Building to Nationals: The Growth of BPA
Chapter members dominate state competition and bid to nationals
The weekend of March 7-8 was a milestone for our school’s Business Professionals of America (BPA) chapter. Out of 12 competitors at the state competition, seven placed in the top 10, marking one of the most successful years in our chapter’s history. Kylie Kelm ‘26 won state champion in Integrated Office Applications, while Luke Gramstad ‘26 took third in Administrative Support Research. Kelm, Gramstad, and chapter president Avery Lowe will represent our school at the BPA National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, from May 7-11.
This year’s success didn’t happen by chance—it was the result of hard work and leadership to revitalize the program, particularly from Avery Lowe. Just a few years ago, BPA at our school was nearly nonexistent.
“I’m not 100% sure of the history, but I know there was a period where there was either no BPA or very few members,” Kelm said.
Last year, BPA had only three students qualify for the state competition. This year, that number quadrupled. The driving force behind this surge in participation was a direct result of chapter president, Avery Lowe ‘26.
“[Lowe] personally went out and recruited people who she knew would be a good fit,” Kelm said, as Avery’s involvement was how she knew to join the program. Thanks to her resourcefulness, the program has seen unprecedented growth.
BPA is a co-curricular program intended for students looking to pursue a career in business or jobs in the technical field, but it isn’t a high-commitment activity like theater or sports. According to Kelm, “Anybody can do BPA. You get in what you put in, but it’s not a huge time commitment.”
With Nationals just around the corner, the future of BPA at our school looks brighter than ever. Thanks to the revitalizing efforts of Avery Lowe and the dedication of the students involved, what was once a small, struggling chapter is now thriving—and it looks like it’s only going to keep growing.
