Perhaps Kelly Shields, a normally soft-spoken senior member of the Jackson High School Future Business Leaders of America, best summed up the Jackson chapter's domination at the FBLA District 15 Leadership Conference Feb. 25.

"We kicked everyone's tail," she said.

The Jackson contingent qualified 23 members for the April 16-18 state leadership conference and all 44 participating members placed in the top eight. Additionally, Justin Thompson was elected District 15 president for the 2000-2001 school year, while Alicia Alderson was appointed District 15 parliamentarian.

"We fared very well," said Josh Pfefferkorn, current local, district and state president. "We not only did extremely well in competition, but came away with two district offers for at least the third year in a row."

"It was an exhausting day, but well worth it," Thompson said. "I got to meet a lot of new people when I ran for president."

"You don't just go there and win first and second place out of the blue," Shields said. "We worked very hard. Jackson is really well-known at district."

"I'm very proud to be from Jackson," said Abby Grossheider

The Jackson crew featured seven "double-winners," who took first place in two categories. Nathan Brown took first place in Accounting II and Entrepreneurship Team; Grossheider was first in "Ms. FBL" and Parliamentary Procedures; Brandee King took first in Description Manual and Machine Transcription; Shields was first in Job Interview and Public Speaking; Shelly Stover wont he gold in Desktop Publishing and Entrepreneurship Team; and Emily Unverferth was first in Computer Applications and Desktop Publishing.

Also taking first place were Alicia Alderson, parliamentary Procedures; Amanda Bollinger, Word Processing II; Katie Fink, Accounting I; Catie Myers, Parliamentary Procedures; Brandon Petzoldt, Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures; Pfefferkorn, "Mr. FBL/" Brett Price, Parliamentary Procedures; Donnie Rodgers, Business Law; Julie Roth, Entrepreneurship Team; Caleb Seyer, FBLA Principles & Procedures; Adam Sherinski, Parliamentary procedures; and Thompson, Introduction to Business Communications.

The District 15 conference was at Dempster Hall on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. Dr. Gerald S. McDougall, dean of the Donald L. Harris School of Business, was keynote speaker.

The Jackson students were impressed with the conference and its organization.

"It takes so many people working together to make something like this work," Pfefferkorn said. "SEMO facilitated it very well. The whole day ran smoothly."

The students were quick to praise sponsors Becky Riney and Kathy Hecht.

"We really need to thank them," Pfefferkorn said. "They put in so much time into it. It was real exciting to get a visible result for their work."

"I know they felt really good about it," Grossheider said.

Grossheider also offered some input as to the type of dedication needed by winning students.

"In Parliamentary Procuedure you have a five-person team," she said. "We met two to three days a week since December, studying rules and planning a Mr. & Ms.' skit."

Pfefferkorn believes Missouri's FBLA organization is one of the nation's best.

"The state (leadership conference) is indesribable," he said. "They bring in professional speakers and motivational speakers. It's really a big production. Missouri puts on one of the largest, most extravagant leadership conferences."

The FBLA members also expressed appreciation to the Jackson community for its continued support.

The complete list of JHS students who placed follows:

First Place

Alderson, Alicia-Parliamentary Procedures

Bollinger, Amanda-Word Processing 11

Brown, Nathan-Accounting II

Brown, Nathan-Entrepreneurship Team

Brown, Jason-Business Communications 11

Fink, Katie-Accounting I

Grossheider, Abby-Ms. FBL

Grossheider, Abby-Parliamentary Procedures

King, Brandee-job Description Manual

King, Brandee-Machine Transcription

Myers, Catie-Parliamentary Procedures

Petzoldt, Brandon-Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures

Pfefferkom, josh-Mr. FBL

Price, Brett-Parliamentary Procedures

Rodgers, Donnie-Business Law

Roth, Julie-Entrepreneurship Team

Seyer, Caleb-FBLA Principles & Procedures

Sherinski, Adam-Parhamentary Procedures

Shields, Kelly-job Interview

Shields, Kelly-Public Speaking

Stover, Shelly-Desktop Publishing

Stover, Shelly-Entrepreneurship Team

Thompson, Justin-Introduction to Business Communications

Unverferth, Emily-Computer Applications

Unverferth, Emily-Desktop Publishing

Second Place

Herbst, Tara-Businses Law

Mirly, Brad-Technology Concepts

Pfefferkorn, Josh-Impromptu Speaking

Soemo, Angela-Introduction to Business Communications

Thompson, Justin-Business Math

Unverferth, Emily-Poster

Jackson Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America

Third Place

Barker, Ryan-Introduction to Impromptu Speaking

Gould, Amanda-Business Communications Il

Lewis, Brent-Word Processing I

Ressel, Clint-Business Calculations

Sander, Melissa-FBLA Principles & Procedures

Soemo, Angela-Business Math

Stinson, Mary-Economics

Williams, Michael-Computer Concepts

Fourth Place

Brown, Jason-Business Calculations

LeGrand, Shelly-Accounting II

Mirly, Brad-Local Chapter Website

Myer, Ashley-Introduction to Parliamentary Procedures

Fifth Place

Price, Brett-Accounting I

McDowell, Alexis-Business Procedures

Frenz, Ryan-Computer Concepts

Schaefer, Matt-Technology Concepts

Sixth Place

Palisch, Matt-Economics

Sander, Melissa-Introduction to Business

Seventh Place

Beller, Layne-Marketing

Biri, Sarah-Business Procedures

Burnett, Melinda-Intemational Business

Myer, Ashley-Introduction to Business

Eighth Place

Bollinger, Amanda-Intemational Business