A group of students from Chicago Heights School District 170 competed at the Business Professionals of America (BPA) National Leadership Conference held recently in Dallas, Texas.
Carlos Acosta, Caleb Avila, Evangeline Figaro, D'Aysia James, Milagros Martinez, Maria Rivera, Fantazia Torres-Cain, Leah Villarreal represented the district while competing against middle school students from 28 states in events such as Video Production, Prepared Speech, Math/Business Concepts, and Computer Security.
Figaro, Rivera, and Villarreal competed in Video Production category; Avila competed in Prepared Speech; Acosta, Avila, James, Torres-Cain, and Rivera competed in Math Concepts; Acosta, James, Martinez, and Torres-Cain competed in Business Communications Concepts; and Martinez competed in Computer Literacy.
Joe Barker and Allison Fansher, members of the School District 170 staff, accompanied the students.
"The incredible educational and personal growth opportunity afforded our students as participants at the BPA Nationals was an experience that will serve them well as they advance through their academic and professional careers," Barker said.
The Business Professionals of America is a career and technical student organization that develops leadership, academic, and technological skills in the workplace. It is a voluntary, after-school activity, coordinated by Nick Pezzuto, Director of the STEM Academy and staff member Mark Pesavento.
The BPA experience focuses on providing training and exposure to 15 areas of concentration that concentrate on individual activities that are vital to success in the business world.
"All of us at School District 170 congratulate our students on their participation at the BPA National Leadership Conference," said Superintendent Tom Amadio.
"By competing in a national competition against teams representing junior high schools from nearly every state and demographic background these students served as a credit to our school district and our community."
The students in the photo accompanying this article are (L-R back row) Carlos Acosta, Milagros Martinez, D'Aysia James, Leah Villarreal, and Caleb Avila, and (L-R front row) Fantazia Torres-Cain, Evangeline Figaro, and Maria Rivera.