Finishing two spots shy of qualifying for the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference last year provided all the motivation Karissa Hough, Emma Schappell and Jade Steber needed to get over the hump.

The Lehighton Area High School trio navigated the challenges of not only their competition, but also various COVID-19 roadblocks to achieve their goal in 2020.

As a team, they placed fourth in the “Public Service Announcement” competition at the state level, earning them a spot at what will now be a virtual FBLA national conference from June 29 to July 1.

“We were devastated that we just missed qualifying for nationals last year, but this motivated us to work even harder this year,” Hough said. “We set our goal of making it to nationals over a year ago and it feels amazing to finally make it.”

The team participated in an event that required the creation of a 30-second public service announcement about the importance of financial literacy for teens. That was followed by a presentation on the research, script writing, and video production that was used to create the PSA. After spending countless hours practicing, forming their visual presentations, and creating their project, COVID-19 struck and the state conference was moved to a virtual setting.

“We worried if all our work had gone to waste,” Steber said.

Forced to adapt, the students used Zoom to record their presentations. After learning to use a platform that foreign to them, dealing with shaky Internet connections, and creating a cohesive presentation while apart, it was time to found out their fate.

“On the evening of the conference, I remember feeling scared,” Steber said. ”I resigned that I would rather expect to not make it than to expect to make it and have that not be the case. However, with each place 9 through 5 called I didn’t hear our team. I could hardly believe it. I was so surprised and elated at the same time. The goal we had worked hard so for had been realized. We had made it into the top four, and were headed to nationals.”

The national conference was to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“We were very disappointed that the national conference in Salt Lake City Utah was canceled due to COVID-19,” Schappell said. “The disappointment made us want to work harder to make an amazing presentation that would allow us to place at nationals. I have worked with Karissa and Jade for the last two years and I am so grateful for them and proud of the way we all work together and faced anything that came our way.”

Anna Laible, another Lehighton FBLA member, also placed seventh in the state broadcast journalism competition.

“As advisers, we could not have asked anything more from our FBLA members as they adapted in this unique situation,” co-advisor Trevor Miller said. “They took everything in stride and did a tremendous job meeting the deadlines along with producing exceptional presentations, projects, and videos.”