Mariner Middle School BPA Students Earn Top Honors at State Leadership Conference, Advance to National Competition

After months of preparation, the Mariner Middle School chapter of Business Professionals of America (BPA) competed at the 2026 Delaware Business Professionals of America State Leadership Conference held February 4 at Bally's Dover Casino Resort.

Seventeen Mariner students in Grades 7 and 8 participated in the conference, including fifteen first-year members. Throughout the event, students competed in a variety of individual and team competitions designed to assess knowledge and applied skills in business, finance, and technology. Additionally, participants attended workshops focused on leadership development, college and career readiness, and professional skill-building.

Several Mariner competitors earned top placements and have qualified to advance to the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference, which will be held May 7–11, 2026, in Nashville, Tennessee. The annual conference brings together thousands of student leaders from across the United States to compete in national-level events, participate in leadership workshops, and engage with business and industry professionals. The event serves as the culminating experience for BPA members, providing opportunities to refine career-ready skills, build professional networks, and showcase their talents on a national stage.

National Qualifiers

• 1st Place — Administrative Support Team
  Addison Brosius, Lily McLaren, Sophia Santini, Natalie Wells
• 3rd Place — Administrative Support Team
  Brody Bayless, Tyler Csala, Luke Csala, Alameen Odeh
• 1st Place — Human Resources Exploration
  Kylee Carmean
• 4th Place — Spreadsheet Applications
  Aiden Jarusinski

These students will represent Mariner Middle School and the State of Delaware at the 2026 National Leadership Conference.

The performance of Mariner’s Administrative Support Teams continues a long-standing tradition of excellence for the chapter. With both teams earning Top 3 placements this year, Mariner has now achieved eight consecutive years of Top 3 state finishes in the Administrative Support Team event by one or both teams. The chapter has also demonstrated sustained success at the national level in recent years, with Administrative Support Team finishes of 1st place (2024), 2nd place (2025), 2nd place (2021), 3rd place (2022), and 4th place (2023) at the Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference. Building on that momentum, Mariner students hope to continue the streak with another strong national performance in 2026.

Mariner also celebrates several additional accomplishments at the state level. The school’s Visual Design Team—Kylee Carmean, Reese Cathcart, Addie Dean, and Harlow Draper—earned 5th place in the team’s first year competing in the event.

Furthermore, several students demonstrated strong individual performances in competitive events. Harlow Draper, Lily McLaren, and Natalie Wells each delivered notable performances in Graphic Design Promotion, while Piper Paul competed strongly in Word Processing.  Additionally, Addison Mohacey received high marks in Digital Citizenship.  

In addition, eighth grade students Piper Paul and Addison Mohacey advanced to Phase 2 and the National Top 20 in the Promotional Photography direct-to-nationals virtual event, a competition that features submissions from students across the country.

Dr. Daniel Shockley, Mariner Middle School BPA Advisor, praised the students for their hard work and dedication.

“I am incredibly proud of our students and the commitment they demonstrated throughout this process,” Dr. Shockley said. “Their accomplishments at the state level are a testament to the dedication, perseverance, and talent of our Mariner students. The time and effort they invested in preparing for these events truly paid off, and they represented our school with professionalism and pride.”

Principal Fred Best also commended the students for their achievements and for representing the school at such a high level. “Our students continue to demonstrate what is possible when hard work, preparation, and strong mentorship come together,” said Best. “We are extremely proud of these students and grateful for the leadership of Dr. Shockley and the support of our families and community. Their success highlights the many opportunities our students have to develop real-world skills that will serve them well in the future.”

Participation in the National Leadership Conference represents a significant opportunity for Mariner students to compete, learn, and collaborate with peers from across the nation. The chapter is currently seeking community sponsorships and donations to help offset the costs associated with student travel, lodging, registration, and conference participation. Community support plays a critical role in ensuring that these students can represent both Mariner Middle School and the State of Delaware at the national level.

The Mariner Middle School BPA chapter continues to provide students with opportunities to develop leadership, teamwork, and career-ready skills through rigorous competition and professional engagement.