More than 170 high school students competed in the annual Region 4 Business Professionals of America (BPA) Conference hosted at the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids Campus, Wednesday, Feb. 4.

Students from Anoka High School, Blaine High School, Brooklyn Center High School, Cambridge-Isanti High School, Champlin Park High School, Coon Rapids High School and St. Michael-Albertville High School gathered for testing and competitions before 25 judges, several of whom were Anoka-Ramsey Business faculty members.

“This event provides an excellent opportunity for students to exhibit the business skills they have learned over the year,” says Laura BeMent, BPA Advisor and teacher at Anoka High School and BPA Region Four Chairperson.

Fifty-six unique events and tests covered four business disciplines: Financial Services, Administrative Support, Information Technology and Marketing/Management/Human Resources.

“The high school teachers work very hard to prepare their students for this high level of competition,” says Anoka-Ramsey Business Faculty Jerry Horazdovsky. “The competition begins here and goes all the way on to a national level.”

Through individual and team events and test taking, students were ranked. The top five in individual tests, the top two in teams and the top three in judged events go to the state BPA conference in March in Minneapolis. From there, students may earn the opportunity to go to the national competition in Dallas in May.

For more information about Business-focused events at Anoka-Ramsey Community College, as well as business-related degrees, certificates and fast-track training, visit www.AnokaRamsey.edu.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Business faculty John Mago (back to camera) served as one of 25 judges who provided critique and professional insight on business presentations given by high school students at the annual Region 4 Business Professionals of America conference  the college hosted Feb. 4. Here, Mago provides feedback to Champlin Park High School students, Josie Turgeon (left), Maggie Bremer and Danielle Lindell (not shown) on their business concept for a limousine service targeting high school students.