Halstead FBLA

We finished our week in San Antonio and made it home safely!

A note from Miss Forkenbrock 📝
I've spent a lot of time reflecting on this past week. No, we didn't bring home a national trophy. No, it wasn’t easy driving 10 hours one way with 14 students. No, Whataburger isn’t what I planned to eat three times in one week. But if you asked me if this trip was a success, my answer would be an overwhelming yes. This week was about so much more than competition. I enjoyed watching students step into unfamiliar places with confidence, challenge themselves against the best in the nation, encourage one another, build friendships, explore a new city, and create memories they'll carry long after high school. There is something incredibly special about watching students’ growth and I witnessed that in just a week span.

To our seniors, thank you for your dedication to Halstead FBLA over the past three years. Thank you for your leadership, your commitment to our chapter, your willingness to mentor younger members, and the countless hours you've invested in meetings, conferences, competitions, service projects, and fundraisers. You have helped shape this program into what it is today, and your impact will continue to be felt long after you've graduated. You will be missed more than you know, but we can't wait to see where your next adventure takes you.

To our families, community members, local businesses, sponsors, and donors, you are so awesome! Because of your generosity, our students experienced something that many will remember for the rest of their lives. Your investment in the future leaders of our community is huge!

And to this group of students, thank you for the laughter, the memories, and the privilege of being part of your journey. Watching you grow has been one of the greatest joys of my career.

Until next year…

We are three days into the FBLA National Leadership Conference in San Antonio and these 14 (of 16,000) students have already made memories that will last a lifetime! 💙

From traveling together, exploring San Antonio, attending leadership workshops, connecting with thousands of FBLA members from across the country, pin trading, and competing, it has been an incredible experience. We are thankful for the opportunity to represent Halstead High School and Kansas at the national level.

We are behind on sharing updates because we truly have been so busy, but here’s a glimpse of our trip so far! Stay tuned for results and a final recap at the end of our trip.

Emily Lehrman received $500.00 and was recognized as 1 of 5 Kansas Business Hall of Fame Essay Contest winners on May 19th. This is an impressive achievement as there were 115 entries this year!

Emily wrote about Bernard Warkentin and his impact on Kansas farmers and agriculture across the world. His leadership in agribusiness has inspired Emily to continue making her mark.

The KBHoF Award Ceremony was held in Cremer Hall at Emporia State University, where Miss Forkenbrock spent many college years studying for her business degree. What a special place to celebrate a special achievement!

One of the last units in Principles of Marketing covered visual merchandising and understanding how businesses attract customers and influence buying decisions. Students learned about focal points, display techniques (color, lighting, signage, props, and product placement), and target customers for specific products. After evaluating real-world retail displays, students created their own 3-D merchandise display. Take a look at some of their work!

Haspels wins 8th place in the 2026 Microsoft Office Specialist - Word State Championship Spring Qualifier

The winners of the 2026 Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Kansas State Championship Spring Qualifier have been announced by Certiport, a Pearson Business, the leading provider of performance-based IT certification exams that accelerate people’s academic and career opportunities.
Winning 8th in the Microsoft Office Specialist Word (Office 2019) category is Johnathan Haspels from Halstead, Kansas. Haspels competed against students from across Kansas to earn this coveted placement.

To compete in the Spring Qualifier, students aged 13 to 22 were eligible to participate in one of six competition tracks by submitting a qualified, passing score on the MOS Word, Excel®, or PowerPoint® certification exams by May 1, 2026. 12 Halstead High School students submitted their certification scores this year.

“We have seen amazing results from the MOS program at our school as students learn and validate key workforce skills,” said Michaela Forkenbrock, Halstead High School Business Instructor. “Johnathan will now have an important distinction to place on his resume that shows a desire to learn in-demand skills.” Miss Forkenbrock was also honored as a Certiport Outstanding Educator this year.

The Microsoft Office Specialist certification is the only official Microsoft-recognized certification for Microsoft Office globally and serves as a powerful instrument for assessing students’ skills and preparing them for real-world application of their knowledge.

We are so proud of our 15 students who have qualified for the National FBLA Leadership Conference in San Antonio, TX this summer! We're now looking for sponsors to help make this opportunity a reality. Whether you're a local business or an individual who wants to support our future leaders, we would be so grateful! 💙💛

Please check out the sponsorship letter and form attached. If you'd like to learn more, feel free to message us directly!

Thank you in advance!

Need a sweet start to summer break?? We’ve got that covered! 🥧 Our national qualifiers are selling Carriage Crossing pies to help fund their trip to San Antonio this summer. Check out the order form to see the variety of flavors to choose from.

💰$20 each

🗓️Orders due May 5th

📍Pickup or delivery in the Halstead area on May 21st

Message us, comment below, or contact an FBLA member to place your order! Thank you for supporting HHS FBLA 💙

Congratulations to the following members who placed in objective tests at State:

Ryan Jahnke - 2nd - Cybersecurity
Ryan Jahnke - 5th - Data Science & AI
Lydia Thompson - 9th - Healthcare Admin
Eli Wilcox - 2nd - Intro to FBLA
Lydia Thompson - 10th - Project Management
Lydia Thompson - 4th - Public Admin & Management
Parker Metoyer - 8th - Public Admin & Management

Ryan, Eli, and Lydia are qualified for Nationals!! 🎉