April 13, 2015

Local Business Leader

Bremer Bank
730 W. Bridge Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
It is a pleasure to announce that two Business Professionals of America (BPA) members and six DECA members have
qualified for national competition at the National Leadership Conference. The BPA conference will be held May 5-8 in
Anaheim. The DECA conference will be held April 24-29 in Orlando. These students earned this honor by placing in business
skills events, competing with over 1,600 students from the state of Minnesota in March. Students who placed in the top four
in each event advance to the national competition.
Taylor GaveskeDECA School Based Enterprise Academy
Amber Holte DECA School Based Enterprise Academy
Morgan Malo DECA School Based Enterprise Academy
Ghoutam ManokarDECA, Financial Literacy Virtual Business Challenge
Luke Bunkers- DECA, Financial Literacy Virtual Business Challenge
Jack Livingston DECA, Financial Literacy Role Play, BPA Banking and Finance
Ethan Schultz BPA, JAVA Programming
Since the start of this school year, the students have been selling items in the school store to help cover their BPA and DECA
costs for the year. The past three years weve been able to cover a chunk of the costs for Nationals. However due to changes
in nutrition standards in schools weve lost our cookie sales at the store so most of the accounts have been depleted with the
cost of hotel and registration at region and state competition.
Business Professionals of America and DECA are student organizations that contribute to the preparation of a world-class
workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic and technological skills. Members compete in
demonstrations of their business and technology skills; develop their professional and leadership skills, network with one
another and professionals from across the nation, and get involved in the betterment of their community through service
projects. Our projects this year benefitted Steele County Toys for Tots and Lets Smile Inc.
As our organization is completely self-supporting, we are contacting local businesses and service organizations for possible
contributions to the students national competition expenses. The students and parents will contribute to the cost also.
The cost per student for the National Leadership Conference is as follows:
Registration, lodging, fees
$ 410.00
Transportation
300.00
Total
$710.00 * 8 = $5680.00
Any contribution your organization could make to these students would be greatly appreciated. All funds collected will be
divided equally among the qualified participants. Checks may be made payable to Owatonna BPA/DECA and sent to:
Owatonna High School BPA/DECA
c/o Chad Ohl/Scott Pierce
333 East School Street
Owatonna, MN 55060

If you have any questions, please contact one of us. If there is any way that we could provide service to your organization,
please let us know. Thank you for considering this request.
Sincerely
Chad Ohl, Advisor
Business Professionals of America
444-8938(w) or 208-5137(h)
cohl@owatonna.k12.mn.us

Scott Pierce, Advisor

DECA
444-8855 (w) or 451-1455 (h)
spierce@owatonna.k12.mn.us