Business Professionals of America

Written by Harley Brugger, Sophomore at Clare High School

 

Business Professionals of America (BPA) is an extra-curricular activity offered at Clare High School that helps students gain additional skills in areas such as accounting, keyboarding, graphic design, databases, and human resources, just to name a few. BPA gives students an opportunity to enter competitions at the regional, state and national levels.

I am a sophomore at Clare High School, and I have been involved in BPA for two years.  My first year as a BPA member was very challenging, but I learned so much.  While being involved in BPA, the teachers prepare us for competitions in order to sharpen our skills making presentations, creating spreadsheets, interviewing, or whatever competition chosen. After several study sessions, our first competition was January 9, 2010, at Central Michigan University. During this Regional Leadership Conference, we entered our competitions in which we prepared for and prayed that we would make it to the top five. If we placed in the top five positions as individuals or top two as a team, we have the opportunity to compete at the State Leadership Conference.

During my first year as a BPA member, I didn’t do so well on competition day and was upset at myself. Consequently, I was bound and determined to make it my personal goal to place in the top five positions the next year, 2009-2010.  I entered the events of Database and Economic Research Project.  I placed fourth in the Database competition and third in my Economic Research Project on Buy America.  I was competing against students representing 24 other schools in our region. It was a very proud moment for me, and I am totally psyched that I am going to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to compete at the State Leadership Conference.   When we place in the state competitions, we then get the opportunity to go to Anaheim, California, for the National Leadership Conference.

This year, the Clare High School BPA Chapter did an outstanding job at Regionals. Twenty six students are eligible to compete at the State Leadership Conference in March.

I couldn’t have done it without the help of Mrs. Cleary, Mrs. Loesel and seasoned BPA members.