BPA gears up for state competition

By Jordan MacDonald
Posted Feb. 20, 2015

The Business Professionals of America (BPA) team will be headed to state on March 11. All 21 members of BPA headed to regionals on January 22. Eighteen out of the 21 members have advanced to state, which will be held March 11 at Hyatt Regency in downtown Minneapolis.

BPA is a very self directed extracurricular activity. There are many different categories you can choose from, Mr. MIller, the leader of BPA, said. He wanted to be the BPA leader because it is a different crowd of kids to work with. “Any student could join BPA and they can be successful,” Miller said.

The Aitkin BPA team (top photo) poses next to its hardware. The team will be sending 18 members on to state competition. The team's Broadcast News Production video (bottom) can be viewed through YouTube.

BPA is for students who want to pursue a career in multiple fields; there are over 50 categories to choose from. The Workplace Skills Assessment Program begins by preparing students to have success in real world business skills and problem solving. BPA tries to prepare young adults through leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills. The students demonstrate their skills at regionals, state, and nationals. For more information on BPA visit www.BPA.org

The BPA team continues to prepare themselves for state. Bowen Workman said the thing he is most excited about state is “That I will be with friends, I get to do a bunch of work, and go mess around in the cities.” 

Some of the categories that they have advanced to state in are: Broadcast News Production, Legal Office Procedures, Fundamental Word Processing, Web Page Design, Keyboarding, Graphic Design Promotion, PC Servicing and Troubleshooting, Administrative Support Team, Prepared Speech, Computer Network Technology.

“If you can type, you can be in BPA,” Miller said.