Spring 2013 Volume 1, Issue 3

Contents

1….President’s

Welcome & Calendar

of Events

2-4….State Officers’ Last

Words

5….Meeting Governor

Bullock

6…..Keynote Speaker

Steven Weber

7….Chain of Love &

Special Olympics

8….National Leadership

Conference

&

2013 Montana

National Officer

Candidate

9….Monatana Event &

BPA Tidbits

10….Contact Info.

BPA week Last day to pay national BPA dues -Postmark date for silver star award for chapter development -BPA member recruiter award

applications due -Last day to drop state conference competitions BPA State Leadership Conference Billings BPA Cares Program Due Deadline for Bump-Ups to NLC HOSA State Conference FCCLA State Conference, Billings

Calendar of Events

Feb 11-15 Feb 15 Feb 22

March 10-12 March 15 March 18 March 14-16 March 24-26

April 1 April 8-10

April 12 April 14-17 April 24-27 May 8-12 June TBD

-Due Date for NLC registration, event pre-submissions, & hotel reservations -Ambassador Torch Awards Due -Quality Chapter Distinction Due Skills USA State Conference, Havre

NLC Trading Pin Orders Due FFA State Convention, Bozeman DECA National Conference Anaheim, CA BPA National Conference Orlando, FL New State Officer Leadership Camp

- Nicole Moore, Sidney High School

President’s Welcome

G reetings Everyone! It’s crazy to think this is the last newsletter for the school year. Time sure flies and the state conference is right around the corner. I hope all of your regional conferences went well, and that you’re excited for state.

Included in this newsletter is great information on workshops, our keynote speaker, and other state activities. Please take time to read these articles, and inform your chapter on such information. We are really pushing a positive atmosphere for the state dance and ask for your support with that. We want to make the state conference fun and professional.

Enjoy your SUMMER!

This year’s National Leadership Conference is in Orlando, Florida, from May 8-11, 2013. I hope to see a lot of you there. There are a lot of fun and adventurous things to take in, as well as informative workshops. I know the national officers are working hard to make the conference successful and enjoyable.

It has truly been an honor to represent all of you and serve on the officer team. I wish all of you the best of luck at state, nationals, and in all your future voyages. Hopefully, Business Professionals of America has taught you at least one useful skill to carry with you. Thank You and Best of Luck!

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LAST WORDS FROM YOUR

How has being a state officer influenced you?

What has been your best BPA memory?

What are your plans for the future?

Describe yourself in one word...

Nicole Moore

President, Sidney High School

Being a state officer has made me more confident and influenced me to be

more open minded. To say that I’ve cracked out of my shell would be an

understatement. I never would have guessed two years ago that I would

be excited to speak in front of 1,400 people.

My best BPA memory would have to be traveling to NLC in Washington

D.C. my freshman year. It was so inspiring and so fun to serve as a national

voting delegate. The funniest part of the whole trip was when the subway

doors closed on my roommate’s head.

My plans for the future are to major in Marketing and Management,

possibly live in New York City for a few years, and hopefully become old.

One word: Optimistic

Ashley Kerkaert

Vice President, Shields Valley High School

Being a state officer has influenced me to always be a part of something

bigger than myself. It's amazing to be in an organization like BPA and get

the opportunities to meet new people and make a difference.

My best BPA memory had to be on the beach in California. I loved

Nationals and experienced for the first time all BPA had to offer! From the

pressure of competing in Parliamentary Procedure to the sunburns on the

beach, I had an amazing trip.

As far as the future is concerned, I plan on attending college, most likely in

Montana; although, I haven't decided a college yet. Missoula and Bozeman

are at the top of my list.

One word: Short

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2012-2013 OFFICER TEAM

Hannah Bloomquist

Secretary, Cascade High School

Being a state officer has made me a better leader and I know these

skills will help me in the future.

My best BPA memory has been going to the leadership camp in the

summer with my fellow state officers.

In the future, I plan to attend Carroll College and study in fields

pertaining to a career of becoming a dentist.

One word: Driven

Victoria Hill

Membership Director, Sidney High School

Being a state officer has influenced me in many different ways. I feel

like I carry myself in a more professional manner in front of people,

have better speaking skills, can participate in a meeting more

effectively, and so much more. Plus, it was a wonderful experience to

get to spend a year together with five other amazingly awesome girls!

My best BPA memory was when all of the state officers filmed our

pirate videos for the State Conference. It was so much fun and they are

hilarious!

My plans for the future are to attend college, go to medical school, and

have fun and enjoy life. :)

One word: Swanky

(That can mean anything from stylish to smart!)

Continued on page 4

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LAST WORDS...CONTINUED

MaKenna Siebenaler

Communications Director, Glacier High School

Being a state officer has influenced me to seek out ways to make a

difference and give back to my school and community. It has been an

amazing experience working with these five fantastic girls to serve

Montana BPA in the best way we can, and I will remember this

experience for the rest of my life.

My favorite BPA memory has been traveling to Washington DC and

Chicago for the National Leadership Conference. I learned so much

and had a blast meeting new people and trying new things.

Next year I plan to have a great time attending the University of

Notre Dame, then hopefully go on to graduate school.

One word: Auspicious

Miranda McNeil

Public Relations Director, Park City High School

Serving as a state officer has truly influenced me in more ways than I

can possibly mention. It has given me confidence and motivation to

always stay active within the community . By doing so you learn so

many things and get to enjoy a variety of adventures in the process.

It has been an experience that allowed me to make new friends and

proudly serve BPA as a member of a wonderful officer team.

Out of all my BPA memories, my favorite has been the experience at

National Leadership Conference in Chicago. I was able to serve as a

voting delegate, meet a ton of new people, and just explore the

streets of the ’Windy City’.

After graduating, I plan to attend Montana State University Bozeman to study in the education field. I’m excited to experience the next steppingstones in life and can’t wait to see what

life has in store for me!

One word: Outgoing

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At our annual winter planning meeting, the 2012-1013 state officers received the

special privilege of meeting with our newly elected Governor, Steve Bullock. At this

meeting, the governor met with many Career and Technical Student Organizations,

including BPA, DECA, FCCLA, FFA, HOSA, TSA, and SkillsUSA. Each organization gave

a short presentation to the governor informing him of their respective organizations

and purposes.

BPA’s presentation consisted of a recitation of our organization’s pledge, followed

by a greeting and officer introductions. Each officer then proceeded to inform the

Governor about BPA. President Nicole explained what our organization is and what

it does for members. Vice President Ashley and Secretary Hannah told of our

mission and vision statements respectively. Membership Director Tori told of

student involvement in BPA and explained the competitive event categories. Public

Relations Director Miranda emphasized BPA’s support of Special Olympics, while

Communications Director MaKenna gave a personal story as to how BPA forms

character in addition to developing business skills.

Following the presentations, Governor Bullock addressed the student organizations.

He explained that he was proud of the membership and involvement in

extracurricular organizations that the students of Montana engage in. He expressed

his support and gratitude for the emphasis placed on higher education and

congratulated each organization on their success thus far.

After saying goodbye and taking many pictures with the Governor, BPA was

complimented by many other organizations on their presentation and professional

conduct. It was an exceptional experience for the state officer team and a proud

representation of BPA in our own state government.

By MaKenna Siebenaler

BPA

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2013 State Leadership Conference Keynote to Provide Attendees with Gumption

The State Officer team is delighted to bring one of America's most familiar faces and entertaining characters to the 2013 State Leadership Conference—Mr. Steven Weber. Over thirty-four years ago, a feather floated out of the sky and landed at the feet of Steve Weber. For many years, the feather just laid there on the ground. Finally, in 1996, he picked it up. That’s how Steve became the Forrest Gump impersonator for the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. It was a role he enjoyed playing for fifteen years. Today, Steve considers himself a professional speaker and a former Forrest Gump impersonator … although he still dresses sorta funny and he definitely has a strange haircut. His outgoing personality and comedian-like sense of humor leaves people smiling and feeling as if they’ve just met the real Forrest Gump ... stupid is as stupid does! Steve’s keynote includes many of the life lessons from the movie. The scenes have been specially selected to not only inspire youth audiences – but to prompt them to take personal responsibility. He wants every student to create his or her own gump-like life. Steve believes that ordinary people, like us, have the ability to create extraordinary results. The lucky feather is Steve’s uncanny resemblance to Forrest Gump. He delights and amuses audiences by using the natural timbre of his voice mixed with an occasional southern drawl to sound similar to Forrest. Most importantly, he offers individuals hope for the future, dishes out some good solid wit and wisdom, and encourages action with his own special message of Gumption. Gumption is all about taking personal responsibility. The three principles of Gumption include:

The way you think – Mindset The way you act – Moxie The way you interact with others – Graciousness

Are you ready to pick up the feather that’s at your feet? Are you willing to create your own gump-like life? Are you willing to let your imagination run wild for rest of your life?

Steven WeberSteven WeberSteven Weber

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Special Olympics Montana offers competitions in the State Winter Games in Whitefish, the State Summer Games in Bozeman and the State Basketball Tournament in Great Falls, with local and area competitions throughout the year. Special Olympics transform lives through the joy of sport for people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities: with nearly 4 million athletes in more than 170 countries; therefore, there are millions of volunteers and supporters.

Through the power of sports, people with intellectual disabilities discover new strengths and abilities, skills, and successes. Athletes

find joy, confidence, and fulfillment on the playing field and in life. They also inspire people in their communities and elsewhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potential.

Business Professionals of America creates a Chain of Love which represents the amount of money BPA students raise for the charity Special Olympics Montana. We are Special Olympics Montana's largest financial donor which is an accomplishment to be proud of. Every school in Montana has a different way to create their chain which makes for a fun activity.

Each chain is bound together and represents the amount of dollars Business Professionals of America will donate to Special Olympics Montana. All the chains can represent your school colors or be any color that chapter members desire. All the chains will be portrayed at the State Convention and awards will be given out to the chapters with the highest donations.

Shields Valley was the Chain of Love winner at the State Conference in 2012. Mrs. Richards and her BPA members set a goal each year for the amount of money they will raise. Shields Valley always sets the bar high to ensure they raise the maximum amount of money they can for Special Olympics Montana. To raise money, students are accountable for their share and can ask for donations at basketball games, hold a car wash, or simply save their spare change for a few months to reach their goal. There are numerous possibilities to raise money and the contributions are worth the time because helping Special Olympics Montana athletes is an accomplishment that is beyond words.

The Special Olympics is a wonderful foundation to volunteer for. It offers many

experiences for individuals that wish to gain life skills. In November of 2012 some of the

Stanford Business Professionals of America members volunteered at Basketball

Tournaments which was “the experience of a lifetime.” These members learned many

skills and received the opportunity to warm their hearts and make lifetime friends.

Anyone who wishes to help out and experience the understanding of what it takes to be

a true leader and familiarize themselves with what BPA is really about should volunteer

for the Special Olympics. Through the Special Olympics, students and active leaders will

begin to hone skills that will contribute to their success in the future.

Be Part of the Experience By Hannah Bloomquist

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By Victoria Hill

National Leadership Conference

Get ready to “Uncover Your Magic” May 8-12 at the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida! 5,000 members and ad-visors will compete, lead, vote, and experience the magic of this great organization!

You can earn your spot at the NLC by qualifying in at least one of the following ways:

- Finish high enough in a State WSAP Competitive Event. Contact your State Advisor for information on regional and state conferences where WSAP contests take place.

- Be a local, regional, or state officer.

- Represent your state as a voting delegate for your di-vision.

- Be involved in a National Officer campaign either as a candidate or otherwise actively involved.

- Earn an Ambassador Torch Award via the Torch Awards Program. (The deadline is March 15.)

- Be involved in the NLC in a manner that is purposely planned by the BPA member and local advisor. This should include (but is not limited to) being an NLC Intern or attending the National Leadership Academy.

Also remember that there is a dress code that must be followed during the NLC. Professional dress is required for the following events: all General Sessions, all Com-petitive Events (judged, non-judged, and open), Cam-paign Rally, Caucuses, Workshops, and National Leader-ship Academy. Casual dress code is for the following: Tours, Special Events, and Exhibit Hall. Members not dressed in required attire will not be able to participate in any session or any competitive event and members not adhering to the Professional Dress Code will not be allowed on stage. If you have any questions regarding dress code, please see http://www.bpa.org/nlc/dresscode or talk to your local chapter advisor.

The last time the National Leadership Conference was at Orlando was in 2006. Now, seven years later, in 2013, Business Professionals of America will discover a new source of business professionalism. The epic adventure in Orlando, Florida begins with your quest to uncover your magic. You will experience real competition with real inspiration. You will be able to network with profes-sionals, learn from the best, build lasting relationships, earn recognition, discover new passions, and meet in-credible people all while experiencing the magic of Or-

lando. Are you ready to bring home the magic, find your power, build your talents, see your future, and change your life?

To watch a video for a preview on just how magical the National Leadership Conference will be, go to http://www.bpa.org/nlc/promovideo and visit the national Business Professionals of America site, http://www.bpa.org for more information.

2013 Montana National Officer Candidate -Nicole Moore-

Interview by Victoria Hill

QQ: What will you miss most about being a state officer?: What will you miss most about being a state officer?

A: “Meetings, meeting new officers, all of it. I don’t really enjoy A: “Meetings, meeting new officers, all of it. I don’t really enjoy

conference calls at 7 in the morning, but I will miss all of conference calls at 7 in the morning, but I will miss all of

it.”it.”

Q: What was the hardest part about being President?Q: What was the hardest part about being President?

A: “You have to always be prepared and have to have the A: “You have to always be prepared and have to have the

right attitude. You set the tone for the meeting. People right attitude. You set the tone for the meeting. People

rely on you.”rely on you.”

Q: Why run for a national office?Q: Why run for a national office?

A: “It is an opportunity for personal leadership growth. I A: “It is an opportunity for personal leadership growth. I

want a career in management and that’s an opportunity want a career in management and that’s an opportunity

for hands on experience. I want to stay involved in the for hands on experience. I want to stay involved in the

organization.”organization.”

Q: What is your most memorable moment of being a state Q: What is your most memorable moment of being a state

officer for two years?officer for two years?

A: “That’s a tough question! Probably getting a pound of fro-A: “That’s a tough question! Probably getting a pound of fro-

zen yogurt at the state meeting last year. The officers zen yogurt at the state meeting last year. The officers

last year will never let me live it down.”last year will never let me live it down.”

Q: What will you take out of Business Professionals of Amer-Q: What will you take out of Business Professionals of Amer-

ica that you will carry with you for the rest of your life?ica that you will carry with you for the rest of your life?

A: “Public speaking definitely! That one’s huge. Also how to A: “Public speaking definitely! That one’s huge. Also how to

rock heels and wear rock heels and wear

them for three days them for three days

straight! But you straight! But you

learn how to run learn how to run

meetings, time man-meetings, time man-

agement skills, and agement skills, and

how to present ideas how to present ideas

and information.”and information.”

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We are met in a spirit of friendship and goodwill as we

prepare for careers in a world-class workforce. We work

together to develop professionalism and leadership

through Business Professionals of America and

pledge our loyalty to our nation.

BPA Pledge

Remember to check

out the Montana state

BPA website :

www.bpamt.org

What is Considered Business Attire?

Guys: a) Dress slacks, dress shirt,

and tie; b) Suit; dress shirt, and tie; c)

Sport coat, coordinated dress slacks,

dress shirt, and tie; d) Shirt and/or

sweater and slacks (tie preferred); e)

Dress shoes required with all the

above.

Gals: a) Dress or suit; b) Skirt with

coordinated blouse and/or sweater; c)

Coordinated slacks outfit; d) Dress

skirt/slacks with coordinated blouse

and/or sweater; e) Dress shoes

required with all the above.

Fun Fact! The first National Leader-

ship Conference was in 1967 at

Green Lake, Wisconsin.

ARE YOU READY TO SAIL TO STATEARE YOU READY TO SAIL TO STATEARE YOU READY TO SAIL TO STATE

TO DISCOVER YOUR TREASURES?TO DISCOVER YOUR TREASURES?TO DISCOVER YOUR TREASURES?

Question: How many BPA regions

are there in Montana? Answer: 8

Montana Event at NationalsMontana Event at NationalsMontana Event at Nationals

Although details to finalize the Montana event are still in progress, the plan is for members to

take a trip to Daytona Beach with lunch at Bubba Gump’s. This event will

take place on Wednesday, May 8. Departure and return time are still to be

determined as well as cost.

So if playing on the beach is on your list of things to do while in Florida, be

sure to reserve a spot on the bus to Daytona.

Please be watching for further details.

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