For any Aurora high school, it’s a rare honor to have just one student serving as a state officer for Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Having two from the same school? Unheard of! But that’s exactly what you’ll find at Vista PEAK Preparatory.
Vista PEAK senior
Madinatou Kouanda serves as the President of Colorado FBLA. Right alongside her is Vista PEAK junior
Gabriel Hankins, who serves as the Vice President of Education. Both were elected by their peers to lead the more than 6,800 Colorado high school students who participate in FBLA.
FBLA helps high school students prepare for careers in business. Madinatou said FBLA has helped her develop more confidence in public speaking – something she couldn’t have imagined as an eight-year-old child who emigrated from Africa’s Burkina Faso. Going from not speaking any English to now leading a statewide student organization is an incredible transformation!
In addition to sharpening her business savvy, Madinatou said she’s excited about how FBLA is setting her up for success after high school and helping her achieve her goal of becoming a CEO. “One of the major things I love about FBLA is the networking opportunities. I’ve been able to meet professionals from all fields like KPMG and Morgan Stanley,” she said.
For Gabriel, FBLA has also helped him master his speaking skills (he had a severe stutter when he was 11). It’s also been an opportunity to serve other students all over the state and share some of the knowledge he’s gained from helping to run a store at his school. “FBLA has been my number one motivator, the number one definer in my motivation. And my trajectory has completely changed, ultimately through being part of the organization,” he said.
While they’re busy helping high school FBLA chapters around Colorado, Madinatou and Gabriel have also been earning significant college credits. Both are on track to earn a business-related associate degree from the Community College of Aurora by the spring. They’re also hoping to make a return trip to the national FBLA competition in June in Orlando. Aurora Public Schools is proud to see how these students are representing our district and inspiring others to pursue careers in business!