Nine members of the Auburn Middle School Future Business Leaders of America chapter recently returned from an impactful week at the FBLA National Leadership Conference, held from June 28 through July 2 in San Antonio. The high-profile event brought together nearly 20,000 attendees from across the United States, offering young leaders a chance to showcase their skills, network with peers, and compete at the highest level.

Representing both their school and the state of Virginia, the participating students included Christian Hash, Caiden Richards, Eli Smith, Lucas Barber, Ian Doyle, Liliana Polanco, Kendall Ratcliff, Remi Stump, and Samuel Zhu. Throughout the conference, the delegates engaged in competitive events, attended leadership workshops, and collaborated with fellow FBLA members from nationwide chapters.

Highlighting the school's achievements, the team of Christian Hash, Caiden Richards, and Eli Smith earned eighth place nationally in the Exploring Digital Video Production competition. The trio was celebrated for demonstrating exceptional creativity, technical skill, and collaborative effort to secure a top-ten finish among elite middle school competitors.

In addition to individual competitive success, the Auburn Middle School FBLA chapter received significant organizational honors. The chapter was officially named a Gold Seal Chapter, a distinction awarded to the top 15 percent of FBLA chapters nationally. This designation reflects a comprehensive year of student involvement, including success in regional competitions, leadership development activities, local community service projects, and high chapter engagement.