Early College Students Headed to Nationals

Members of the Carlsbad Early College High School BPA chapter recently participated in the 2026 New Mexico BPA State Leadership Conference in Albuquerque, held February 19–21, 2026. Students competed in a variety of business and leadership events, demonstrating excellence in workplace skills, professionalism, and industry knowledge. There were over 620 student members who competed in 84 events over the conference. Of those members, only 280 students qualified to represent New Mexico BPA at the national level.

Business Professionals of America is the nation’s leading Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) for students pursuing careers in business management, information technology, finance, accounting, office administration, and other business-related fields. BPA supports educators by providing curriculum-aligned, co-curricular experiences based on nationally recognized industry standards.

Victoria Prado, sophomore at the Early College was elected as a State Officer and also was awarded a $500 scholarship from ENMU.

Students Advancing to Nationals:

Website Design Team State Champions - Hanli Norman, Dhruvi Patel, and Vivianna Martinez

Computer Animation Team State Champions - Omar Machuca, Luke Pabustan, and Padmanabha Shah

Podcast Production Team - Madison Buendia and Katia Quinonez

Visual Design Team - Briah Adame, Amiah Fuentez, and Julianna Lopez

Small Business Management Team - Ibzan Galindo, Lucero Hernandez, and Lexi James

Interview Skills - Hanli Norman

Human Resource Management State Champion - Victoria Prado

Health Research Presentation - Shylee Eiffert

The BPA National Leadership Conference will be held in Nashville, TN May 5-10, 2026. This conference represents the culmination of months of preparation and dedication. The event brings together thousands of students from across the world to compete, network with peers, attend leadership workshops, and participate in general sessions featuring nationally recognized speakers.

BPA serves middle-level, secondary, and post-secondary students through programs aligned to five career pathways: Finance, Business Administration, Management Information Systems, Digital Communication & Design, and Management, Marketing & Communication.

For more information about BPA, visit: www.nmctso.com/bpa