Redwood High School’s FBLA excelled at the 2025 Central Section Leadership Conference, winning the Doris Lowe Sweepstakes Title for the 12th year. Competing against 26 schools, the team won 16 Valley Champion titles and 84 Top 10 placements, with over 80 students qualifying for the upcoming State Leadership Conference in Anaheim.
Staff Reports, interviews by Adam Lopez and Ashley M Acevedo
Photo J. Avila/Redwood FBLA
Redwood High School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) dominated at the 2025 Central Section Leadership Conference (CSLC), securing the Doris Lowe Sweepstakes Title for the 12th consecutive year.
Competing against 26 schools and over 650 students in Turlock, CA, Redwood’s 124-member team delivered an exceptional performance, earning 16 Valley Champion titles and 84 Top 10 placements across a variety of business, technology, and leadership events.
With over 80 students qualifying for the FBLA State Leadership Conference in Anaheim this April, Redwood is set to make a strong showing on the statewide stage.
A Culture of Preparation and Success
For Chloe Seals, ‘25, preparation was the key to Redwood’s continued dominance at the section level. As both a competitor and the Central Section President of FBLA, she helped lead the chapter’s study initiatives leading up to the event.
“We really honed in on our study sessions,” Seals said. “Members were required to attend five hours of study sessions, with at least two of those hours coming in the week before competition. We held study sessions before school, after school, and every day at lunch.”
Redwood’s leadership also introduced new competition resources, including updated study guides, practice tests, and one-on-one coaching for both objective tests and speaking events.
“Just being available to help our members and go through presentations with them was a huge focus this year,” Seals said.
Her efforts paid off, with Redwood taking home the Doris Lowe Sweepstakes Title once again—a victory that carries special meaning.
“This was our 40th overall title and 12th in a row, so being able to keep the legacy of Redwood FBLA alive means a lot,” Seals said. “Doris Lowe was such a large part of Redwood FBLA. She helped build the program into what it is today, and it’s an honor to continue both her legacy and our chapter’s legacy.”
Looking ahead to State in Anaheim, Seals is excited not just as a competitor, but as a state-level leader helping run the event.
“State is my favorite conference,” she said. “I’m looking forward to working with the state team to help lead the conference, but I also can’t wait to see our members hopefully succeed at the state level—and maybe even bring home a sweepstakes title there, too.”
Balancing Multiple Events: A Champion’s Perspective
For Yong Lee, ‘26, competing in multiple events required intense preparation and time management. Lee, who placed first in both Financial Math and Spreadsheet Applications, shared his approach to balancing the workload.
“I set specific days to study for specific events and used the competency lists they gave us,” Lee said. “I assigned deadlines for myself, and since Financial Math was my main event—one I competed in at Nationals last year—I made that my priority, spending extra time reading and practicing.”
Beyond competition, Lee emphasized the friendships and sense of accomplishment that make FBLA special.
“A lot of my closest friends I met through FBLA,” Lee said. “Whether we’re competing, studying, or just eating together, that’s what I love most about these events.”
A Legacy of Excellence
FBLA adviser Jacob Avila credited the students’ hard work and dedication for Redwood’s continued success.
In a press release, FBLA adviser Jacob Avila stated, “They worked really hard for the past couple of months, with several study sessions in the past few weeks to prepare. I’m incredibly proud of their efforts and know they had a great time at this event.”
Avila also thanked Mr. William Henshaw and Mr. Jacob Huerta for their support during the competition.
With the State Leadership Conference in Anaheim taking place from April 24th to April 27th, Redwood’s FBLA team is gearing up to compete at the highest level in California.
For more information about Redwood FBLA, students can visit redwoodfbla.org
Staff Reports
Adam Lopez
Ashley Acevedo
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