Oklahoma BPA brings home two national Presidents

Oklahoma CareerTech’s Business Professionals of America came on strong, bringing national recognition to the state at the recent Oklahoma 2008 BPA National Leadership Conference held in Reno, Nevada. Some 6,000 students and the professionals who educate and mentor them attended the three-day event.

BPA is the leading CareerTech student organization for high school and adult students pursuing careers in business management, office administration, information technology and other related career fields. The organization has more than 55,000 members from 23 states. In Oklahoma, BPA can be found in 265 chapters located in high schools, technology centers and community colleges.

This year both of the national presidents elected for the organization are from Oklahoma. Michael DeJager, from Perry High School was elected BPA national secondary president. Dustin Devers, an Oklahoma State University – Stillwater student will serve as the national BPA postsecondary president. Both DeJager and Devers also passed the national merit scholar exam and will serve on the BPA National Board of Trustees during their term of office.

“In addition to the two national presidents being elected, we also left Reno with six national winners,” said Gina Hubbard Oklahoma BPA state adviser. “We had 10 second-place winners, 10 third-place winners, a total of 72 entries in the Top 10 and many special recognition awards.”

The six first-place awards went to Catie Ross at Central Technology Center, Drumright campus, for Postsecondary Entrepreneurship; Adam Nowlin and Fred Cook at Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Rockwell campus in Oklahoma City, for Postsecondary Web Applications Team; Shirley Crouch and Whitney Hines at Kiamichi Technology Center, Poteau campus for Postsecondary Presentation Management Team.

Also receiving first place awards were Teresa Dukes, Moore Norman Technology Center, for Postsecondary Personal Computer Servicing and Trouble Shooting; Ryan Crow from Oklahoma City Community College, for Postsecondary Insurance Concepts, and Kevin Lewis and Ryan Jenkins from Eastern Oklahoma County Technology Center, for Secondary Network Design Team.

“Students involved with our career-oriented programs and student organizations are better prepared for future employment,” said Oklahoma CareerTech Director Phil Berkenbile. “They have a smoother transition from school to career because of the skills and leadership activities provided through CareerTech training.”

BPA is one of seven CareerTech student organizations affiliated with CareerTech occupational divisions. The other six include FFA and Agricultural Education, FCCLA and Family and Consumer Sciences Education, HOSA and Health Careers Education, DECA and Marketing Education, TSA and Technology Education, and SkillsUSA and Trade and Industrial Education.

For more information about BPA, e-mail Gina Hubbard at ghubb@okcareertech.org or call 405-743-5117. For more information about CareerTech student organizations, visit www.okcareertech.org/main/students.htm.