The Pleasant Valley High School Future Business Leaders of America club has won the national award for Outstanding Local Chapter in the Eastern Region.

The Eastern Region includes 11 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and foreign organizations in Europe, Haiti, Hungary, Tanzania and China. The other four regions in the national competition - North Central, Western, Southern and Mountain Plains - consist of eight to 12 states each.

“I was so excited because we have even more competition than the other regions,” said Donna Hopely, who has been an adviser of the club for five years. “We represented Pennsylvania proudly.”

Pleasant Valley competes against 280 schools in the Eastern Region, and was one of two selected from Pennsylvania to win this award. Seven other schools in the Eastern Region were also recognized.

“It’s just phenomenal,” Hopely said. “This recognition places Pleasant Valley FBLA in the top 45 schools in the nation and internationally.”

Hopely said the award is given to schools that are exemplary in how they carry out the goals of FBLA in service, community and education.

“That’s these kids,” she said. “We guided them as advisers, and they just did it. That’s our mantra, ‘Just do it.’ We’re in it for the community, and we’re so proud of Pleasant Valley.”

Hopely said that whatever the community needs assistance with, the FBLA members are there willing to support and volunteer their time.

“They are just so dedicated, and I truly means this. They are so dedicated to Pleasant Valley and what it offers and what they can give back to the community,” she said.

Members of the Pleasant Valley FBLA routinely help with the West End Food Pantry, the Eldred Township Community Center, the West End Fair, Chestnuthill Park Dave Fleetwood Run, a community cleanup project, made kindness covers for cancer patients, and various fundraisers.

Hopely said the activities in the community and successes in competition help to build the members’ confidence, and gives them accomplishments to list in their resumes for college scholarships. The skills also par well with many different careers.

This isn’t the first high-level recognition for the Pleasant Valley FBLA. In recent years, they have received the Outstanding Chapter Nationally award, which placed them within the top 5% to 8% of schools nationally.

“FBLA is very blessed and grateful for the support from our school board directors and administration,” she said.

When Hopely told the school board about this newest recognition, all of them responded back with congratulations to her and the members.

“All of the school board members replied with please tell them how proud we are of them,” she said.

The club had a membership of 80 students last year; about 25 of them were very active in it, Hopely said. This newest honor has gotten the members excited to get started next school year and they have even had a few planning meetings.

“We are determined to exceed this year’s accomplishments and make you all proud,” Hopely said.