Oak Hill High School’s chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America placed first this month in a statewide competition. It is the 25th year in a row they have won. Competitions center around business skills. Submitted photo

Every year for the last 25 years, Oak Hill High School’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter has taken the top spot in the Maine state championship.

There was a lot of pressure going into the state competition this year, club adviser Angela Roy said.

“No one wants to lose a winning streak at year 25,” co-adviser Erica Beaule aid.

But the school’s contingent of 35 students earned enough points in the business-focused competition to cement a quarter century of wins.

Future Business Leaders of America is a national organization that helps high school students prepare for careers in business through academic competitions, leadership development, and educational programs. Students compete in a variety of written tests, public speaking and project-based competitions.

This year, Oak Hill students collectively earned 25 first-, 23 second- and 12 third-place awards. One student, junior Nhi Nguyen, won eight awards alone, Roy said.

Three students were additionally elected to the state board. Nguyen is now Maine FBLA’s vice president, junior Destiny Samare is the treasurer and junior Sarah Rossignol is the reporter.

Earlier this year, advisers helped match students to competitive events based on their strengths. Students studied for exams and practiced presentations after school. As the competition approaches, Roy said, preparation becomes far more intense.

In the two weeks before the state competition in early March, Roy and fellow adviser Beaule worked with students for hours every day, including weekends. As students, both were members of Oak Hill’s FBLA program.

They attributed the success of the program to the dedication of students. The competitive structure of the program, they said, is especially important for motivating students.

“We task them with quite a bit, and they pull it off,” Roy said.

FBLA helps students build a variety of different skills, she explained. It provides opportunities for students to network with local professionals and serve their community.

Earlier this year, Oak Hill FBLA collected more than four trash bags full of clothing to donate to Maine Needs.

“These kids were the 25th year, but it’s taken 24 years worth of kids to get us here,” Roy said.

Students will not compete in the national competition in Atlanta this year, primarily due to the expense, Roy said. However, if they can win No. 26, they hope to travel with students to compete in next year’s national championship planned for Anaheim, California.

Oak Hill is part of Regional School Unit 4, which includes students from Litchfield, Sabattus and Wales.