Memorial HS’s BPA: Year Two

After a highly successful 2024 competition season, Memorial High School’s Business Professionals of America is back and more determined than ever to showcase their skills. Last school year, the club boasted around 25 members, a significant increase from 2023, but this year, membership has skyrocketed to an impressive 82 students. To support this growth, the club has expanded its executive committee, adding roles such as membership and fundraising chairs to support the president and vice president. Many students showed their interest in holding one of the leadership positions, and an election was held earlier this school year to determine the roles.

In January, the teams competed in the Area 5 Region 2 Competition at Benjamin Davis High School in Aldine. The range of competition categories has also expanded to include very relevant topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media marketing. 

This year, my team competed in the Presentation Team category, delivering a 7-10 minute presentation on the societal impact of Artificial Intelligence. After weeks of thorough research, we narrowed down our presentation to focus on three key areas: AI in education, AI in the workplace, and AI in the stock market. Alongside my team members—Kavi Thaker, Luisa Llaneza Avogadro, and Keira Donovan—we crafted a comprehensive slideshow and tried to hone in our presentation skills through extensive practice. Fortunately our hard work paid off as we placed second and earned a spot at the state competition!

Memorial teams before competing in the Region 2 Competition (2025). (From left: Kenny Simpson, Austin le, Henry Lanier, and Reed Ingersoll).

Memorial’s BPA chapter president Henry Lanier also excelled in his competition. Alongside his team members Reed Ingersoll, Kenny Simpson, and Austin Le, he competed in the Financial Analyst category, presenting an in-depth evaluation of a given company’s financial performance. Their analysis covered notable topics such as business management,accounting, marketing, and data analytics. Henry also participated in an individual event (Presentation Individual) where he highlighted the benefits of BPA as a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO). Henry emphasized the personal and professional growth opportunities BPA offers, including making connections with peers, exploring career paths, improving team working skills, and developing leadership. 

To further strengthen his presentation, Henry conducted a survey among chapter members to understand their motivations for joining BPA. Accompanied with specific member quotes, he incorporated these statistics into his slideshow. 

Henry’s group presentation earned first place, and, in his individual event, he holds a state alternate position. In late-February, all teams earning first, second, or a state alternate position will likely be attending the state competition in Dallas. 

Reflecting on his past few years in BPA, Henry shared that “being involved in BPA, especially as a president, has been an incredible learning experience. I highly recommend it to any student interested in joining!” With such strong performances and growing membership, Memorial High School’s BPA chapter is well-positioned for continued excellence this year and in the years to come.