On March 24, three Pendleton County Middle/High School students traveled to Huntington to compete in the West Virginia State Future Business Leaders of America conference. They joined many other students from across the state in a showcase of business knowledge and professional skill. Pendleton’s students returned home with remarkable results.
Ben Puffenbarger, a sophomore, claimed first place in Intro to FBLA, earning him the right to represent both PCM/HS and West Virginia at the FBLA National Leadership Conference in June 2026 where he will compete among the best young business leaders in the country.
Fellow sophomore Shayne Clutter earned seventh place in Intro to Business Marketing Concepts. Liam Simmons, a junior, posted a 17th place finish in Personal Finance. Both students earned outstanding achievements in a highly competitive field of students from across the state.
Puffenbarger’s national qualification is a landmark accomplishment, not only for him personally, but for the entire school community. The FBLA chapter at PCM/HS is only two years old, making this level of success in such a short time truly extraordinary.
Bethany Whetzel is the FBLA advisor and business teacher at PCM/HS.
