Noxon BPA students advance

Noxon School is proud to announce that four students have earned a competitive position in Business Professionals of America's (BPA) National Leadership Conference (NLC) taking place the first week of May.

There will be approximately 8,000 students at the conference joining Noxon's Madison Koonce, Levi Brubaker, Andy Koonce and Laurel Miller in nationally standardized co-curricular exercises supporting business, finance, office administration and information technology.

Fundraising events have been scheduled to help cover expenses for the fab four's trip; totaling $1,981 apiece. "This is not a school funded trip, so students will have to fundraise and pay for the trip themselves," Advisor Dana Grupenhoff said.

"Each student has made the commitment to go and compete by making a sizeable down payment," shared Grupenhoff. "It is now our goal to raise the rest."

Upcoming fundraiser events include a car and boat wash and bake sale being held at the Trout Creek Local Store on Saturday, April 27; a silent auction and spaghetti feed in Noxon on May 11; a Mother's Day flower bouquet sale running until Tuesday, May 7 and a yard sale is to be determined.

"We have been fundraising all year to pay for our regional competition in Kalispell in December, our State Leadership Conference in March in Billings, and now for the NLC in Anaheim," stated Grupenhoff. "People can make donations to Noxon High School BPA if they are interested. We would also gladly accept in-kind donations for the silent auction and yard sale."

Madison is a senior and will be on her second trip to the NLC, according to Grupenhoff. Fundamental Desktop Publishing and Graphic Design will once again be Madison's challenges. Having already earned publication certification last year at the NLC, she is hoping to receive another in Adobe Creative Suite software this year.

Brubaker, also a senior, is aiming at achieving certification in MTA Networking and Security Fundamentals at the NLC. According to Grupenhoff, with these credentials, Brubaker will be employable in computer science immediately after graduation. Brubaker will also be competing in PC Servicing and Troubleshooting.

Madison's younger brother Andy, a freshman, qualified for Network Administration Using Microsoft after completing only three-quarters of a year in Computer Concepts. He's shooting to gain certifications in MTA Networking, Windows Operating System and Administration Fundamentals.

An alternate in Integrated Office Applications, Miller will also take part in the Leadership Academy and serve as a conference intern. She will also attend a workshop, Mastering the Art of Photography and join Andy in attending the Go MAD: Make a Difference in Your School seminar.

Andy and Brubaker will both attend the Roadmap to Your Future seminar as well.

"Students involved in BPA participate in various educational programs and activities that offer self-improvement, leadership and career developments, professionalism, community service, public relations, student cooperation and safety and health," posted Grupenhoff.

In addition to attending the conference, students are looking forward to attending an Anaheim Angels game, Disneyland, Universal Studios and hitting the beach. "If I have any say we will find an outlet mall as well," exclaimed Grupenhoff.

More information on the fundraising events can be directed by Grupenhoff at [email protected].