Contributed photos
Aubree Salo, Lucy Wallgren (above) and Brienna Honer (below) qualified for the national BPA contest after their high finishes at the state BPA contest from March 5-7 in the Twin Cities.

Sixteen students from New York Mills participated in the annual Minnesota Business Professionals of America (BPA) State Leadership Conference held March 5–7, at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency, with more than 1,200 members in attendance.

During the school year, over 2,000 Minnesota BPA members took part in the organization’s competitive events program, allowing them to compete in nearly 70 events focused on the areas of finance, business administration, management information systems, digital communication and design, and management, marketing and communication. 

The competitions are designed to prepare students to succeed and assess real-world business skills and problem-solving abilities. After qualifying earlier this year, regional winners put their talents to the test during the State Leadership Conference.

Students receiving state recognition include:

• Brienna Honer – Advanced Accounting – second place

• Brienna Honer – Payroll Accounting – third place

• Lucy Wallgren – Payroll Accounting – fifth place

• Aubree Salo – Integrated Office Applications

This May, Brienna Honer, Aubree Salo and Lucy Wallgren will compete with thousands of top students from across the United States at the 60th Annual National Leadership Conference—the pinnacle of BPA competition. Members will travel to Nashville, Tenn., in May.