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Mission Statement of Business Professionals of America

The mission of Business Professionals of America is to contribute to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills.

Vision Statement

At Business Professionals of America, we are committed to developing the best possible career and technical education organization for students in the United States. The measure of our success will be the perception that alumni of Business Professionals of America are highly competent and skilled workforce professionals who enable business and industry to maintain the economic vitality and high quality of life associated with our celebrated United States of America.

Goals of Business Professionals of America

The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) has been adopted as the strategic direction for a certification program, competitive events, leadership, and direction for interaction with business, career/job preparation, and workplace competencies.

Purposes
The purposes of this organization are:

To provide opportunities for chapter members in leadership and development.
To unite in a common professional bond without regard to race, creed, sex or national origin of students enrolled in classes with business employment as their objective.
To develop leadership abilities through participation in career and technical education, civic, recreational, and social activities.
To assist students in establishing realistic employment objectives.
To create enthusiasm for learning.
To promote high standards in ethics, workmanship, and scholarship.
To develop the ability of students to plan together, organize, and carry out worthy activities and projects through the use of the democratic processes.
To foster an understanding of the functions of labor, entrepreneurial, and management organizations in the American free enterprise system.
To develop competent, assertive leaders in business education.
To develop and strengthen members’ confidence in themselves and their work.
To provide satisfactory social and recreational activities.
To foster practical application of business education skills through competition.

Divisions
College/Post-secondary - For post-secondary (one-year, two-year, baccalaureate, or post-baccalaureate) students enrolled in initial, refresher, or upgrading business, career technical, business education and career or related education programs.

Secondary/Associate - For high school students enrolled in initial, refresher, or upgrading business, career technical, and career or related education programs. Associate Member Designation for high school students enrolled in initial, refresher, or upgrading business, career technical, and career or related education programs for special populations.

Middle Level - For middle school students enrolled in initial, refresher, or upgrading business, career technical, and career or related education programs.

Click to view a complete BPA fact sheet.

Competitive Events

The Workplace Skills Assessment Program (WSAP) is an integral part of Business Professionals of America. The goal of the program is to provide all business students with the opportunity to demonstrate workplace skills learned through business education curricula. A member may enter one individual and/or one team event in the Secondary and Associate divisions; in two events (only one of which may be a team event) in the Middle Level division; and three events (only one of which may be a team event) in the Post-secondary division. Events are offered at the regional, state, and national level in the following categories:

Financial Services
Administrative Support
Information Technology
Management/Marketing/Human Resources

The WSAP Guide contains the guidelines for each event. You begin competing at the regional level in Texas. State qualifiers advance to the State Leadership Conference (SLC) in March. At the SLC, those placing as national qualifiers advance to the National Leadership Conference (NLC), held in late April or early May.

Click to download the WSAP Guide.

Special Recognition Awards

An active BPA chapter is an involved chapter. There are many Special Recognition Awards designed to provide individual and/or chapter recognition. Recognition is awarded at the Regional, State and National Leadership Conferences. These awards include the following:

Air Force Recruiting Salute Award – to encourage and recognize chapters for outstanding citizenship, compassionate community service leadership and achievement, and support for American free enterprise.
American Red Cross – to encourage BPA chapters to provide volunteer services for the American Red Cross.
BPA Marketing and Public Relations – to encourage chapters to promote the image of Business Professionals of America and its members.
Chapter Activities Award of Excellence – to recognize local chapters for their outstanding activities and program of work and to promote all local chapters to strive for an outstanding program of activities.
Community Action – to encourage chapters to become actively involved in community betterment, school improvement, election-year activities, and energy-related activities.
Entrepreneurship Exploration – to encourage individuals to have a better understanding of the American free enterprise system and to study the role of the entrepreneur and small business management.
Member Recruiter – to encourage members to recruit new BPA national members.
Merit Scholar – to recognize members and advisors for their knowledge of Business Professionals of America.
National Center Capital Improvements Campaign – to conduct a capital improvement campaign for the benefit of the National Center and to provide individual and group recognition to all contributors.
Safety Awareness – to encourage and recognize chapters for their involvement and development of unique safety programs.
Anti-Violence Awareness Emphasis – to encourage members to become involved in programs designed to reduce violence as a means of response to conflict and programs.
Drug Awareness Emphasis – to encourage members to become actively involved in drug awareness programs and share their knowledge with others.
Special Olympics – to encourage chapters to become actively involved in Special Olympics. The State Association has raised $2,326.70 for Texas Special Olympics.
Professional Cup – awarded to state associations annually for the greatest participation in Special Recognition and Torch awards. Click here for more information on the Special Recognition Awards.
Torch Awards – a special program offering individual recognition awards to members who participate in a wide variety of personal growth and service activities. There are seven (7) activity areas in the Torch awards program:

Leadership
Service
Cooperation
Knowledge
Friendship
Love, Hope, Faith
Patriotism

A very special ceremony surrounds an explanation of the nine “torches”. (In the Torch ceremony, Love, Hope and Faith are considered separate “torches”, giving a total of nine torches in the seven activity areas). Members strive to achieve recognition at each of the following four levels by earning specified points in each of the seven divisions:

Executive Award – given by the local chapters when a member earns 10 points in each of the seven divisions.
Diplomat Award – given by the regional organization when a member earns 30 points in each of the seven divisions.
Statesman Award – given by the state association when a member earns 50 points in each of the seven divisions.
Ambassador Award – given by the national association when a member earns 70 points in each of the seven divisions.

Click here for more information on the Torch Awards program.

How National BPA Operates

Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees manages all affairs of BPA and is elected by the Corporate body at the National Leadership Conference. Every sector of the organization, including state supervisors, state advisors, business, local advisors, and divisions, is represented on the Board. The Board meets at least twice annually. Members may serve not more than two consecutive three-year terms.

State Association Advisory Council (SAAC). SAAC serves as a liaison between the states associations and the Board of Trustees; its function is to make recommendations regarding new and existing programs that affect the state organizations.

Classroom Educators Advisory Council (CEAC). CEAC serves as the liaison between the local advisors and the Board of Trustees. CEAC membership consists of one local advisor from each state (one per division). One official meeting is held annually. Members may serve no more than two consecutive three-year terms.

National Business Advisory Council (NBAC). NBAC serves as the liaison between business and industry and the Board of Trustees. Members are selected from supportive corporations and are appointed by the Board of Trustees.

National Officers. National officers are elected annually at the NLC. They provide numerous services to the members they represent through field services, leadership training, workshops, and liaisons between members and the Board of Trustees. If you are interested in becoming a national officer, contact your State Advisor, Vicki Thomas or click here to find the "Run for National Office" information and documentation.

Business Professionals of America National website

Local Chapters

To Form a Local Chapter:

Review the materials included in the Chapter Start-up Kit (click here to download kit ). Also contact your State Advisor for more information.
Meet with a school official to seek approval and support.
Organize a student committee of enthusiastic and motivated students to serve as the Organizing Committee.
Prepare an agenda for a chapter meeting to include an introduction to Business Professionals of America.
Organize a membership campaign and collect dues.
Involve all students in organizing the new chapter and in carrying out the membership campaign.
Approve a constitution.
Elect officers to serve the membership.
Submit membership application, constitution and charter application to the National Center.
Recognize the new chapter by conducting a chartering and member Initiation Ceremony (remember to invite teachers, administrators, and family members).
Train newly elected officers for their roles as leaders (attend Fall Leadership Conference if possible).
Plan a program of activities, including school and community service projects. Organize committees with chairpersons to carry out the activities.
Establish regular chapter meeting times. In addition to conducting business meetings, use the meetings to provide professional development by inviting guest speakers, conduct additional leadership development, and learn and practice parliamentary procedures in conducting business meetings.
Maintain regular contact with the Regional Advisor, State Advisor and National Center to keep abreast of state and national activities.
Prepare interested members for regional Workplace Skills Assessment Program competitions.
Review the program of activities with the officers monthly and recommend needed changes.

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