In order to bask in the glory of our wonderful accomplishments, today's Tuesday Tipster will only provide a summary of our success at the Michigan NLC.
View an enhanced copy of this NLC recap, with pictures, by downloading our newsletter from http://www.michiganbpa.org/Websites/michiganbpa/images/MIBPA/NLC/Michigan-BPA-Uncovered-the-Magic-at-2013-NLC.pdf
An updated list of winners is available online at www.michiganbpa.org/nlc.
Remember to share your NLC photos with us online at www.michiganbpa.org/share-photos.
Also, take a look at this newspaper article from Niles, Michigan:
http://leaderpub.com/2013/05/14/business-interest-pays-off-for-niles-student/
And this article from the newspaper in Hillsdale, Michigan regarding their national winner: http://www.hillsdale.net/article/20130514/NEWS/130519790/0/SEARCH
If your school's success is publicized in a newsletter article, please e-mail State Director Maurice S. Henderson at maurice.henderson@emich.edu and Technology Coordinator natecradit@gmail.com.
MICHIGAN BPA UNCOVERED THE MAGIC
Keeping the track record intact, Michigan BPA surpassed other state to win the most awards at the 2013 Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, on May 8-12, 2013. Approximately 5,400 participants from more than 28 states and the territory of Puerto Rico attended the conference.
Michigan had 554 participants in attendance (421 students, 86 advisors, 4 alumni, and 43 guests). There were 104 delegates from our Postsecondary Division and 450 from our Secondary Division, making our delegation one of the largest at the conference.
BPA Advisor and Past CEAC Representative Kelly Williams from DeWitt High received the Outstanding Service Award. This award is presented to individuals who have dedicated time and effort to promote the objectives of career/technical student organizations such as Business Professionals of America or have provided outstanding service to BPA at the national level. Mrs. Williams has been a BPA advisor for 16 years and represented Michigan at the national level on the Classroom Educators Advisory Council for 7 years.
Eighty-five (85) Michigan students received their Ambassador Torch Awards, recognizing the multitude of community service and leadership development projects they participated in throughout the year. This is the highest level of recognition in the Torch Awards Program.
Michigan broke its own record for the awards received in both the Secondary and Postsecondary Divisions. Michigan's Postsecondary Division won 156 awards in the top 10, 51 of which were in the top 3. Of the 51, 19 were 1st place finishes. Our Secondary Division won 124 in the top 10, with 50 of those in the top 3. Of the 50, 18 were 1st place finishes.
Davenport University dominated the Postsecondary awards by winning 16 first place awards amongst numerous additional top 10 finishes.
The Secondary Awards session was dominated by Sault Area Career Center who had 15 national winners: two 1st place winners, two 2nd place winners, and 11 others in the top 10.
Davenport University-Grand Rapids won 1st place in the Financial Analyst Team event for the sixth 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 swept the Digital Media Production event with 1st place Brandon Raboin (Stephenson High School), 2nd place Christian Driessnack (Mt. Pleasant Area Technical Center), and 3rd place Garrett Bleshenski (Bay-Arenac Career Center).
Ashley Montgomery from Mt. Pleasant Area Tech Center was presented with a $500 National BPA scholarship during the conference in recognition of her leadership, service, and extraordinary involvement.
The following students received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Obama: Katie Hill, Bedford High School; Rita Smallcombe, Davenport University-Kalamazoo. The award recognizes individuals for their hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.
In the new Fair Trade Challenge, Dearborn High School won 2nd place overall and 2nd place in total invoices. Their product was Awake Shake, an organic energy drink. And it tasted absolutely delicious!
There were two events in which Michigan won 8 out of the 10 places in those events. In Project Management Concepts-Postsecondary, 8 finalists were Davenport University students. In Insurance Concepts-Secondary, 4 students were from Clarenceville HS; 2 from Sault Area Career Center; 1 from Ann Arbor Huron HS; and 1 from Westwood HS.
For the first time in 10 national leadership conferences, Michigan won first place in Graphic Design Promotion in the Secondary Division. Congratulations to Courtney Roden from Hillsdale High School for winning 1st place in this event.
Mt. Pleasant Area Technical Center had 8 national winners; 6 of which were in the top 3.
Amongst the three high schools in Rochester Community Schools, they had 11 national winners, 7 of which were in the top 3.
More than 85 industry certifications were given to various students and advisors in both the Secondary and Post-secondary Divisions. As the first place winner in the Microsoft Office Specialist PowerPoint 2010 certification test, Nick Cousino from Bedford High School will compete in the Microsoft World Wide Championship in Washington, DC in July.
Of course, what would a trip to Orlando be without being able to meet Mickey and his friends! Along with excursions to the theme parks, the BPA Beach Party provided the ideal venue to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, Goofy, Chip, and Dale. If no one else did, State Director Maurice S. Henderson definitely reveled in the opportunity to see Mickey and the gang!
Congratulations to all our NLC participants and award winners!