Mariner business students earn state honors

Mariner Middle students claimed a host of awards in state competition Feb. 26, but will be unable to attend the national conference, which was canceled due to coronavirus concerns.

Team advisor Daniel Shockley said Mariner BPA students swept the administrative support team competition, taking first and second places. In all, 11 Mariner students earned invitations to the national conference in the club’s third year of competing.

“This is an event the 31-member cohort has been preparing for since September, and Mariner came out strong,” Shockley said.

Eighth-grader Isabella Fuscellaro competed in the graphic design category, a first for Mariner students. 

Fuscellaro said she has visited Disney World every year since she was 2, so she decided on a Disney theme for her project., a Mickey Mouse silhouetted by the American flag with Disney’s signature shooting-star logo above him.

“I wanted to do BPA, but I wasn’t sure what to do,” she said. “Dr. Shockley made me more confident. And, this is something my brothers aren’t doing.”