Four exceptional Naaman Forest High School accounting students have brought recognition to the school as well as the entire district. The accounting team, led by teacher Jenifer Zihlman and comprised of seniors Muhamet Berisha, Kyndall Brown and Gustavo Miralrio and junior Ahn Luu, has been progressing through the UIL accounting competition levels. After winning the district title, they took first place at the regional competition as a team. Individually, Gustavo placed third; Kyndall placed fourth; Ahn took sixth place; and Muhamet placed ninth.
After regionals, the students began to study for the state competition that would be held May 24 in Austin. Preparing for competitions requires extra time and dedication on the students’ parts. They put in many hours studying and the week before the contest they stay after school to practice and study.
The extra effort paid off and the accounting team brought the state title home to NFHS. Additionally, Gustavo took fifth place individually and Ahn placed sixth. Muhamet was unable to join the team at the state contest.
This extra effort is above and beyond their other responsibilities and activities. They belong to organizations including National Honor Society and DECA and must also stay on top of other classwork.
Time management would be a problem for most people with so many activities, but these teens seem to handle it well. Ahn, for example, keeps up with her schedule by being well-organized and allotting specific amounts of time for specific tasks.
The competition tests can be stressful. Participants are allowed one hour to complete the 80-question test. The students said that the first section is not difficult but it gets tougher as they go along. One of the hardest things is that the answers build on previous answers so they must be correct.
“It stinks because if you get one important question wrong, all your other answers are wrong,” Kyndall said.
Muhamet added that they have to be organized.
“They also have to track everything they do so that when they get to questions further down the test, that require that information, they don’t have to go back and recalculate it,” Zihlman said. “So they have to be really good at documenting as they go along.”
The teacher added that the amount of work required is incredible and she gives the students full credit for the accomplishments.
“These guys all dedicate class periods, after school and home time. You pretty well live and breathe this to be at the level where they are,” Zihlman said.
She added that the students are self-starters, have a good work ethic and a desire to excel.
The students credit Zihlman for their individual and team success. She encourages them and pushes them to be the best they can be.
“But she [Zihlman] pushes herself too. She’s always stress out…trying to make sure we get all the information we need,” Kyndall said. “The reason we took first, second, third and fourth place and therefore, first as a team at the district level is that the other teams knew that they wouldn’t get anywhere because Naaman has Ms. Zihlman.”
Both the students and teacher are proud of the accomplishments.
“For me, for us to be able to say we are among the best in the state in accounting is great,” Gustavo said.
“Naaman has a good accounting program and if students are interested, they should come here – not to mention that our global program for business is top-notch. The director of that program is right on top of everything,” Zihlman said.
Zihlman selects students to be on the team and Muhamet joked that “she knows talent when she sees it.” He was kidding, but at the same time, the team’s success proves that he was 100 percent accurate.