Skip to main content
Campus Activities

VCSU Hosts Emerging Leaders Competition

Jan 30, 2026

Students sit at a table and take tests during the Emerging Leaders Competition at VCSU

VALLEY CITY (VCSU) – The Valley City State University DECA Chapter and the VCSU Department of Business hosted more than 550 DECA and FBLA students to campus January 28 for the 33rd annual Emerging Leaders Competition (ELC) Day.

Students from 25 area high schools attended the event, competing in various DECA and Future Business Leaders of America competitions along with a team quiz bowl.

Students in teams of 4 compete in the Quiz BowlMandan High School was crowned the overall top school at the Emerging Leaders Competition after winning seven individual events. Grand Forks Red River took second and Fargo Davies was third.

Fargo North’s Team 2 won the Quiz Bowl while Devils Lake took second in that competition.

Emerging Leaders Competition Overall Top Schools

  1. Mandan High School
  2. Grand Forks Red River
  3. Fargo Davies

Quiz Bowl

  1. Fargo North Team 2
  2. Devils Lake

Accounting Test Place winners
3rd – Bode Mostad – May-Port CG

2nd – Mason Schun – Drake-Anamoose

1st – Nate – May-Port CG

Hospitality Test Place winners
3rd – Eli Erichsen – Fargo North; Kellen Westman – Valley City; Emilly Krueger – West Fargo High

2nd – Kaisa Tompkins-West Fargo & Megan Hillman – West Fargo Sheyenne

1st – Alex Chislii – Mandan

Agribusiness Test Place winners

3rd – Grayson Uglem – North Wood & Sophia Beck – Lakota

2nd – Chase McDonald – North Wood

1st – Ethan Matejcek – Lakota

Business Communications Test Place winners

3rd – Kyler Moen – Devils Lake

2nd – Olivia Calney – Fargo North

1st –  Laura Steffan – Lakota

Business Ethics Test Place winners

3rd –  Reese Giese – West Fargo Sheyenne

2nd – Elizabeth Pinke – Hatton

1st – Austin Helblins – Mandan

Business Law Test Place winners

3rd  – Kaitlyn Desmarais-Fargo North

2nd  – Clara Onkenbaur – Bowbells

1st – Sundriana Shane – Mandan

Economics and Personal Finance Test Place winners

3rd – Emline Brinks – Mandan

2nd – Rylan Wamstad – Hatton

1st -David Ha – Fargo Davies & Brynn Field – Sheyenne

Entrepreneurship Test Place winners

3rd – Brady Demers – Fargo North

2nd  – Bridger Fewson – Mandan

1st – Nolan Roy-Tougas – Fargo South

Marketing and Management Test Place winners

3rd  – Grady Mueller- Central Cass

2nd  – Braden Ficklin-Mandan

1st – Emma Klein-SRCTC- Wahp

Computer Problem Solving Test Place winners

3rd – Sawyer Froemke – Lisbon

2nd – Ashton Zimprich – Hatton

1st – Cooper Handly – Hatton

Job Interview

3rd – Isabelle McKay – Fargo North

2nd – Benjamin Allen – Mandan

1st – Isabelle Nelson – Finley-Sharon

Impromptu

2nd – Keira Matejek – Lakota

1st – Kalleen Love – Drake-Anamoose

FBLA Business Management Role-Play

3rd – Brinley Vocke – Hazen

2nd – Aubry Vorele, Cailey Herold – Mandan Senior

1st – Kiaza Carlson, Hudson Zerface – May-Port CG

FBLA Sports and Entertainment Role-Play

3rd – Jordyn Bittner, Hayden Enger, Blake Qual – Lisbon

2nd – Ashlyn Olson, Jacey Vig – Finley-Sharon

1st – Teagan Fagerstrom-Llewelyn, Abby Zander – Mandan Senior

FBLA Marketing Role-Play

3rd – Mia Hozak, Zoe Hozak, Ashley Hsu, – Fargo Davies

2nd – Jaidyn Roder, Abby Sand – May-Port CG

1st – Drew Burries, Berit Hilmer, Akika Milligan – Fargo North

FBLA Entrepreneurship Role-Play

3rd – Evelyn Isaak – Drake-Anamooose

2nd – Emline Brincks, Bergan Wilkens – Mandan Senior High

1st – Bridger Fewson, Sundriana Moncada – Mandan Senior

Principles of Business Management/Administration Role Play-Section 1

3rd – Reid Giese – West Fargo

2nd – Eff Hanswer – Grand Forks

1st – Fon Dong – Grand Forks

Principles of Marketing Role Play, Section 1

3rd –  Teagan Saastad – Devils Lake – LACTC

2nd – Caleb Wild – Grand Forks Red River

1st –  Abby Wasness – Devils Lake – LACTC

Principles of Marketing Role Play, Section 2

3rd – Gabby Wadeson –  Valley City

2nd – Bryce Mueller – Central Cass

1st – Brady Rosten – Grand Forks Red River

Principles of Hospitality Role Play-Section 1

3rd – Abigail Jankowski – Grand Forks Red River

2nd – Billy Enget – Devils Lake LACTC

1st – Addison Arends – West Fargo

Principles of Hospitality Role Play-Section 2

3rd – Jaylee Gerszewski – Minto

2nd – Elizabeth Rust – Fargo Davies

1st – Layla Lopez – West Fargo Sheyenne

Accounting Applications Role Play

3rd – Colby Ebling – Fargo South High School

2nd – Drake Nostrum – West Fargo Sheyenne

1st – Lindy Oster – Mandan High School

Apparel & Accessories Role Play

3rd – Haylee Erickson – Mandan

2nd –  Ella Yahna – Grand Forks Red River

1st– Chassidy Rodacker – Devils Lake LACTC

Business Services Role Play-Section 1

3rd – Jack Sorby – Valley City

2nd – Abby Baukal – Fargo South

1st – Grace Bugbee – Mandan

Entrepreneurship Role Play-Section 1

3rd – Shyanne Ell – Mandan

2nd – Micah Two Bears – Mandan

1st –Brady Demers – Fargo South HS

Entrepreneurship Role Play-Section 2

3rd – Angel Gutierrez – Fargo South

2nd – Tom Haastrup – Grand Forks Red River

1st – Kameron Black – West Fargo Sheyenne

Hotel and Lodging Role Play

3rd – H. Johal – West Fargo High School

2nd – K Westman – Valley City

1st – A. Maldonado – Fargo Davies

Human Resource Management Role Play

3rd – Jamison Symington – Mandan High  School

2nd – Hubert Guyll – Fargo Davies

1st – Arienne Caoili – Grand Forks Red River

Restaurant and Food Services Role Play-Section 1

3rd – Hadley Hodous – Devils Lake

2nd – Addyson Radermacher-Myrame – Mandan

1st – Jack Samuelson – Valley City

Retail Merchandising Role Play

3rd – Tempe Castillo – Mandan

2nd – Marissa Werner – Fargo South

1st – Jordan Vannett – Devils Lace LACTC

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Individual Role-Play-Section 1

3rd – Joe Motherwell – Grand Forks Red River

2nd – Trey McPartland – Valley City

1st – Casey Brown – Devils Lake LACTC

Buying and Merchandising Team Role-Play

3rd – Liebersbach/Schroeder – Valley City

2nd – Arne/Steiner – Fargo South

1st – Gudajtes/Lopez-Minto HS

Entrepreneurship Team Role-Play Section 1

3rd – Jackson/Santiago-Davila – Mandan

2nd – Greenberg/ Tongas – Fargo South

1st – Domitrovich/Isabel Flanagan – West Fargo Horace

Entrepreneurship Team Role-Play Section 2

3rd – Modin/Wright – Davies

2nd – Roehl/Staehr – West Fargo

1st – Fischer/Giese – West Fargo

Hospitality Services Team Role-Play Section 1

3rd – Adamski/Muggli – Jamestown

2nd –  Gullickson/Stachowski – Fargo Davies

1st – Storly/Wilmes – Valley City

Hospitality Services Team Role-Play Section 2

3rd – Lindstrom/Wolfe – Devils Lake

2nd – Almen/Moen – Minto

1st – Cariveau/Grand Vnderdahl – Fargo South

Marketing Management Team Role-play-Section 1

3rd – Natalie Douns – Grand Forks Red River

2nd– Curtis/Sankey – Jamestown

1st – Flannigan/Mueller – Central Cass

Marketing Management Team Role-play-Section 2

3rd – Bertz/Schmidt – West Fargo Sheyenne

2nd– Ell/Larson – Mandan

1st – Berglund/Choi – Fargo Davies

Sports and Entertainment Team Role-play (Section 1)

3rd – Carter N & Deriek J. – Central Cass

2nd – Abby W & Jess K – Valley City

1st – Reagan W, Kaisa T, Paxton S. – West Fargo

Sports and Entertainment Team Role-play (Section 2)

3rd – Fowler/Link – Fargo South

2nd – Azenkeng/Lawson-Boly – Grand Forks Red River

1st – Roenthal/Schultz/Unser – West Fargo

Travel & Tourism Team Role-play Section 1

3rd – Howson/Naastad – Hatton

2nd – Hillman/Tovar – WF Sheyenne

1st – Braaflat/Clark – Fargo Davies

Travel & Tourism Team Role-play Section 2

3rd – Erickson/Heldenbrand – West Fargo Horace

2nd – Boespflug/Bry – Grand Forks Red River

1st – Schmidt/Sufficool – Valley City