It is a long way from Ephrata, Washington to the big city of Atlanta, Georgia. In fact it is 2,480 miles from the front door of Ephrata High School to the Georgia World Congress Center where the 2023 National Leadership Conference (NLC) is being held. The NLC is annually held by the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) to showcase the very best high school business students from around the country. This year, more than 5,000 will invade Atlanta from June 27 to July 1, 2023, hoping to bring home a championship in their respective competition event.

Joining the mix, are Ephrata brothers Noah and Micah Sandberg.  The Sandbergs have formed Brothers Marketing in hopes of bringing home a top prize in the graphic design category. Preparation for this year’s competition began last October.  Micah and Noah decided to put their talents together to compete in this year’s regional competition in January.  They chose to compete in the graphic design category.  Each year, FBLA provides new prompts in the graphic design competition. This year, the prompt was to act as a marketing agency that has been hired to create a new non-profit.  Tasked with creating brand guidelines, a summer camp, marketing materials and more, Brothers Marketing went to work.  They qualified for the state competition with a 2nd place showing at the North Central Region’s winter leadership conference.  With dreams of making it to Atlanta, the boys went back and reworked several aspects of their presentation.  The changes helped as the Sandbergs took home a 4th place at the state leadership conference in April.

Now the work really had to begin.  Micah, who was also elected as the North Central Region Vice-President during the state conference, and his recently graduated brother Noah, put in the extra time prepping for the tougher competition they would be facing in Atlanta.

Now on the grander stage, the Sandbergs are realizing a dream.  They have longed to put their passion for design and marketing together.  This may be a competition, but it won’t be the last time we see Brothers Marketing.  Micah, will enter his sophomore year at Ephrata High School this fall.  Noah has enrolled at Big Bend Community College.  He will begin as a freshman in the fall pursuing a degree in business information systems.  They hope to make a reality of the efforts of Brothers Marketing in the near future.  With their drive, they are destined to impact the lives of many.