Local chapter recognized for excellence; four students headed to nationals. Holyoke High School's FBLA chapter capped off an exceptional year with its annual Awards and Officer Installation Ceremony, celebrating record achievements and welcoming new student leaders for the 2026-2027 school year.
A Year of Historic Accomplishments. The evening opened with President Isabelle Kropp highlighting the chapter's most prestigious recognition: Peak 5 status, the highest award given to FBLA chapters in Colorado. The honor reflects the chapter's commitment to excellence and the dedication of its 56 members—including 14 newly recruited students.
The statistics tell an impressive story. An extraordinary 82% of Holyoke FBLA members qualified for state competition, with four advancing to the National Leadership Conference in San Antonio this summer—a distinction earned by just 4% of FBLA members statewide.
District Competition Success. At District 4 competition in Sterling in January, Holyoke students dominated across nearly two dozen events. A notable milestone: freshman Lili Vasquez became the first freshman ever to serve as a district officer, holding the position of Vice President of Education while also competing in Event Planning.
First-place district winners included: Jackie Santiesteban (Accounting I), Teagan Martin (Advanced Accounting), Colby Weber (Agribusiness), Mae Frost (Business Communication), Janny Espinal (Business Law), Ricardo Goytia (Cybersecurity), Brandon Bustillos (Future Business Leader), Aubrey Bieber, Lia Sprague, and Kinley Sporhase (Graphic Design), Iveth Cruz (Human Resource Management), and Emy Goldenstein and Courtlyn Kinnie (Hospitality and Event Management), among others.
Additional students placed in second, third, and fourth-place finishes, with several fourth-place finishers qualifying to advance to state competition.
State and National Recognition
Brandon Bustillos earned first place at the State Leadership Conference in the Future Business Leader event and received the prestigious Cecilia Rothenberg Award scholarship. Nine other Holyoke competitors placed in the top 10 at state, including:
Isabelle Kropp, Colby Weber, and Cozner Ring (5th Place, Local Chapter Report)
Braylin Herman, Lili Vasquez, and Macie Maloney (6th Place, Event Planning)
Teagan Martin, Jacob Quintana, and Rorey Schneller (7th Place, Community Service Project)
Bodhyn Ring (7th Place, Introduction to Business Procedures)
Gizem Barraza (8th Place, Introduction to FBLA)
Jeylin Dominguez (10th Place, Advanced Accounting)
Nationals-bound competitors: Brandon Bustillos, Braylin Herman, Lili Vasquez, and Macie Maloney will represent Holyoke at the National Leadership Conference.
Special Awards Honor Excellence:
The chapter presented several prestigious awards recognizing outstanding contributions:
Outstanding New Member: Lili Vasquez was honored for stepping outside her comfort zone as a freshman to serve as a district officer—a first in chapter history. Despite the pressure, she placed in her presentation and delivered a workshop to other members.
Outstanding Member: In a rare dual award, both Teagan Martin and Isabelle Kropp received the award, recognizing their multi-year leadership, three-time national qualification (Teagan), and tireless service as chapter president (Isabelle). Their names will be permanently displayed on a plaque in the business department.
Scholarship Award: Teagan Martin received the $1,000 FBLA Scholarship, funded through chapter vending machine profits. The Business Advisory Committee selected Teagan for his exceptional leadership in the "Relax About Tax" community service project, which trained 26 chapter members as IRS-certified tax preparers and completed 60 tax returns in its second year. Teagan plans to study accounting and finance at the University of Colorado Boulder's Leeds School of Business, with aspirations to become a CPA and serve his community.
Community Support. The chapter also recognized the adults who contributed to its success: advisory committee members Gloria Jimenez, Kristie Ham, and Trisha Herman; competition coordinators Alex Vieselmeyer and Heather Bieber; and supporters Kali and Logan Hines. Special thanks went to local donors Rusty Triplette, Jack's Bean, and Erik Vieselmeyer for concession stand donations.