The clock reads 7:13 A.M. in Reedy High School, and the competition is in full gear. Students run around the school wearing matching blazers, volunteers shuffle cookies and water around the cafeteria, and nervous students push their food away while others wolf it down in seconds.

Amidst all this chaos, BPA officers work behind the scenes to make this day possible. President of Heritage BPA, Aliah Mir, walks from student to student checking in with their presentations while simultaneously practicing for her own events.

Sitting down with her teammates, she talks about her responsibilities as BPA president. “I help run meetings and offer help to any member that needs it. Today, especially, they all need a little bit of support to get them through this long day,” Mir states, taking a swig of water. But she is also competing alongside her members. 

Following regionals at Reedy, she talks about her own passion for BPA. “BPA gives many opportunities for students to make a difference and learn how to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Mir says. 

Not only is she the President at Heritage High School, but she is also the national secretary for BPA. When asked about her positions nationally, she laughs, her head bowed as her cheeks flush. “It is a great honor truly,” she says. “I plan to major in business, and my experiences as a BPA member since my freshman year have made me who I am. All I can do now is give back to the same organization that made me who I am now.”

It is 8:30 P.M., and the BPA members have been at regionals for over 12 hours. The winners are about to be announced. Students from all over the district sit still in anticipation, hoping for their names to be called, Aliah among them. Heritage High School students shout out their support to Mir as she accepts her plaque for a state qualifying placement. Later, she laughs as she holds the award, placing first in regionals for her event. “I am so proud, but mostly I’m proud of the Heritage BPA members, whether they placed at all or not. We all worked so hard!”

As they all sit in the bus in their rumpled blazers and sweaty foreheads, it’s clear to anyone that all of their hard work paid off.