Gemini said A medium outdoor wide-shot photo shows nine students, seven males and two females, as they stand on two different levels and pose as a group. Each male student wears a blazer or suit jacket with slacks while the two females wear nice dresses. The male on the far left wears a dark navy blazer and a light blue dress shirt with a bright teal blue patterned tie and beige slacks. The female next to him wears a black wrap-around style long sleeve dress while the male next to her wears a blue blazer with an off-white button-down shirt and a brown and yellow tie and brown pants. Directly behind him stands a taller student with a dark navy jacket over an off-white shirt and brown tie with beige slacks. The male next to him wears a light blue blazer over a blue and white striped shirt with a navy patterned tie and beige slacks. Beside him is a male student who wears a dark navy blazer with an off-white shirt and a navy tie and beige slacks. The female stands directly in front of him, wearing a dark red, short-sleeve dress and a beaded necklace. To her left is a taller female who wears a black scoop-neck dress and the male on her left wears a navy blazer over a light pink striped shirt with a brown patterned tie. Nine rectangular crystal awards with a pointed top are arranged on a black tablecloth in a horizontal row on the table in front of the group of students. The awards read, from top to bottom, "FBLA" in the middle of a triangle logo with "FBLA" written on each side of the triangle. Written in smaller font below is "Virginia." A row of silver kitchen equipment sits behind the students and they stand on a light-colored tile floor. A yellow and white paper sign is attached to the wall in the right-hand background and reads, "Warning." Small black text follows below. Two vertical blue bars frame the image on the far left and right.

Auburn Middle School FBLA Members Advance to National Competitions

Auburn Middle School

March 10, 2026

Students from Auburn Middle School represented their school at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Conference on March 7, 2026, earning several top placements and demonstrating strong leadership, creativity, and business knowledge.

Several students captured first-place honors in their competitive events. Lucas Barber earned 1st place in Exploring Agribusiness. The team of Caiden Richards, Eli Smith, and Christian Hash placed 1st in Exploring Digital Video Production for their creativity and technical skills. Ian Doyle also earned 1st place in Exploring FBLA, demonstrating strong knowledge of the organization and its opportunities.

Auburn students also earned multiple second-place finishes. Liliana Polanco and Kendall Ratcliff placed 2nd in Community Service Project for their work supporting the Alzheimer’s Association. Christian Hash earned 2nd in Digital Citizenship, Keegan Crawford placed 2nd in Exploring Animation, and Eli Smith earned 2nd in Business Concepts. Ian Doyle and Remi Stump also placed 2nd in Exploring Management and Entrepreneurship.

Samuel Zhu earned 3rd place in Career Research for his presentation on the career of Blockchain Engineers.

Because of their success, these students are eligible to compete at the FBLA National Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas, June 28–July 2, 2026. 

FBLA Adviser Ms. Kesha Belcher expressed pride in the students’ accomplishments and encouraged community support as they prepare for nationals. Community members can assist through upcoming fundraising efforts to help students attend the conference this summer.