February 27, 2026
Van Wert — Students from Vantage Career Center earned top honors at the recent Business Professionals of America (BPA) State Leadership Conference, with four students officially qualifying to advance to the national competition and several others earning State Finalist recognition.
Business Professionals of America (BPA) is a national career and technical student organization that prepares students for leadership and careers in business and information technology. The State Leadership Conference brings together top students from across Ohio to compete in rigorous, industry-based events.
Advancing to the BPA National Leadership Conference, held May 6–10, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee, are:
- Henry Walpole – 3rd Place, Computer Security
- Spencer Stabler – 6th Place, Server Administration Using Microsoft
- Xander Bartley – 7th Place, Computer Security
- Silas Foltz – 7th Place, Server Administration Using Microsoft
These four students have secured guaranteed spots at the national level based on their state performance.
Additional students earning State Finalist honors include:
- Riley Wenzlick – 10th Place, Computer Network Technology
- Gavin Westgerdes – 10th Place, C# Programming
- Xander Bartley – 9th Place, Digital Communications & Design Concepts and 10th Place, Information Technology Concepts
Pending additional qualifying results, Riley Wenzlick and Gavin Westgerdes may also have an opportunity to advance to the national competition.
Austin Meyer, Network Systems Instructor at Vantage Career Center
“These students have dedicated countless hours sharpening their technical skills and preparing for competition. Having four students advance to nationals is an incredible accomplishment, and we are proud of how they represented Vantage.”
Vantage students will now prepare for the national stage in Nashville, carrying with them the support of their instructors, classmates, and community.
Mercer County Outlook 