From left to right: Amanda Stoffa, Yoreimy Aponte, and Ruhani Shah stand with their advisor, Mrs. Katherine Zucco, who is holding MMI’s 1st Place Local Market Share award.

56 MMI Preparatory students participated in this year’s highly anticipated 75th anniversary celebration of the annual Pennsylvania Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) State Leadership Conference, held on April 12-15 in Hershey, PA. 

During Monday night’s Opening Session, MMI’s FBLA chapter was awarded 1st in Local Market Share. The School received this recognition because 56% of its Upper School students are members of FBLA — the highest percentage in the state. 

Nearly 6,500 middle and high school students from 500 different schools competed in various events throughout the conference. MMI’s Ruhani Shah ’27, Yoreimy Aponte ’27, and Amanda Stoffa ’27 earned 2nd place in Social Media Strategies. 

“This year’s conference reflected the strength and engagement of our FBLA program,” Mrs. Katherine Zucco, MMI’s FBLA Advisor, said. “Earning first place in Local Market Share is a significant accomplishment, with more than half of our Upper School students involved in this co-curricular activity. I am especially proud of Ruhani, Yoreimy, and Amanda for their second-place finish, but, just as important, our students fully embraced the opportunity to learn and grow, which continues to build momentum for MMI FBLA.”

Throughout the conference, MMI students also had the opportunity to immerse themselves in a wide range of workshops, including “Make Your Mark with FBLA Collegiate” and “From FBLA Alum to Shark Tank: My Secret to Success.” John Hersker, an MMI alum from the class of 1976, also led two workshops titled “A Life in the Movies” and “Walt Disney: The Artist Who Built an Empire.” For MMI’s students, these experiences were inspiring and broadened their perspectives on leadership, creativity, and professional growth.

“Experiences like the FBLA State Leadership Conference give MMI students the opportunity to build confidence and leadership skills in real-world settings while representing our School with professionalism and pride. It was especially meaningful to see them connect with alumni like John Hersker ’76, whose presentations added to an already impactful experience. The level of student involvement in FBLA reflects a culture of initiative and engagement at MMI.” Mrs. Theresa Long, MMI’s Head of School, noted.