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Area high school students show off business skills at competition

SALINE COUNTY - Gallatin County High School is the overall winner for the high school business skills competition at Southeastern Illinois College.

The event, held recently, included six categories for individual students to compete with their peers from other SIC district high schools. Those schools competing this year included Eldorado, Galatia, Gallatin County, Harrisburg, NCOE, Hardin County, Pope County and Carmi-White County.

Several of the events in this competition involve an objective exam while others have a hands-on component. The top two scorers from each event are recognized at the awards ceremony. Each high school can enter up to two students per event and the top score from each event is used to calculate the overall winner.

"The Business Skills Competition is a great way for us to learn more about future students and their plans after high school," business instructor Kelsie Rodman said. "It's also beneficial for the students to see if they would be interested in a business or technology degree and to listen to guest speakers discuss topics that will relate to them in the future."

In the accounting category, the 100-question test covers such topics as balance sheets, income statements, journal entries, adjusting and closing entries, normal balances, receivable, inventory and cash. Students are not allowed to use calculators or cellphones during the test. This section was only available to students who are enrolled in the first or second accounting course or have had at least one year of accounting. Kiley Brown of Gallatin County received second place and Summer Adams of Hardin County took first.

The general business category covers budgeting, careers, economic systems, small businesses, marketing, and other business information. This event is open to students enrolled in General Business, Introduction to Business or Consumer Economics classes. Mason Marshall of Carmi-White County received second place while Madison Raymer of Gallatin County took first.

In the business presentation category, a two student team was given a topic and they were to use presentation software to deliver a six-minute presentation, and were required to wear business casual attire. This year's topic was how to build your credit score for life's future purchases. This category is judged by business professionals in the area. This year's judges were Cameron Newbold with Edward Jones, Meghan Densch with Banterra Bank and Michael Stewart with Michael Stewart & Associates Financial Services. Kelsi Kessler and Alex O'Daniel of Carmi-White County were awarded second place while Abbie and Kallie Keasler of Gallatin County won first.

Excel tests student knowledge on basic concepts in Excel, formatting workbook test and data, and calculating data with formulas and functions. The event includes an excel spreadsheet test and an exam involving multiple choice and true/false questions. Tyler Spence of Carmi-White County placed second and Jessica Armstrong of Hardin County took first.

In information technology, participants must reassemble a computer, determine basic networking properties, and complete a test. Zeke Schutz of NCOE took second place while Logan Spruell of Carmi-White County won first place.

Finally, the web design category required students to modify a Web page working with HTML code as well as an exam. Tyler Lester of Eldorado took second place and Konner Gross of Gallatin County took first place.

This year's guest speakers were Christine Hankins and Tina Watson with Farmers State Bank. Hankins is the vice president/branch manager for the retail departments for the Harrisburg and Marion branches. She has more than 12 years of banking experience on both the deposit and lending side of banking.

Watson has been with Farmers State Bank for 22 years and has worked in the industry for 35 years. She is a commercial loan officer, but also does home mortgage loans and consumer loans. They spoke to the students about the importance of credit scores and getting on the right path with credit.

The purpose of the event is not only to encourage and enhance the study of business knowledge and skills at an early age, but to familiarize area high school students with the available business and computer information technology programs at SIC.

Southeastern has traditional and online business degree programs. To learn more, contact an SIC recruiter at (618) 252-5400, ext. 2325, or visit facebook.com/sicbusinessprogram or sic.edu/business.