By Tharun Naguleswaran.
Bridgewater-Raritan High School FBLA Webmaster
Students from the Bridgewater-Raritan High School's Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter closed out the year on the national stage, traveling to San Antonio, Texas, for the FBLA National Leadership Conference (NLC) from Monday, June 29, to Thursday, July 2.
The Henry B. González Convention Center was the site where thousands of FBLA members from across the country gathered to compete in business-related events, attend leadership workshops, and take part in general sessions.
Keriann Fry and Mike Bittner, who retired at the end of the school year, served as the Bridgewater-Raritan High School FBLA Co-Advisors and Business Teachers.
Competition was only part of the week. Members explored San Antonio together, took a riverboat cruise along the River Walk as a chapter, and attended a rodeo organized by FBLA as part of the conference program. Workshop sessions throughout the conference focused on leadership development, career preparation, and business skills, giving members the chance to learn from industry professionals and connect with students from chapters nationwide.
Victoria Wang, who is the 2026–2027 North Central Region Vice President for New Jersey FBLA, reflected on the week from a state officer's perspective.
"The National Leadership Conference in San Antonio was an incredible experience for NJ and BRHS FBLA members alike. San Antonio offered unique sights and opportunities. Most of the conference was spent on tasks preparing to give members the best NLC experience, bonding with state officers and students across the nation, and building connections that will last well beyond this conference. We're so proud to see so many of our members place in their events, a reflection of the hard work and dedication they continue to bring to the national stage. We can't wait to see what FBLA brings in the coming year! Wang said.
Anvay Ajmera, the 2026–2027 New Jersey FBLA State Webmaster, capped his final NLC with a national championship in Website Coding and Development.
"This year's NLC was a blast! My third and final NLC left me with memories, lessons, and a technical foundation I built through this organization in both leadership and competitive events. I'm excited to represent New Jersey FBLA as State Webmaster for the 2026-2027 year and help develop the next generation of leaders," Ajmera said.
Dhruv Rakhade, who placed second in the nation in Agribusiness, shared his experience at the conference.
"NLC was a great experience; I enjoyed taking part in the scheduled activities as well as exploring parts of San Antonio," Rakhade said.
Chapter Webmaster Tharun Naguleswaran, who competed in Introduction to Programming, pointed to what members took away from competing alongside chapters from across the country.
"It was amazing seeing all the different perspectives on business from around the country, and I learned a lot from both the workshops and my fellow competitors. I'm proud of how well our chapter did!" Naguleswaran said.
The conference concluded with the Awards of Excellence Ceremony, where five Bridgewater-Raritan High School students earned national placements in their respective events.
Bridgewater-Raritan High School students who placed were:
Anvay Ajmera, 1st in Website Coding and Development
Dhruv Rakhade, 2nd in Agribusiness
Sri Kakarla, 4th in Personal Finance
Darsh Gaur, 6th in Introduction to Business Procedures
Rishi Khanna, 7th in Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure
The National Leadership Conference marks the final stage of the FBLA competitive season, with members qualifying through their performance at the regional conference in December and at the New Jersey State Leadership Conference held in Atlantic City in March.