Michigan had 511 participants in attendance (384 students, 82 advisors, 7 alumni, and 38 guests). We had one of the largest delegations at the conference.

The following is a list of other highlights from the conference:

• Michigan’s Postsecondary broke its record for the sixth year in a row in terms of the number of awards received. Michigan’s Postsecondary Division won 106 awards in the top 10, 44 of which were in the top 3. Our Secondary Division won 98 in the top 10, with 39 of those in the top 3. The Secondary Division had one less in the top 10, but one more in the top 3 compared to last year.
• Michigan was recognized as the state with the most Ambassador Torch Award recipients. One hundred three (103) students received this award, which is the highest level of the Torch Awards Program.
• Ryan Cesiel from Adams High School and State President Nick Partie from Mt. Pleasant Area Tech Center were presented with National BPA scholarships during the conference.
• Davenport University-Grand Rapids won 1st place in the Financial Analyst Team event for the fourth year in a row.
• Michigan continued its tradition of sweeping at least one event. Usually we have one event where we take the top three slots. This year, we received the top 5 in Information Technology Concepts-OPEN event.
• More than 30 industry certifications were given to various students and advisors in both the Secondary and Postsecondary Divisions. Nick Cousino from Bedford High School earned his certification in both Microsoft’s Excel 2010 and PowerPoint 2010. As the first place winner in Excel 2010, he will compete in the Microsoft World Wide Championship in Las Vegas in July.
• Ken Bourbina from Swan Valley High School received the BPA Hall of Fame Award. This award is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to Business Professionals of America. Mr. Bourbina has served as a BPA advisor for 20 years. He served as regional advisor for four years. He has attended every Michigan BPA state conference since he became an advisor. He worked at Bay-Arenac Career Center prior to working at Swan Valley High School and was instrumental in chartering the BPA chapter at his previous school. He has attended the national conference at least 15 of his 20 years of being an advisor. Mr. Bourbina is an avid promoter of BPA and his students participate in numerous special recognition awards programs and state service project throughout each year.
• Ron Draayer from Davenport University-Grand Rapids was re-elected to a three-year term on the National BPA Board of Trustees

Congratulations to all our NLC participants and award winners!

View the Michigan's national conference winner lists by clicking here.

Watch the NLC Awards Session video in full color. Relive the excitement of watching Michigan walk away with numerous awards. Click here: http://www.thinkcybis.com/bpa-live

In addition, Mr. Ken Bourbina, advisor from the Swan Valley High School chapter, was inducted into the national BPA Hall of Fame. This is a tremendous honor, and we are proud of his accomplishment!

2012 Postsecondary Awards Session Seating Chart (PDF)

2012 Secondary Awards Session Seating Chart (PDF)

Click here for a complete national conference schedule with all locations indicated.This schedule is current as of April 5, 2012.

Although much of the excitement of BPA is focused on competition, there are many other opportunities within the organization. At the local level, officer positions are available to gain leadership experience through fundraisers, membership drives, service projects, etc. Once you feel as though you have done what you could do for your chapter, the state executive council is a great opportunity to further expand your understanding of leadership. Being a state officer allows you to see how things work behind the scenes. Rather than competing, you get to do other tasks such as organizing the state service project and planning the State Leadership Conference.

Torch Awards are another way for you to get involved in BPA outside of competition. With seven different categories, you will have the opportunity to build a great service résumé that may come in handy while applying for colleges and scholarships. At SLC, you will have the chance to sit in on some great legacy launchers providing advice from professionals all over the state. NLC will allow you to tour cities that you may not have ever had the opportunity to visit otherwise.

Don’t let competition be the extent of your involvement in BPA. There are a lot of opportunities providing you great experience as you develop into a professional. Take advantage of all that BPA has to offer and make sure to maximize your experience in the organization.

Do you ever wonder why you are in BPA? How it will benefit your future and what real world skills it will prepare you for? Well there are many great reasons BPA will benefit your future and many skills you can learn from it that will you last you a life time.

One of Business Professionals of America’s main objectives is preparation for the workforce. Think about everything you have to do before a contest and all the work that goes into it. It is a lot of work; but come contest day, it pays off in a huge way and you have a better chance of doing well when you are more prepared going in rather than just going in and "winging it." This will continue to benefit you in life by helping you get a job and becoming successful in college and your career.

BPA provides many social skills that are needed to succeed in the world. If you've ever been to state leadership conference, you know that all kinds of people are there and it is a great place to meet these people and become comfortable around people that you will have to work with someday. It can also get you more comfortable in meeting new people and not being shy or nervous in uncomfortable social situations. BPA is a great way to ease you into these situations so you aren't shy in the future and can create relationships that will ensure your success in your career.

Business Professionals of America is not a four-year benefit. It is a life-long benefit that will help your success and enjoyment of life. BPA is an investment in your future.

Get ready to Reach New Heights with BPA in Chicago, Illinois on April 25-29! Download the Pre-Conference Guide from http://www.bpa.org/nlc/precon. Conference Registration Opens Online on February 24, 2012.

Cybis Communications is an event productions and creative media company based in Orlando. The handle everything related to the production of all our general sessions during the BPA National Leadership Conference. The Cybis Production Internship is great opportunity for one BPA member to participate in the many aspects of live event production, from stage management to video production to lighting & sound. Apply now at www.thinkcybis.com/intern.

*Apply by March 19th!

By Becca McBryde
State Historian

Have you ever wondered what makes people become so successful in the business world? It doesn’t just happen overnight, there is a ton of work and communication that goes into such accomplishments. Bill Gates didn’t make millions for being another ordinary salesperson; he made himself an extraordinary business expert.

So what makes people like Bill Gates stand out from everyone else? Some of the most important components to the business mindset are: networking, risk-taking, leadership, creativity, and adaptability to whatever life throws your way.

Networking is all about getting to know people and making connections. Associating yourself with others who could potentially contribute to your achievements could make the world of a difference in the future. Risk-taking is what keeps everything fresh and interesting. Walt Disney created an entire world of fun and imagination by taking a huge risk and bringing something to life that few people believed in. Business is all about leadership and how you use it. Being a great leader is what inspires others to follow and pursue their own dreams, as well as creates an ideal image of what a businessperson should be like. Leadership is like a chain reaction; when one leads, others follow. And others follow them, and so on. Creativity is what helps you to think outside the box. How else would the inventor of the “Snuggie” come up with the idea of a blanket with sleeves? Last but not least, adaptability. No matter who you are or where you are from, this is an important characteristic to practice. In reality, unexpected things will always happen. It’s how you choose to handle those situations that set you apart from the rest.

Baker College of Muskegon
Eaton ISD Career Preparation Center
Edsel Ford High School
Madison High School
Pewamo-Westphalia High School
Pontiac High School*
Southfield Regional Academic Campus
Whitmore Lake High School

Postsecondary chapters will be recognized during the Postsecondary state conference in February.

Past BPA members are a vital part of our organization. They assist with helping at various conferences throughout the year. Their assistance is also used prior to competition by visiting schools to help students prepare for competition. It's always nice to see past students return to assist at our regional and state conferences.

Continued participation by past members also brings joy to chapter advisors because seeing and hearing from past members allows us to hear about their success. DeWitt High School advisor Kelly Williams stated, "Dave and I are so blessed to have so many alumni that believe in BPA and have expressed the impact that it has had on their lives. They are always just a phone call away."

Want to stay more involved, visit our alumni page for more details.

Pictured above, DeWitt High School alumni and advisors attending the 2012 Region 9 Regional Leadership Conference at Baker College of Owosso. From left to right: Dan Tratt, Mike Davis, Tim Park, Kelly Williams, Stephanie Bunn, Matt Eible, Josh Vaughn, Peter Tratt, Erin Lucian, and Dave Koenigsknecht. Not pictured: Kevin Kinney.

Pictured here you see the BPA groups in action.

Everyone is familiar with the term “going green.” You can’t go anywhere without being reminded of this recent movement to help protect the environment. A common misconception about this movement is that you have to change your entire lifestyle. That is not the case at all. It is a combination of little steps in your everyday life that make the biggest difference. These little changes are not only benefiting the environment, but in many ways, you. Money savings is a huge result to going green. Examples include being more fuel efficient, reusing water bottles, or simply carrying a lunch box rather than a paper bag. You will be surprised at how much money you end up saving once you consistently make these changes.

Something you and your chapter can do to cut back on waste and save money is to scan in all sample documents, human resource manuals, and style and reference manuals on a computer to reduce all of the copies. This will make a huge difference while also making the documents readily available to your members. Even if saving the environment isn’t at the top of your to-do list, try to make a conscious effort to at least do it for yourself. It is all of the little things that make the biggest difference.

As you may know, this year’s State Service Project is to raise $500 worth of clothing and $1,000 for the Salvation Army of Michigan. Every chapter is encouraged to collect as much money and clothing as possible to become one step closer to winning $800 in chapter scholarships.

Chapters will collect as many clothing and money donations as they can. Then the total value of clothing will be determined using the list of how much each item is worth. (Click here for State Service Project Chapter Scholarship Form for donation list). The donation form will be filled out with the amount of money and value of clothes your chapter is donating, along with the amount of volunteer hours. A Salvation Army employee will sign it as well as the chapter advisor and president. A picture will be taken of your chapter making the donation and submitted with the forms.

If you would like your donations to be picked up by the Salvation Army, feel free to call 1-800-728-7825. The donation checklist form will ensure your chapter has everything in order to qualify for the scholarships. All forms must be submitted along with the picture and postmarked by March 1, 2012. For more information about the Salvation Army, visit www.salvationarmyusa.org.

The Michigan Association is continuing its tradition of having a contest for students who are interested in singing the National Anthem at the opening session of the state leadership conference. Any student who qualifies to attend the SLC as a regional event winner or statesman award recipient is eligible to submit an entry for this contest. Students must submit their performance singing the national anthem on audiocassette or CD, a current photograph, and short bio to the state office. Please note that these items will not be returned. The performance at the SLC will be a cappella; therefore, it’s best that the audition performance be submitted in that manner. All entries must be postmarked by January 24, 2012. Send entries to: Business Professionals of America, Eastern Michigan University, 208 King Hall, Ypsilanti, MI 48197.

Pictured: Rebecca Browand from Whitehall High School singing the national anthem during the 2011 State Leadership Conference.

Little things can go a long way when trying to impress the judges. A person has to remember every move they make before he/she starts the presentation; a judge is getting an impression of you and your project. When walking into the room you should first set your materials down, then shake your judge’s hand, and say hello. This will make the judges think you are professional and on top of your game.

Here are a few helpful hints for competitions that use a PowerPoint or multimedia presentation. First, prepare folders that include a printout of your slideshow for the judges to follow along as you give your presentation. Second, include a brochure of you business or idea of the presentation. Third, have in your folder is a copy of your Statement of Originality. And the last piece to put in your folder is a business card. This is fun and easy to make and it shows the judges you are trying to go the extra mile. Creating a folder is a good idea for both when you are giving a presentation and after. During the presentation judges can follow along and make responses on the presentation. After you leave the room and others have given their presentations judges can go back and look at your presentation again. Hopefully these few tips can make you successful in your competitions.