 students registered.

Aside from the competitions students also attended business sessions and learned a lot about leadership, how to begin your career, how to brand yourself for job searches, the importance of building communication skills, and the process of developing ethical decisions.

Our chapter had great success at this year’s competition. We have 2 National Qualifiers and a few more may get the opportunity to compete nationally as well because they placed in the top 7% giving them Honorable Mention slots. Students are only allowed to compete in one individual event and one team event at Nationals.

Hay Springs Results:
Agribusiness(201 students): Abigail Russell – 8th Place, Jett Rasmussen – HM 13th Place

Business Communications(203 students ): Mason Marcy – HM 9th place

Computer Applications(59 students): Lillian Dorshorst – 5th Place

Introduction to Business Communications(373 students): Lillian Dorshorst – HM 15th Place

Introduction to Information Technology(179 students ): Lillian Dorshorst – 3rd Place National Qualifier

Marketing(53 students): Jett Rasmussen – 1st Place National Qualifier

Personal Finance(421 students): Mason Marcy – HM 18th