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53rd Annual State Leadership Conference
March 13-16, 2025 | Grand Rapids, Michigan

 
 

Watch Live

Supporters from near and far can join in the excitement of the conference by viewing our livestream. Our general sessions will be broadcast live throughout the conference weekend. Share the news with your friends!

Sync or Swin

This year's Thursday Night Activity is Sync or Swim. This lively event will give groups an opportunity to shine as they put their lip-sync talents to the test. Be sure to stop by on Thursday for a fun filled night!

Get ready to compete

Students will compete in 66 different assessment events during the conference. The top state finalists will be eligible to compete at our National Leadership Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

Business Professionals of America members have an opportunity to develop leadership skills, personal and professional growth, and career-related competencies during our State Leadership Conference (SLC). Involvement in BPA enhances social awareness, civic responsibility, and understanding of the business community. Our Annual SLC, which is the highlight of the Michigan Association year, helps our members accomplish these objectives.

The 53rd Annual State Leadership Conference will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on March 13-16, 2025. The parade of presidents, workshops, state officer elections, Workplace Skills Assessment Program events, and a semi-formal dinner are highlights of the conference. Delegates have the opportunity to meet people and make many new friends. More than 100 schools located throughout the state are represented at the conference.

NOTE: Postsecondary State Leadership Conference information is available on the Postsecondary page of our website.

  • Hillsdale High School*
    Montcalm Area Career Center*
    Oakland Schools Technical NE Campus*
    Oakland University
    Sacred Heart Academy*
    Sandusky Jr/Sr High School
    Waterford Kettering High School*

    *Indicates re-affiliated or rechartered chapters

    New and reaffiliated/rechartered high school chapters will be recognized during the dinner session at the state conference in March. Postsecondary chapters will be recognized at the Postsecondary State Leadership Conference in February.

  • All chapters must use the Conference Registration System (CRS) website in order to register students, advisors, and chaperones for the state leadership conference.

    The conference schedule and extensive instructions for registering for the state conference are available in the following sections of The BPA Binder (PDF):

    SLC Registration Booklet (pp. 99-128)

    SLC Schedule (pp. 123-128)

    SLC Competitive Event Schedule (pp. 129-130)

    Conference Registration System Manual (pp. 181-193)

  • Once we select the menu for Dinner Session, we will share details including main ingredients and alternative options. Visit our SLC Dinner Session Details page for more details. We encourage you to review this page and consider whether any additional requests for the vegan entrée option or other special meals should be submitted. Requests for special meals must be received before 5:00 PM ET on Friday, February 21, 2025.

  • GENERAL INFORMATION

    Advisor Years of Service Award Recipients (PDF)

    Amway Hotel Maps (PDF)

    Advisor Assignments (sorted by advisor name, PDF)

    Advisor Assignments (sorted by school, PDF)

    Award Session Program (PDF)

    Davenport University Computer Instructions (PDF)

    Davenport University Contestant # Tent Card (DOC)

    Davenport University Shuttle Bus Schedule (PDF)

    Davenport University-Lettinga Campus Directions (PDF)

    Delegate Code of Conduct (PDF)

    Dress Code (PDF)

    Voting Delegate Packet & State Executive Council Candidate Essays (PDF)

    DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS INFORMATION

    Bus Transportation Instructions (PDF)

    Directions to Amway Grand Plaza Hotel (PDF)

    Directions to Courtyard Marriott Downtown GR Hotel (PDF)

    Grand Rapids Downtown Overview Map (PDF)

    Grand Rapids Downtown Parking Map (PDF)

    Grand Rapids Downtown Free DASH Bus Route Map (PDF)

    Grand Rapids Know Before You Go Fact Sheet & Exclusives (PDF)

    FORMS

    Conduct/Permission/Medical Treatment Authorization Form (DOCX) (For advisor file only)

    Emergency Information Form (DOCX) (For advisor file only)

    Housing Change Form

    Hotel Credit Card Payment Website

    Registration Accuracy Checklist (PDF)

    Registration Correction/Addendum Form

    Registration Credit Card Payment Website

    Registration Refund Request Form

    Special Accommodations & Special Meals Request Form

  • Our slate of exciting leadership and skill-building workshops planned for this year’s SLC will be posted once the workshops are finalized. Check back as we get closer to the state conference date.

  • Awards Session Guest Registration

    Conference Registration System Website (Use this site to register for the conference and to see student competitive event time schedules.)

    SLC Frequently Asked Questions

    Hotel Credit Card Payment Website

    State Conference Registration Credit Card Payment Website

    Registration Correction/Addendum Form (Use this form if you have already submitted your registration; if you have more than two corrections, please email use to reset your registration)

    Registration Refund Request Form

    Housing Change Form

  • Tickets for the awards session for parents will be sold using Eventbrite. Tickets are limited. Tickets will go on sale on February 19, 2025 at 11:00 AM ET.

    More detailed information about ticket sales is located on the SLC Awards Session Guest page of our website.

  • During the state conference, voting delegates have the responsibility of electing the next leaders of our association. Voting delegates will be actively engaged in the election process for the 2025-2026 Michigan BPA State Executive Council.

    Each chapter is allocated two voting delegates. All voting delegates must attend the annual business meeting, which will be held on Friday, March 13, 2025 at 6:30 PM. They must also attend the opening session and campaign rally.

    The Voting Delegates Packet includes the agenda for the meeting, meeting rules, proposed bylaws amendments, and state executive council candidate essays. Every voting delegate should use this document to help them effectively fulfill their voting delegate responsibilities.

    The Voting Delegates Packet will be posted here in mid-February.

  • Get a professional head and shoulder photo or a chapter group photo taken by our conference photographer. This will be an ideal photo for your social media sites. Rates, times, and location for this photo both are published on the SLC photo page.

  • The deadline for submitting Statesman Torch Awards resumes is January 15, 2025.

    The Statesman Torch Award Recipients will be posted here once the resumes are reviewed.

  • Hundreds of photographs taken by our SLC Photographer will be available after the state conference. Photos will be available for instant download for a modest donation to Michigan BPA. This is an excellent way to relive the excitement of the conference and the photos also make great gifts and memorabilia for graduation open houses. The link to access our photo store will be available here after the conference is over. Once available, feel free to share the photo link with your parents and family members who may appreciate seeing the events of the weekend that were captured in these images. The link will be posted after the SLC.

  • A summary of information regarding presubmitted events for state competition can be obtained by clicking here.

  • The Michigan Association is continuing its tradition of having a contest for students who are interested in singing the National Anthem at the opening session of the state leadership conference. Any student who qualifies to attend the SLC as a regional event winner or statesman award recipient is eligible to submit an entry for this contest. Students must submit a current photograph, short bio and their performance singing the national anthem by MP3 file upload or YouTube/Vimeo/Dropbox link to our website. The performance at the SLC will be a cappella; therefore, it's best that the audition performance be submitted in that manner. All entries must be RECEIVED before 5:00 PM ET by February 5, 2025. Entries must be uploaded via our website form location at www.michiganbpa.org/slc-national-anthem-singer.

  • Our future state conferences will be held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel on the following dates:

    March 11-15, 2026
    March 18-21, 2027