Culbertson’s Anderson Wins National BPA Title
Culbertson High School student Harper Anderson is having quite a remarkable freshman year.
After winning a state speech and drama title earlier this year, Anderson came home with a national championship from the Business Professionals of America’s conference held in Nashville, Tenn., this past weekend.
Anderson explains there were about 90 students overall in the extemporaneous speaking category. Twelve students were then selected for the finals. When the awards ceremony took place, 10 students took the stage and the top three were announced to the delight of fellow students.
The freshman was surprised when she heard her name as the national champion.
“I didn’t think it was me,” Anderson said. “I thought I did well, but I thought with so many people, I didn’t make it in the top three.”
She said that with extemporaneous writing, students are given a topic and then have only 10 minutes to write a speech. The topic in the finals was explaining the difference between internships and mentorship and stating which one is more important to businesses.
Anderson said she decided to join BPA because she wanted to become involved in as many things as possible as a freshman.
She didn’t have any particular goals heading into the national competition. “Being a freshman, I wanted to have fun and what happens, happens,” she added. At the end of January, she capped her speech and drama season by winning the Class C state title for dramatic solo.
“I’m real happy for both. The BPA one was more surprising,” Anderson said of the titles.
After such a successful freshman year, the challenge is for even more success the next three years. “I’m going to try to four-peat if possible. I want to get better and better,” she said.
A busy summer is being planned as Anderson will perform for the fourth year at the Fort Peck Summer Theatre. She has a role in “Footloose The Musical,” and will be part of the dance ensemble for “The Music Man.”
“I’ve always been passionate about the theatre,” Anderson said.
