Plymouth Whitemarsh High School student graphic designers finish at the top in national competition
Plymouth Whitemarsh High School student graphic designers finish at the top in national competition
Plymouth Whitemarsh High School 10th-graders Kevin Di Marco, left, and Tyler Yuen, hold awards they won at the national FBLA conference, which was held at a convention center in San Antonio, Texas.
Plymouth Whitemars High School students Kevin Di Marco and Tyler Yuen finished sixth in the nation in the graphic design category at the 2026 Future Business Leaders of American (FBLA) National Leadership Conference.
The first-year FBLA members proudly represented Pennsylvania and PW at the conference held in July in San Antonio, Texas, after qualifying to compete based on their fourth-place finish at the state conference. The 10th-graders are the first students to qualify for nationals in 10 years, said adviser Paul Coleman, who attended the national conference along with the students.
"I really gained an appreciation for the talent our students at PW have to excel against the best in the nation," said Mr. Coleman. "The experience instills so much confidence for Tyler and Kevin that they can achieve significant goals, which is invaluable for their future endeavors."
For the competition, Kevin and Tyler rebranded Sweet Dynasty, an ice cream business, to give it a more playful and modern brand identity that would appeal to a younger audience. Their project included a new logo, visual identity, packaging, and marketing materials that reflected the business's unique story. After advancing through the preliminary round, the students earned an impressive sixth place finish out of more than 112 teams from all around the country.
Through the competition, Kevin and Tyler learned that effective design is not only about the logo but also about understanding a business and how to communicate its story. They learned the importance of teamwork, communication, and confidence when presenting their ideas to judges. During the conference, they built connections with students from all across the country and explored key landmarks, including the Alamo and Missions National Historical Park, while also enjoying the local Tex-Mex cuisine. As first-year competitors, they proved to themselves that hard work, creativity, and perseverance can lead to success at the highest level of competition.
The students said they were thankful to Mr. Coleman for his guidance and support throughout the year. They look forward to building on their success during the next school year.