CALIFORNIA DREAM

The West High BPA Chapter brought 41 students to Anaheim, California April 24-30 for the National Leadership Conference (NLC). While in Anaheim members were allowed to walk to Disneyland, California Adventures or explore the area. They also took a chapter tour around Los Angeles to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the LA farmers market, the Beverly Hills sign, Sana Monica pier, Huntington Beach and a Los Angeles Angels Baseball game. The club consists of 3 main conferences. The Fall Leadership Conference, which is held in Des Moines, Iowa. It’s a chance for members to participate in workshops and network with other school’s chapters in Iowa. State Leadership Conference is when members start competing in their events. If a member places top three in any event they are invited to attend and have a chance to compete at NLC. This school year West had the privilege of having two Iowa State Officers, John Woodward ‘23 as Iowa State President and Karen Liu ‘24 as Iowa State Vice President. “[BPA] builds a really inclusive community. Everyone in BPA is friends with everyone. It’s a great place for underclassmen to meet upperclassmen and get to know their school and get involved.” Liu ‘24. Karen Liu will continue to be a state officer as Iowa State President along with Layan Ahmed ‘25 as Iowa Vice President of Marketing. Next year’s chapter president Dillon Croco ‘24 hopes to “ Continue on this success that West High has built up the last couple of years exiting the COVID era, and I hope to implement my own new fresh ideas.”

What does BPA is to you?

“[BPA] is an organization where I can work with like minded students to better ourselves”

What is your favorite memory from this year? Dillon

“My favorite memory was going to Disney in California. Just walking around I was always telling myself, I could be in school right now but because of all the hard work I put in I get to be at Disney World with all my friends.”