TROY — On Jan. 12, Clarkston High School sent 46 students to the Business Professionals of America (BPA) Regional Leadership Conference at Walsh College, the first competition for the club this year.
Out of the individuals that went, 34 advanced to the state conference in Grand Rapids March 7-10.
Those earning first place in their competition include Claire Bessert (Interview Skills), Abigail Finnerty (Advanced Office Systems & Procedures), Noah Giedraitis (Java Programming & Python Programming), Kali Jackson (Payroll Accounting), Evan Savoie (Digital Marketing Concepts), Anna Voto (Health Administration Procedures), Team of Jillian Detvo, Anna Voto, & Abigail Finnerty (Small Business Management Team), Team of Andy Hakala, Jeremy Nord, Gavin Raff, and Pierce Peruski (Financial Analyst Team), Team of Isabella Lebert and Cassidy Pittman (Video Production Team).
Second-place honors went to Luke Agar (Extemporaneous Speech & Fundamental Accounting), Morgan Marcale (Presentation Individual), Charlotte Partchenko (Interview Skills), Evan Savoie (Advanced Interview Skills & Business and Law Ethics), Team of Mark Bokas, Drew Dollins, Skylar Kelly and Sophia Klages (Economic Research Team), & Team of Lucy Diederich & Faith Victory (Global Team Marketing).
Third-place finishers include Evan Banyas (Payroll Accounting, Maxim Brown (Fundamentals of Web Design), Drew Dollins (Financial Math & Analysis), Lila Gonzales (Extemporaneous Speech), Colton Hedstrom (Digital Media Production), and Caden Morrow (Personal Financial Management).
Finishing fourth were Lila Gonzales (Basic Office Systems & Procedures), Caden Morrow (Banking & Finance), Avery Myers (Interview Skills), Cassidy Pittman (Digital Media Production), Meghan Quach (Graphic Design Promotion), and Lane Robinson (Personal Finance Management).
Earning fifth place were Lauren Fishtahler (Banking & Finance), Colton Hedstrom (Prepared Speech), Jeremy Nord (Personal Finance Management), Meghan Quach (Advanced Interview Skills), and Samantha Zelinski (Payroll Accounting).
Sixth place went to Andy Hakala (Extemporaneous Speech), Ava Heslip (Banking & Finance), Skylar Kelly (Advanced Interview Skills), Sophia Klages (Human Resources Management), Pierce Peruski (Personal Finance Management), and Gwen Wilson (Graphic Design Promotion).

PHOTO: Clarkston High School students attend the Business Professionals of America Regional Leadership Conference Jan. 12 in Troy. Photo: Melissa Shaffer