Jericho, NY: Jericho High School senior Dev Lakhani earned first place in the nation in the Journalism competitive event at the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference, held June 29 to July 2 at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California.
Lakhani outperformed qualifiers from all 50 states in the 100-question test covering news writing, media ethics, interviewing techniques, and publication management. The conference drew more than 17,000 students, teachers and exhibitors from across the country.
"Four years ago, I had no idea what FBLA would teach me about storytelling and leadership," Lakhani said. "This win proves that when you stay committed and learn from the right people, you can accomplish things you never imagined."
The national title caps a four-year run that included a seventh-place national finish in Intro to Business Presentation at the 2024 conference alongside teammates Dylan Rateshwar and Kaylin Kim. At the state level, Lakhani claimed five first-place finishes at the New York State Leadership Conference in Business Procedures, Presentation, Public Policy, Website Design, and Journalism, earning seven state medals total.
"We are super proud of Dev and all that he has accomplished," said Michael Goldin, Jericho FBLA advisor.
Lakhani credited advisors Goldin, Nicole Izzo, and Jessica Ruth Rogovitz for building a program that values collaboration over competition among teammates. The Jericho FBLA chapter has earned a reputation for strong state and national showings, regularly advancing multiple students to the National Leadership Conference.
Lakhani plans to study writing, leadership, and business innovation in college.
