Visions Students Travel to Boston for National Future Bound Competition
A group of students from Visions’ Future Business Leaders Club recently took their skills to the national stage as they traveled to Boston to participate in Future Bound 2026 by Junior Achievement.
Students Lyrik R., Yassmine S., Olenka P., Evalet B., Ayzik P., Axel P., and Daniel H. joined peers from across the country to compete in Future Bound, an event that challenges some of the nation’s most promising young leaders to showcase their talents, share innovative ideas, and demonstrate the skills they had developed through entrepreneurship, financial literacy, career readiness, and leadership programs.
Representing Loop Studios, a student-created business designed to help beginners learn the art of crochet, Lyrik, Yassmine, and Olenka showcased their creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for teaching at the exposition. Throughout the event, they engaged with peers, staff, and community members, answering questions about their business and even inviting attendees to participate in a crochet challenge with Yassmine. While they did not place in the top three, they represented Loop Studios and Visions with professionalism, enthusiasm, and confidence.
“My team spent a lot of time working together, both in person and online, to create our booth and pitch. In the preparation stage, we leaned on our FBL advisers a lot, who helped with direction and purpose,” said Lyrik. “While the process took compromise and perseverance, focusing on our shared goals helped us come together and put our best efforts forward.”
Another group of Visionaries competed against 14 teams from across the nation in the interactive business simulation game JA Titan. The strategic entrepreneurship competition challenges students to run a virtual cell phone company, making critical decisions in four key areas: Research & Development, Production, Marketing, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Success requires balancing innovation, strategy, and financial performance to maximize revenue and outperform competing teams.
“Communication in the team was really important to both develop strategies and motivate each other whenever there was doubt. Had we not learned to talk things out and work together, we would have had a much harder time,” said Ayzik P.
After earning an impressive third-place finish last year, our team returned ready to take on the challenge. Facing a highly competitive field, they ultimately finished outside the top three, but demonstrated strong teamwork, problem-solving skills, and business insight throughout the event.
Competition, Connection & Culture
Throughout the school year, our Future Business Leaders Club students distinguished themselves through their hard work, creativity, and determination. Their opportunity to represent both the Sacramento region and Visions In Education on the national stage reflect their commitment to excellence, leadership, and innovation, while highlighting the bright futures they are already beginning to build.
“I am so proud of all of the students in our club. They took a fun club to a whole new level. They are learning to solve real world problems through innovation and still focus on serving the communities around them,” said Andrea Leuschen, Independent Study Academy Vice Principal and Future Business Leaders Club advisor. “A parent of a former student told me at a Home School 8th Grade Promotion ceremony that her daughter enjoyed participating in the Stock Market Challenge, saying ‘She took a class after graduating about trading and investing and is now an investor with a list of companies. She studies the company’s portfolio before she buys. She would never have started this if it was not for the club.’ This is the reason this club exists and I hope more students will take the time to explore the club next year.”
During their five days in Boston, the students had the opportunity to sightsee, explore, compete, collaborate, and connect with peers from across the United States while gaining valuable experiences that supported their educational and career goals. Their participation highlighted the strength of youth leadership programs in the Sacramento region and showcased the talent and potential of local students on a national stage.
“The opportunity to compete at Future Bound has been such an incredible opportunity for our students. It has elevated their high school experience to another level where they practiced and strengthened real world skills through teamwork and collaboration. The students, Lyrik Yassmine, and Olenka, participated in the Company of the Year Competition where they presented their business idea to a panel of judges from nationally recognized companies. The students successfully demonstrated their knowledge of entrepreneurship, marketing, finance and social responsibility. They learned so much about the importance of problem solving and communication skills and were able to form friendships with students from all over the country through networking events,” shared Debora Sanders, Independent Study Academy teacher and Future Business Leaders Club advisor. “I am so proud of them and I witnessed incredible growth and maturity during this experience and look forward to continuing to grow this club and expanding our reach to the Visions student community and the Sacramento area!”
Curious about the Future Business Leaders Club? Check out our other features to learn more about the students, projects, and experiences that make the program so impactful.