TEMPLE, Texas — Most high school students can only dream of the opportunity to compete on the national level during their time in school. Temple High School senior Jamarri Thrasher has not only turned that dream into a reality, but he is also making it an annual event. Thrasher has earned a spot in the Virtual Business Challenge – Management National Competition for the second consecutive year after an outstanding performance in the qualifying round of the contest this fall.
Thrasher finished the first round of qualifying competition ranked #1 in the state of Texas and #8 in the country in the event sponsored by the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). That finish earned him one of 20 spots in the national competition. There will be another qualifying round in the spring with the top 20 finishers in that round joining the fall national qualifiers in the national competition. The National Virtual Business Challenge – Management National Championship will in the spring at a date yet to be announced, and the top ten finishers in that event will be recognized and walk the stage at the FBLA National Leadership Conference. The final round of competition will build on the experience the competitors went through in the qualifying rounds. Thrasher hopes to attend either the University of Texas at Austin or Texas A&M University and major in business management after he graduates from Temple High School. He would like to become an entrepreneur and start his own clothing line one day and says this experience has not only taught him more about business, but also something about himself.
“I learn that I can do this and last year really helped me learn how to put things onto the program,” Thrasher said. “I know now that I can run my own business and how to approach people when I do go out on my own. I just feel more confident now and this has really broadened my horizons and taught me how to rely on myself.”
The Virtual Business Challenge – Management competition tests participants skills in strategic management and decision-making within a simulated business environment. Thrasher chose a track that assigned him management of a jeans manufacturing business during the fall qualifying round. Competitors were limited as to the concepts they could control during the round, but skills involved ranged from recruiting/hiring/supervising employees to risk management to organizing floor layouts to bidding on orders. At the end of the round, competitors were ranked based on their business’ cumulative profit after running the simulation for six virtual months.
“Jamarri has been one of our founding members (in FBLA) and has been there from day one,” said Christiana Johnson, math teacher and sponsor of Temple High School’s FBLA chapter. “Everyone in this program has confidence in him and he has really become more of a leader for our group. He has also shared his experience with the rest of our group and has recruited some new members to help us grow our chapter.”
Thrasher also serves as president of the Temple HS chapter of FBLA and competes in several other of the organization’s events. He was the first student to qualify for national competition after the chapter was chartered and has now made history as the chapter’s first two-time national qualifier.