(Pictured left to right: Dr. Joel Hyer, Dr. Gary Dusek, Aubree Noble, Dawson Brunswick, and Josh Hinrichs)

Sixty students from five high schools participated in Best of the West Business Invitational Friday, Feb. 2, co-hosted by the Chadron State Center on Economic Education and Chadron State Phi Beta Lambda. Attending schools were Alliance, Bridgeport, Chadron, Hay Springs and Hemingford.

The competition included written tests in seven subjects, as well as a job interview contest for seniors. In the team standings, Chadron High School placed first, followed by Alliance and Hemingford.

CSC faculty members Dr. Wendy Waugh, Dr. Richard Koza and Terrie Wood judged the job interview contest. CSC student members of Phi Beta Lambda volunteered to assist with the event. Chadron State Phi Beta Lambda donated a professional padfolio and a t-shirt to the winner of the job interview event. The event was won by Aubree Noble of Chadron.

Chadron State College, the Nebraska Council on Economic Education (NCEE), and Chadron State Phi Beta Lambda co-sponsored the competition. NCEE field representative Josh Hinrichs said by following Future Business Leaders of America rules, the competition served to prepare the competitors for the FBLA State Leadership Conference in Omaha in April.

Dr. Gary Dusek, center administrator for the CSCEE, one of five throughout the state, thanked the NCEE staff and administrators for their assistance in planning the event. Dr. Joel Hyer, dean of the School of Business, Entrepreneurship, Applied and Mathematical Sciences, and Sciences, said he was impressed with the turnout and the quality of the participants.