Business Professionals of America (BPA) is pleased to announce a new national sponsor, the Lead4Change Student Leadership Program. Lead4Change offers robust leadership lessons integrated with project based learning, allowing students to focus on learning leadership through service.
With more than 45,000 members across the country, BPA has been committed to developing and empowering rising student leaders to discover their passion and change the world through a myriad of leadership development, service learning and educational enrichment programs for more than 50-years. This national sponsor relationship with the Lead4Change Student Leadership Program will offer BPA members opportunities for high levels of student engagement through collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and reflection.
“While many may know BPA as a Career Technical Student Organization focused on business, marketing, finance and information technology, there is also a strong leadership development component that places an emphasis on service to others,” said BPA Executive Director Dr. LouAnn Ross. “Some of BPA’s greatest successes involve students who have been exposed to opportunities that offer real value to the community while simultaneously providing a vehicle to develop and improve their academic knowledge, 21st century skills, and a broader sense of social conscience and community awareness. That’s what makes this partnership with Lead4Change so exciting.”
Throughout the Lead4Change leadership lessons and project experience, BPA students will be able to increase their understanding of practical leadership skills as they take action to make a positive impact on a need in their school or community. Students can then enter the Lead4Change Challenge for a chance to win up to $10,000 for their charity partner or school.
"As students complete the Lead4Change lessons, we see the change in their social and emotional skills and leadership capacity. Additionally, their schools and communities benefit from their service contribution." Diane Barrett, Executive Director, Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning.
The mission of Business Professionals of America is to develop and empower student leaders to discover their passion and change the world by creating unmatched opportunities in learning, professional growth and service. Establishing partnerships that will benefit its student members for future success and help them to grow into well-rounded citizens and professionals is one way that the organization seeks to fulfill this mission.
“BPA is about creating leaders and serving as a catalyst for change. The addition of Lead4Change to BPA’s national sponsors provides one more way in which we can help our members learn how to go from student to professional in knowledge, skill and ability,” said Dr. Ross.
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About Lead4Change
The Lead4Change Student Leadership program was created in 2012 by The Foundation for Impact on Literacy and Learning and the Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation to teach middle and high school students to hone leadership skills by completing a service project around a school or community need involving a public nonprofit. Visit lead4change.org for more information.