Oklahoman students succeed in BPA National Leadership Conference

Volume 38

Number 2

Spring 2007

Oklahoma Students Succeed in BPA National Leadership Conference

By Christopher Shelton
Communications & Marketing Intern
Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education

The national chapter of Business Professionals of America selected a new roster of officers with a healthy dose of Oklahomans during its National Leadership Conference, May 9-13.

Vice President Dustin Devers, of Ripley and attending Oklahoma State University, and Historian Michael DeJager, of Perry High School, will nationally represent Oklahoma in 2007-08.

BPA is the student organization affiliated with CareerTech’s Business and Information Technology Education programs. BPA has 271 chapters in Oklahoma junior high schools, high schools and colleges.

Oklahomans also performed well in the conference’s competitions. Thirteen first-place winners were Oklahomans, and Oklahomans placed in the top 10 in 44 of 54 events.
Oklahoma’s post-secondary division won the Professional Cup, which is the most prestigious award a state can receive, said Gina Hubbard, BPA state adviser and CareerTech program specialist. The award is earned based on participation in Special Recognition Awards.

“It was a great conference for our state,” Hubbard said.

Hubbard added that CBS invited the students to be featured on television during their New York stay.

Dustin Deavers of Ripley, left, and Michael DeJager of Perry, were recently elected to national office

Dustin Deavers of Ripley, left, and Michael DeJager of Perry, were recently elected to national office

“BPA students were featured on CBS’s ‘The Early Show’ while they were in New York,” Hubbard said. “The producer was so impressed with the students that he has requested an additional segment on the organization.”

The organization is a national co-curricular career and technical organization for high school, college and middle school students preparing for careers in business and information technology.

“The mission of Business Professionals of America is to contribute to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills,” according to the national BPA Web site.

More than 74,000 Oklahoma junior high school, high school and adult students are members of the seven CareerTech student organizations.

Other CareerTech student organizations and the programs they support are DECA, Marketing Education; FFA, Agricultural Education; FCCLA, Family and Consumer Sciences Education; HOSA, Health Careers Education; SkillsUSA, Trade and Industrial Education Technology; and TSA, Technology Education.