Five Tyler County FBLA Chapter members will represent Tyler County and West Virginia at the national FBLA competition in Atlanta, Ga., this summer.

Placing first and second, as well as meeting the new state benchmark, at the state level were Andrew VanCamp, first in Word Processing I and current state chapter treasurer; Tiffany Fouts, first place, Word Processing II; Cailin Prunty, first place, Business Communication; Leesha Miller, second place; Business Communication; and Roby Tallent, second place; Impromptu speaking.

Tyler took 18 students and advanced five out of 600 competing.

For Fouts and Tallent, nationals are uncharted territory, but the other three are veterans with their plane tickets in hand and bags ready to pack.

“I’ve never been on a plane before. I’m excited,” Fouts said.

Even with transportation secured, those attending will have to raise additional monies to cover registration, lodging, etc. To date, they’ve held a Longaberger Basket Bingo event, a 50/50 drawing and will hold a car wash May 17 in the Union Bank parking lot in Middlebourne beginning at noon.

They have received “generous” donations from Long Reach Federal Credit Union, Sistersville Elks Lodge No. 333 and Union Bank is noted for matching made during the car wash.

While all members will work to hone their talents to the last minute, VanCamp will pull double duty, attending leadership meetings to spur him along in the following year. Representing the state organization, he will learn how to set up the state conference and attend the national fall leadership conference in November scheduled to be held in either New Orleans, La., or Washington, D.C.

“We’ll lead workshops at states and recruit around the state,” he said.

“We’re looking so forward to going to nationals with this group,” Linda Hooley, co-advisor, said. “They will represent us well.”

In addition to the seniors, Hooley is also losing Jones. It’s the first time trip for co-advisor Julie Jones who was recently placed on the preferred recall list due to declining student population; she was unable to attend last year due to a previous engagement.

If she does relocate to find future employment, Jones, a former FBLA member herself, plans to be active in the local chapter or even revive one that may no longer exist.

“Mrs. Hooley really guided me through. I believe I’ve learned a lot from her that I can take somewhere else with me,” she said.

Jones has some apprehensions about other counties after teaching in Tyler where she is a home-grown product and students still understand good behavior.

“We have such a close knit community. You know everybody. It would be different to walk down the street and not know everybody,” she said. “I have some concerns over the behavior of students because we only hear high praises for ours.

“I’ve really enjoyed working here these past two years. I feel blessed to have been able to start my career in my home county,” Jones said.