Outstanding Business Students Travel To Reno, Nevada to Participate in the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference

IRONWOOD, MI - Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - Top students from the Ironwood High School will be attending the Business Professionals of America 2008 National Leadership Conference, "Find Your Fit," in Reno, Nevada, May 10-14, 2008.

Ironwood High School chapter members, Gabrielle Anderson and Jessica Ortman will join over 5,000 other conference delegates from across the nation to participate in national-level business skill competitions, workshops, general sessions, and the national officer candidate campaigns and elections. Besides having the opportunity to excel, they'll experience the desert climate of Nevada as they visit exciting places.

"The conference will be the culmination of a school year's worth of business workforce education and training which members of the local chapter of Business Professionals of America at Ironwood High School received," said chapter advisor, Mrs. Ann Wuorinen, who teaches Business and Computer Classes. At nationals this year Gabrielle Anderson will be competing in Advanced Word Processing, and Jessica Ortman has been selected by the Michigan Association of Business Professionals of America for the Leadership Academy and as a Paige for the National Leadership Conference.

Business Professionals of America is a national organization for high school, college and middle school students preparing for careers in business and information technology occupations. The organization's activities and programs complement classroom instruction by giving students practical experience through application of skills learned at school. Business Professionals of America acts as a cohesive agent in the nationwide networking of education, business and industry, and is contributing to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic and technological skills.

Gabrielle is the daughter of Charlie and Juli Anderson. Charlie is an engineer and has his own tool and die company. Juli runs a day-care center and operates Rapid Grafiks here in Ironwood. Gabrielle loves animals and wants to become a veterinarian. Her second passion is music. She plays the saxophone and the piano, and she loves to sing. She likes video games and hanging out with her friends. She is an honor student at Luther L. Wright, and she currently works at McDonalds.

Jessica is the daughter of the Reverend Mark and Ruth Ortman. Mark is pastor at the Assembly of God Church and Ruth is a teacher at the Northwoods Christian Academy. Jessica wants to go into optometry after high school. She loves to read and she enjoys math. She takes higher math classes at the College. Originally, Jessica and her family were from a small town in southern Minnesota. They moved up here about eight years ago. She told the Chronicle she likes the area, but isn't too fond of the excessive snow. She works at Rigoni's Bakery and she too is an honor student at Luther L. Wright.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the group may send it to the Ironwood Area Schools, in care of Mrs. Ann Wuorinen, 650 Ayer Street, Ironwood, Michigan 49938.

Jim Albert