At the Sunday Opening Session of the Business Professionals of America (BPA) State Leadership Conference, Mary Bachnak was named Advisor of the Year among all BPA advisors in the state. The nomination forms for Bachnak highlighted the amount of work she puts into BPA, both in and out of school, while others wrote about her pride in the organization.
Bachnak explained how meaningful the award was to her after nearly two decades as a BPA advisor.
“After having been an advisor of BPA for 19 years, I never thought about earning the Advisor of the Year Award. It is such an honorary position because when someone else selects you, they feel like you have made some type of noteworthy contribution to the organization” Bachnak said, “It is such an incredible honor that I really don’t believe that I am worthy of it.”
Although Bachnak dedicates countless hours to BPA, she said she never expected to be recognized for her work.
“I would have never, ever considered myself to be even considered as an advisor of the year. I pour my heart and soul into it by spending hundreds of overtime hours preparing my students for competitions. That is just so second nature with me. I would have never even thought of it,” Bachnak said.
Shortly after being named Advisor of the Year, Bachnak also won Teacher of the Year at Crown Point High School and later for the Crown Point Community School Corporation, both for her dedication to students and the relationships she builds with them. She said her goal each day is to support and connect with her students.
“People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care. That is every day. I woke up, and I sat on the side of my bed. I say a prayer, and when I’m finished with my prayer, I say it’s time to be amazing, and it’s not for me. It’s for you. It’s time to be amazing for you. It’s time to make a connection with you. It’s time to support you,” Bachnak said.
Bachnak’s recognition as both Advisor of the Year and Teacher of the Year reflects the dedication and passion she brings to her students each day. Through the countless hours she spends preparing students for competitions and the strong relationships she builds in the classroom, Bachnak has made a lasting impact on both BPA and the school community.
