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DAY 1: June 15
Unfortunately, today involved a lot of
driving. My mother (I was so thrilled that she was able to attend the
conference with me!) and I left from Burley at roughly three p.m. The
ride up was very pleasant; I was so excited to be representing BPA that
I actually managed to stay awake for almost a full hour….before falling
asleep for the rest of the drive. During the time I was actually awake,
I looked over my speech, looked forward to seeing Mrs. Neal and Mr. Long
again, and wondered how many new people I could meet. We arrived in
Boise at roughly six thirty, checked into our room at the beautiful
Grove Hotel, and went to meet everyone in the lobby at seven.
Upon arrival in the lobby, I was
introduced to Kelly Higby of Idaho DECA, Brian Simper of Idaho FCCLA,
and Caleb Haley of Idaho TSA. I was also formally introduced to
Mr. Michael Kidwell, the conference’s keynote speaker (I had actually
met Mr. Kidwell on the elevator, but didn’t know who he was at the
time). After the introductions were made, I went to dinner with Mr.
Long and the rest of the student org officers at a nice pizza place in
downtown Boise. I got to see someone toss pizza dough in the air for
the first time, which was an exciting experience! After dinner, we
reviewed our script and speeches for the final time that night. I
reviewed my speech twice more before going to sleep, eager for the next
day to begin already.
Carlie with Michael Kidwell
DAY 2: June 16
We all had a long day today! We
met in the lobby at seven and walked to the PTE Office Suite for
breakfast—where I learned a great life lesson: how to use an ATM
J. Afterward, we walked
back to the Boise Centre adjacent to the Grove Hotel. We were able to
run through the speeches and song two times, after which I left to be
introduced to teachers in a business/marketing meeting run by Mrs. Neal.
I got my impromptu speaking warm-up of the morning by being able to
take a moment to thank everyone and wish them luck at the conference.
Then it was back to the auditorium’s entrance to begin greeting the
teachers for the opening session. Mr. Long really did an amazing
job—the lights and music made me want to go back to SLC!
I was the person who actually got to
open the session, which began at 10:30. I also had the wonderful
privilege of singing the National Anthem (after auditioning via
telephone), which was a nerve-wracking task in itself, but probably one
of the highlights of my conference experience. Everything flew by, and
before I knew it, I was on deck to give my speech. I was nervous about
presenting in front of 700 teachers until I received some great advice
from Mr. Kidwell: Strive for connection with the audience, not
perfection. Thanks to his help, I was perfectly confident when I
walked up on stage, and I really felt that I was able to communicate
what I wanted to the audience.
After a delicious lunch provided by the
Grove Hotel, I changed into street clothes and went sight seeing and
shopping! I had lots of fun “touring” Boise and having impromptu photo
shoots all around the city. The day ended with dinner at a wonderful
Chinese buffet, where I ate duck and got my picture with Buddha!
 
DAY 3: June 17
The rest of my officer friends
left early, but I was able to stay an extra day to attend a BPA board
meeting. My mother got to come, too. I had an amazing time; everyone
there was so positive about the future of Idaho BPA and this year’s
officer team. It was a fascinating experience for me to be able to see
how a board meeting is run. I was lucky enough to get to participate; I
delivered the annual State President’s Report (after getting a last
minute briefing by Mr. Long)!
After the meeting (and after more
pictures), I had another great opportunity to give the introductory
remarks in a session on personal finance. My mom and I then went into
downtown Boise again for (more) shopping and a quick lunch. At one
o’clock, we were front row attendees at a presentation given by Mr.
Kidwell. The three hours absolutely flew by, and before we even
realized it, the time had come to leave. I said one last round of
“thank-you”s and “good-bye”s, and we were on our way home. My only
regret was that I wasn’t able to stay longer!
Each time I am able to go and represent Idaho BPA,
I learn and grow so much. Being able to attend the 2008 Idaho PTE
Summer Conference was absolutely amazing. I had the opportunity to meet
wonderful teachers throughout the state, make new friends, reconnect
with old ones, and have tons of fun! The experiences will truly last me
a lifetime. Thank you, members of Idaho BPA for giving me the
opportunity to serve and represent you, and for allowing me to have this
truly remarkable opportunity. I am eagerly looking forward to the rest
of the year!!
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