LETTER: Thanks to all who helped NHS business students compete

In February, 31 Newton High School Business Professionals of America club members competed in the BPA State Leadership Conference in Wichita. Of those 31 students, 17 qualified for the National Leadership Conference by placing in their respective events.

Immediately these students began fund-raising to pay their expenses to attend the five-day conference in Dallas. Many businesses and individuals supported us in the effort to raise our funding, and I would like to take the opportunity to thank them for their generous contribution.

They include Tongish Auto Mart; Graphics Systems; Mid-America Graphics; Citizen’s State Bank; Anytime Fitness; Midland National Bank; Dr. Terry Davidson; Hillcrest Community Church; Sizemore, Burns and Gillmore P.A.; Edco Rentals; Bank of the West; Central National Bank; Hutchinson Credit Union; Prestige Cabinets Inc.; Kansas Christian Home; Cato; Wal-Mart; Little Caesars; The Breadbasket; Mi MaMa’s Recipes; Ultimate Martial Arts; Mike Petitjean; Ray Penner; Jill Lachenmayr; Jan Neufeld; Gary Jantz; Debbie Palacioz; Roger and Renee Erickson; Willis Heck; Barb Bunting; and Rep. Marc Rhoades.

To our disappointment, the national conference was cancelled in May due to the swine flu virus outbreak and was rescheduled for June 17 through 21. Because of the rescheduling, only seven students were able to attend in June.

Those seven students, including their event and place, were:

• Jenna Rangel, Entrepreneurship, third

• Krista Saylor, Payroll Accounting, fourth

• Lindsay Rhoades, Prepared Speech, 11th

• Saylor/Rhoades Team, Administrative Support Team, 11th

• Alex Harder, PC Servicing and Troubleshooting, 26th

• Lauren Dunn, Ambassador Award Recipient

• Jamie Miller, Ambassador Award Recipient

• Sara Bradley, Open Events

In addition to competing in their events, club members attended multiple Success Sessions on topics such as college financing and leadership and took various open event tests. They also spent a day at Six Flags.

At the conference, the Newton High School chapter was awarded the Community Action Award for their multiple community service projects.

The other 10 students who qualified but were unable to attend were Francisco Ayala, Levi Blaylock, Austin Burch, Shannon Cooper, Jacy Gomez, Jeremy Hedrich, Lauren Kemph, Laci McCartney, Jason Palmer and Danielle Tolle.

— Sincerely,

Melinda Rangel,

Newton High School

Business Professionals of America Advisor