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  Statesman Award Winners  2009-2010 

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Sarah Crist (scrist@bpa.org)

Ohio President

National Historian

Last year I served as your 2008-2009 Ohio Association State Treasurer. I was honored to have the privilege of helping to lead the Ohio Association members through a successful year in Business Professionals of America. As a junior I was able to gain a great deal of knowledge about the organization and learn different types of leadership techniques that would qualify me to serve Ohio for another year. I attended the National Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas, to represent the buckeye state as a national officer candidate. I was fortunate enough to have an amazing state like Ohio behind me to support and enable me to achieve my goal of becoming a national officer. I was elected as the 2009-2010 National Historian for the Secondary Division of Business Professionals of America. Although I was extremely excited by this amazing opportunity, it was even more thrilling to experience the presence of so many Ohio members and to feel the bond of loyalty. I was so proud that I was elected to represent them.

This year I decided to run for reelection for state office; and, to be completely honest, I was extremely nervous. I did not know whether the members would have the same faith in me that they had shown the previous year. After long discussions with my advisor, Mrs. Yokajty, and my mom, they assured me that the students would recognize my passion for serving the members of Business Professionals of America. After contemplating what to write my speech about, I decided to write about what was important to me, swimming.  I have been a competitive swimmer for nine years. Swimming has been an outlet for me for so long, it is where I release my aggressions and do my most productive thinking. I concentrate on the focus of my end goal, finishing the race in the least amount of time. I knew I could apply this same process to my goal of a second officer term and show the members  that I am qualified to lead our state and proudly represent them. I want to give back to an organization that had given so much to me.

One by one the new officer positions were being filled. My name had still not been announced and my stomach was in knots. I looked over at Mallory, 2008-2009 State Secretary, and I whispered “This is it, I will either make it or I won’t get elected at all”. I looked at my mom who was sitting in the front row and I think she was just as nervous as I was. I began shaking; I had no idea whose name would be announced as the new president. President Kelli Cunningham started to speak, and I knew that this was the moment of truth. Then she announced my name. I was elected as the 2009-2010 Ohio Association State President!

I have never been more honored. I want to help guide my team to gain the same leadership qualities that I was able to acquire while serving my first year as an officer. I am more than ready to represent and lead the best state in BPA, and I am eager to serve Ohio for another year.

I invite members to contact me with ideas and suggestions.