Oak Park students competed in the Gold Coast Future Business Leaders of America competition at Westlake High School Saturday, Feb. 4. Oak Park placed ninth out of 24 schools. Out of the 45 students who competed, 15 qualified for the April state competition in Sacramento.

Last year, Oak Park FBLA placed fourth and the year before, first. The Gold Coast section doubled in size this year. Newbury Park High School won first place for the second consecutive year.

“By promoting service and business education, FBLA not only educates but promotes good citizenship,” math teacher and FBLA advisor Michael Winkler wrote in an email.

The club, created six years ago, provides members with opportunities for conferences, service projects and business-related interactive activities. Conferences comprise knowledge and performance tests, both team and individual. Knowledge tests involve recollection and application of knowledge of various business-related topics such as business law and business calculations. Performance-based competitions test a competitor’s public speaking and interview skills.

“FBLA’s mission statement to further ‘service, education and progress’ is unique and works to build a well-rounded and knowledgeable student,” Winkler wrote.

Senior Rithik Kumar, FBLA club president, won first place in the Future Business Leader competition. This was Kumar’s fourth and final regional competition.

“The FBLA competition experience, as a whole, is wonderful. It is amazing to be able to network and make friends with over 750 students from Santa Barbara to the San Gabriel Valley all in one day,” Kumar wrote in an email. “FBLA promotes practical knowledge and allows members to learn and apply critical concepts at a young age. My favorite part of competition, however, remains meeting new people and making friends.”

Sophomore Anish Natarajan, currently in his second year of FBLA, placed first in the Introduction to Financial Math competition. According to Natarajan, FBLA provides students with useful skills and is a  rewarding experience.

“Even if you don’t want to go into business, it still provides you with necessary skills, such as how to keep your taxes, finances [and] how to calculate appreciation,” Natarajan said.

Junior Asesh Panchapakesan attended the competition for the third time. Panchapakesan said that FBLA competitions provide an opportunity for club members to not only meet like-minded individuals, but to also test their abilities against these same individuals.

“FBLA Conference is always fun. It’s the day when any work one may have put in comes to fruition and it tends to be a worthwhile way to spend a Saturday,” Panchapakesan wrote in an email.

Panchapakesan placed seventh in economics, qualifying for the state competition. He said he prepared by reading an economics textbook, as well as seeing AP Economics teacher D.J. Cook for help. In addition, juniors Itay Dvir, Jonah Scott and Jason Salzman placed third in Sports and Entertainment Management, a group competition.

“[Competition is] awesome — as you get to higher levels, the competitive spirit builds along with everyone’s passion for business,” Dvir wrote in an email.

Dvir also placed seventh in Business Calculations, qualifying for state competition in both categories. Dvir prepared for both by taking practice tests and studying a list of key concepts provided by FBLA.

“It’s great to see these kids all dressed up, competing, learning, growing, networking, gaining great experiences and having fun with friends,” Winkler wrote.