A trio of Harvard High School seniors have punched their ticket to Nashville to compete at the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference. Ameli Medrano, Eltan Powles, and Miranda Castro will represent the Hornets in the competition.
BPA's path to nationals runs through three levels. Students select their events and spend months preparing independently before competing at the area level. This year, Harvard High School hosted McHenry High School on Dec. 4, with the top finishers in each event advancing to the State Leadership Conference in Oak Brook, Ill. From state, only the top three to five competitors per event, depending on format, earned the right to represent Illinois at nationals in Nashville.
BPA is a complex competition with over 60 events across six core competencies. Additionally, there are three event styles: written test, computer and judged.
“BPA is completing its fourth year at Harvard High School, and we continue to be inspired by our students' dedication, said Amy Meza, business and marketing teacher at Harvard High School and BPA advisor. “Our goal as advisors is to constantly elevate our chapter, and the success of our students at every level of competition is a direct reflection of that commitment.”
Twenty-three Harvard High students competed at the area level in December. Harvard CUSD 50 congratulates all of them, and especially Medrano, Castro and Powles, on carrying the Hornets to the national stage.