With over 160 members, Business Professionals of America (BPA) is the largest club at East, and now, it’s taking its talent to the national stage. The club is heading to Orlando, Florida, to compete against schools from all around the country, continuing its legacy as one of the largest and most competitive chapters in the state of Illinois.
BPA’s influence at East extends beyond competitions and conferences. It prepares students for the real world by helping them develop important skills that employers are looking for, like teamwork, leadership, communication, and problem solving. Through hands-on experiences like public speaking, creating presentations, and working with others, students gain the confidence they need in order to succeed both in school and in their future careers.
Stacy Sajder Adams, a business teacher and sponsor of the BPA chapter at East shares her excitement for the upcoming trip.
“We are getting off the plane and heading straight to Magic Kingdom to start our trip with a little ‘Disney magic’,” Sajder said “We are also doing a group dinner Thursday night, which I am so excited about!”
Sajder also talks about the important skills students gain from being part of BPA, emphasizing how the chapter prepares them for the future.
“It gives students the skills many employers are begging our students to have,”Sajder said. “Getting up in front of an audience, public speaking, creating presentations, making prototypes, creating podcasts. BPA helps students stay current with the trends both in the Business world and digital world.”
Graham Brown is also a business teacher and fellow sponsor of BPA at East. Brown talks about the growth and impact of BPA at East, highlighting just how important the organization has become within the school and community.
“BPA is the largest club on campus with over 160 members,” Brown said. “We have one of the largest chapters in the state.”
Brown also emphasizes how important board members are to the success of BPA and the strength and commitment that they have demonstrated over the years.
“The board members in BPA have high standards they need to meet in order to be considered for the board,” Brown said. “In addition, they go through an interview process. The board members are very active members in BPA and support the other members of the club. The board members are responsible for planning events, running meetings, and managing the regional and state competitions for the club.”
One of those board members is sophomore Shivani Mani, who serves as the Membership and Fundraising Chair.
“This year, I was the membership and fundraising chair; this meant that I dealt with membership coordination and fundraising coordination,” Mani said. “In terms of my membership role, a large part of it was concentrated in registration and organizing databases and spreadsheets with member information. This allowed us to ensure that everyone is registered for the competition, hotel rooming is organized and confirmed, and reaching out to specific members to sort out any issues.”
Members of BPA have lots of responsibilities like fundraising. This year, BPA did a double good fundraiser, which was coordinated and set up through their sponsors. In addition board members contacted and emailed numerous businesses to look for business sponsorships for the club. Being a board member for BPA also entails many informal tasks, such as helping members with presentations by listening to them and revising them, along with helping out our sponsors with miscellaneous tasks.
However, Mani’s most meaningful memory so far came earlier this year.
“My most memorable experience in BPA has been competing at the state leadership conference this past February,” Mani said. “I value this experience a lot as it allowed me to grow socially and academically. I especially love state competitions because of the new experiences I get and the new people I can meet, and I value all the memories I was able to make.
Looking ahead to the trip, Mani is most eager to make new connections.
“I’m most excited to meet like-minded individuals in Orlando!” Mani said. “One of my favorite parts about BPA is its structure in terms of always surrounding you with other people and providing you so many opportunities to meet other people, whether it be dinners, parties, or even the way the competition schedule is structured.”
Mani encourages younger students to take the leap and get involved.
“For the incoming freshman considering joining BPA, I would encourage them to put themselves out there for their freshman year and take the leap towards trying something new,” Mani said. “Although it’s often nerve-racking and stressful to try new things, I hope the incoming freshmen give BPA a chance so they can be opened to a world of social and academic opportunities.”
BPA continues to shape the future of East’s students who are interested in business. As they head to Orlando, they aren’t just going to compete, they’re going to grow, connect, and celebrate their achievements carrying the legacy of East with them.
Written by Senior Riley Mayer and Sophomore Michelle Wannah. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.