By Erin Ballard
It’s not a team event, but Panther girl power was fervent this weekend at the Minnesota Business Professionals of America state competition in Minneapolis.
The five-member Tracy-Milroy-Balaton team returned from the three-day intense event with a bevy of memories, some life experience and two national qualifiers.
Kaylee Campbell and Marissa Johnson, both 16, placed in their individual contests and will advance to the national competition, set for May in Washington D.C. The team also includes Alexus Yang, 17, Taylor Hanson, 16, and Madison Martin, 15, who all agreed that practicing and spending time together while competing individually was one of the most rewarding aspects of the weekend.
“All the way until I walked into the elevator to go into the interview room, they were right there next to me. We all walked each other to our contests,” Johnson said. “It was just the five of us girls, so we stuck together and did our thing.”
Students compete solo, but there’s no lack of team spirit for the Tracy Area High School Business Professionals of America group. In the weeks, days and even minutes leading up to competition, teammates are constantly quizzing each other, rehearsing together and otherwise supporting each individual success.
See this week’s Headlight for more on this article.