Business students win regional title
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com
Moorpark students won the tri-county regional high school Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competition for the 17th year in a row.

ELATED- Members of Moorpark High School's Future Business Leaders of America celebrate their victory.

Almost 100 Moorpark High School students competed against about 500 others from a three-county region on a recent weekend, adding to the local school's string of championships that stretches back for more than 16 years.

"This was the closest we came to losing in 10 years," said Zosia Blair, computer graphic arts teacher and FBLA adviser.

The students compete individually and as teams in various events, including marketing, entrepreneurship, parliamentary procedures and public speaking. They are required to compete in full business attire or they are disqualified. Moorpark High has 169 members this year, from grades nine to 12.

"This a monumental moment for our school and for the organization," said Shalini Karra, a senior at Moorpark High School and president of the club. "We have carried on the Moorpark legacy this year and hope the torch will be passed on next year as well."

Karra, who competed in word processing, plans to major in economics when she goes to college. "I just like learning about how everything works and the financial system," she said.

FBLA is an extracurricular activity that requires about six hours of extra studies to prepare for the competitions.

The Gold Coast Conference in West Ranch High School involved about 23 schools from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

Moorpark representatives pooled 404 points for individual and team efforts, earning a margin of 81 points over the secondplace finisher, Walnut High School.

"This sweepstakes award was the most important and hard-fought because we have never had a school come that close to us before," said Karra. "Due to our diligent hard work, talent and support from our adviser, we succeeded."

"I think it has become legendary," Blair said. "Each class has followed in the previous years' footsteps to bring home the trophy. This year several of our students competing weren't even born the first year we won," Blair said.

Moorpark kids are highly motivated to hit the books and study, the teacher said.

Forty-five of the 99 students will move on to the state competition in Irvine on the last weekend of April.

First-place winners in their events were Kelly Akashi, Arteen Algarzadeh, Andrew Choi, Adam Demonte, Michael Fantauzzo, John Grasel, Matthew Kay, Michelle Sistak and Justin Tung.