Over 100 students packed into the conference room Friday at Herkimer BOCES, cheering on their classmates as they vied for trivia supremacy.
As part of the Future Business Leaders of America spring meeting, two students from each participating school district lined up and answered questions in a rapid-fire event dubbed the “Battle of the Chapters.”
Having narrowed the field from 16 to the final four, a problem emerged; as competitors did so well, they had outlasted the questions.
After using improvised government questions, courtesy of organizers, to get to down to two, A. Richard Harris, of the Little Falls City School District, and Morgan Charde, of Chittenango school district, remained.
The deciding question asked by a fellow FBLA student member: What is the name of the U.S. senator recently elected in Massachusetts?
Harris began clapping, showing he knew the answer. After Charde was unable to provide the correct name, Harris leaned in to the microphone and said “Scott Brown” before raising his arms in triumph.
Harris had claimed bragging rights for his district over eight area schools — also including Herkimer, Frankfort-Schuyler, Herkimer BOCES, Thomas R. Proctor, Canastota and Oneida.
The trivia was just one of a series of tests, activities and lessons the students participated in Friday.
Tony Masala, Herkimer BOCES faculty advisor, said other skill events, such as public speaking and job interviewing, guaranteed spots at the state-level competition, being held April 21-23 in Rochester.
But as is the goal of the FBLA, in name and pledge alike, those participating Friday worked to learn the skills necessary for responsible business leadership.
And as the first year being held at Herkimer BOCES, having moved from Utica School of Commerce, Masala feels the FBLA meeting brings a certain prestige to the local academic community.
“It’s been an honor to have it here,” said Masala, who is also a business information instructor at BOCES. “I hope we can have it here every year.”
Perhaps the conference room filled with energetic students supporting their peers may play a role in bringing the District 7 meeting back to Herkimer County.
“This looks like the day worked out pretty well,” Masala said.