Imbler High School student Candace Miles receives a door prize Feb. 2, 2023, at the Future Business Leaders of America Blue Mountain Regional Skills Conference on the campus of Eastern Oregon University, La Grande. Nearly 250 students from 15 schools competed at the regional conference.

LA GRANDE — Nearly 250 area middle and high school students congregated Feb. 2 at Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, to participate in the Future Business Leaders of America Blue Mountain Region Skills Conference.

The regional skills conference featured workshops, campus tours and an awards ceremony.

Among the highlights was a workshop presented by EOU students Dawson Heuett and Spencer Shirtcliff. “Presentation Station” focused on how to confidently give a speech and interpret body language.

“We are prepping them on how to give a presentation, what we think will be important,” Heuett said. “We’re fine-tuning their skills.”

Jayda Cant, an Imbler High School student attending the workshop, thought the workshops were valuable.

“I’ve seen a lot of great presentations,” Cant said. “It definitely opened my mind to a lot of possibilities. They made it very relatable.”

The awards ceremony concluded the conference. Students received door prizes and awards — and one lucky student even won a laptop.

Additionally, high schooler Casey Scott received a $500 FBLA Scholarship from the Eastern Oregon University Foundation.

Schools that participated in the conference were Baker High School, Cove High School, Elgin High School, Grant Union High School, Helix High School, Heppner High School, Hermiston High School, Imbler High School, Joseph Charter School, La Grande High School, McLoughlin High School, Ontario High School, Union High School, and middle school students from Baker and Imbler.