A New Year!

Hey everyone! We'll be kicking off this year's festivities next week (B week). I'd like you all to think about who would like to run for an officer position. I need a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and historian. The officers will be responsible for attending all after school activities and assisting the advisor with the fundraising activities, etc.

This year's talent show will be on November 16! I hope to get a lot of BPA volunteers to help make it a success! Tickets will be $5.00. Spread the word to all your friends and family members so that we can have another sell-out crowd!

This year's theme for BPA is "Find Your Fit". What does that mean to you? What do you hope to get out of the year with BPA? Who do you think will make it to Reno? Post your answers!

Judged Events

Deadline is April 2. That means I need your judged projects electronically by Friday! I will then put them in the mail. :)

New York....Here We Come!

So there I was last Saturday - on the bus heading to states. I sat in the front of the bus taking every morsel of rest being offered at this point. Everyone was dressed in their most professional outfits and looking quite grown up. I heard some laughing, saw some smiles as well as blank faces on the students who had no idea what they were in for. Some of the chatter I could hear had to do with "profit margin, target market, flip charts, and marketing plans". Who were these kids? I am reminded that if you give kids the opportunity to shine, they will do just that. And shine they did!

Our school was very successful this year at states. Global Marketing is an event that we have done well with since the event came into being about four years ago. We took a first place and third place in that event. We took a first in desktop publishing, yeah Beth!! We took a second in fundamental word processing, third and fourth in entrepreneurship, second in prepared speech, fourth and fifth in database and third in graphic design! I had two students elected as state officers and three students will be receiving their Ambassador Torch Awards! That means 16 kids are going to New York City in May!

Thank you to everyone for behaving so well. I hope you had some fun, met some new people and took away a lot of "Good Times". *get it???* "Good Times" Oh, I crack myself up.

It's Now or Never!

So it's Saturday, March 10 and I'm at school waiting for the 31 students to show up for states. Phew, what a ride it's been! I feel rested this morning and I'm assuming that the day will go well. Adrenaline kicks in and even when your body should be rebelling about the schedule you're trying to keep (when you're old like me!) I get pumped by the enthusiasm from the 600+ kids at the conference.

Things I'll be noticing today but rarely talk about? Young people, slews of them, having fun. Meeting new people and gaining new experiences that will remain with them for a lifetime. I remember back in my high school years having those experiences that never fade away. The people will leave you, but the memories never will. This I promise. And no I don't think I'm any great Saint for being the BPA advisor. Anyone could do it. But you all provide many memories and make me learn more about "people" every day. Even as you will all leave and continue on the rest of your lives, you've all enriched mine in ways which cannot be measured. This is why I chose to be the advisor for our chapter - it's purely selfish, I assure you. This is why I'll be up until 2 a.m. this weekend. This is why I'll give you a nasty look or roll my eyes at you if you tell me you don't have your style manual or a number two pencil. :)

Be safe, be good, have fun.

Always,
Mrs. Sylvia

Time's Gettin' Away From Us!

Guess what I just realized? When we go away this weekend, we will have to set our clocks forward for daylight savings time! Know what that means? We'll be losing an hour of sleep! I vote for curfew to be an hour earlier now. You guys agree??

Sorry Mrs. Powers!

Deadlines have arrived...

Wow. As February comes to a close, it means that states is just a short couple of weeks away. Many students who are competing in a judged event have their deadlines today. I've seen one Global Marketing project out of two. I've seen one Entrepreneurship project out of two. (That's because he's my son!) I have yet to see 1 Global, 1 Entrepreneurship, and 1 Graphic Design Promotion. But hopefully by the end of the day, they'll be in my in-box so I can email them to the proper judges.

So with registration occurring last week, it seems we're taking about 30 students to the state competition this year. It's a smaller group than in the past, but I'm happy that it will be a manageable size. Mrs. Powers is officially registered as an assistant BPA Advisor and will be going with us this year. Boy is she in for a ride! I haven't told her that she can't go to bed before 3 a.m. - so don't any of you tell her! I think that because she has three small children, she thinks that getting away for a couple of nights and sleeping in a hotel will afford her much needed rest. HAH! shhhhhhh.....

Well good luck to the remaining students who have to meed their deadline today. Please, come through! Not for me, but for a chance to see New York City. Oh, Jessie just told me yesterday that Barack Obama will be the guest speaker at nationals! That's exciting - there will be Secret Service Agents all over the place. :) Good luck everyone!

Gearing Up Folks!

So this is crunch week. We have to meet a whole bunch of deadlines this week like paying for states, filling out the registration form online and emailing it to me, Interview Skills (Advanced too) and others. I've been staying after school a couple days a week but guess what - only a couple of people have come after school for assistance. That means that either everyone is totally all set OR they're just thinking their work will magically be done on time.

Kevin has completed his Advanced Interview Skills as well as begun getting the ball rolling for his national candidacy! He's been working like a dog. Bristol-Plymouth has never been home to a national officer before and it's very exciting! I wish Kevin the best of luck and I hope our readers can offer him a whole bunch of encouragement here!

Sara has been perfecting her speech. She's done a marvelous job. The Global Marketing people? I have no idea if they've even started because they haven't asked for a bit of help. Scary. But they're seasoned BPA members and know what to expect.

Anyway - this is the most exciting time of year! Once the State weekend arrives, there's no stopping it. You're either ready or you're not. Those who are will get a nice view of the Empire State Building! Who.......will........I........take........to.........New.........York........City??