EVERGREEN PARK, IL — Recently graduated Evergreen Park Community High School student Megan Klimowski has qualified for the Future Business Leaders of America’s National Leadership Conference in consecutive years. Klimowski was recently informed that her eighth place finish in the FBLA’s computer solving category event at the Illinois state competition held in April landed her the opportunity to participate in the national conference that will be held from June 29 through July 2 in San Antonio, Texas this year. 

Klimowski qualified for nationals in the same event as a junior in 2025 after finishing in fourth place in the state competition. Attending the FBLA national conference last year was “a fun, really cool experience,” Klimowski said.  

“I had a chance to see people from all over the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,” she said. “It was interesting to see how people from other areas interact in a business setting and it was very inspiring.” 

Klimowski became involved in FBLA shortly after enrolling at EPCHS because she was looking for some extra curricular activity that involved the use of technology. FBLA is one of several extracurricular activities Klimowski was involved in at EPCHS before graduating on May 20. 

She’s also been  a member of the band, choir, Science Olympiad, Student Leadership, Snowball and the National Honor Society. Academically, she's received awards from the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics and was named the Social Studies Student of the Year her senior year. 

Klimowski is included in the top 10 percent of the EPCHS Class of 2026 and now looks forward to attending the University of Illinois majoring in computer science. 

“A lot of people from around here go to the U of I, so there’s a lot of support from the community,” Klimowski said. “Plus, they also have one of the top programs in the U.S. for computer science.” 

As a 4-year member of the EPCHS band playing trumpet, she plans to audition for the Marching Illini band in college. Upon graduation from the University of Illinois, she would like to seek a career as a software engineer but will be flexible to fit in any role that is needed at the time.