Mount Vernon High School FBLA students qualify for nationals

MOUNT VERNON - Twenty-two Mount Vernon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) students traveled throughout the state this year to compete in business and marketing events against some of the best FBLA students in the state.

Six teams from the high school earned top-10 placements, and two students qualified for the FBLA National Leadership Conference in San Antonio, Texas, in June, where they will compete against students from throughout the country.

"For a chapter our size, having two students advance to nationals is an accomplishment that reflects an incredible amount of dedication, preparation and perseverance from these students throughout the year," club adviser Brandon Thacker said.

Belen Cabrera-Atristain and Annalia Garcia-Muñoz qualified for nationals.

Cabrera-Atristain was second in the state in Customer Service, and Garcia-Muñoz was third in Job Interview and ninth in Impromptu Speaking.

Garcia-Muñoz said her experience at state was new and exciting. She said she joined the club to be close to her friends and didn't think she'd make it to finals.

Garcia-Muñoz is a member of other clubs, where she said she strengthened her speaking skills, but in FBLA, she was able to see the results of all her practice and not feel overwhelming nerves when presenting to the judges.

"(The) FBLA state conference helped me find confidence within myself no other club or event had before. That continues to impact my everyday life, and even helped me branch out to try out the run for senior class president. Ultimately, I succeeded in gaining the position, and I honestly have FBLA to partly thank for that," Garcia-Muñoz said.

State finalists included Heaven Castro and Karla Pitones-Angon, sixth place in Community Service Project; Daniel Fernandez-Santos, sixth place in Future Business Leader; Victor Quiroz-Palma, 10th place in Future Business Educator; and Annie Wu, 10th place in Introduction to Social Media Strategies.

Castro and Pitones-Angon's Children's Book Drive project earlier this year was in the top 10 in the Community Service Project.

The club is selling Mariners tickets to the Father's Day game on June 21 as a fundraiser to get Belen Cabrera-Atristain and Annalia Garcia-Muñoz to nationals.

Tickets are $22 and can be purchased by calling Cheri Duncan at the high school Associated Student Body office at 360-428-6100.

Proceeds will go toward conference registration, travel and lodging.

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 5:56 PM.