Carter Faverau, a Business Professionals of America (BPA) student from Hastings High School, represented his chapter with distinction at the 2025 BPA National Leadership Conference held in Orlando, Fla., on May 7-11. The event’s “Capture the Moment” theme resonated with Carter as he not only competed but also achieved significant personal and professional milestones.
Faverau competed in the highly competitive Computer Security event, placing 30th out of 76 top qualifiers from across the country. His strong performance highlights his technical proficiency and dedication to the field of cybersecurity.
In addition to competing, Carter achieved an important professional milestone by earning his IT Specialist – Network Security certification, further validating his knowledge and skills in network defense and cybersecurity fundamentals.
Carter is graduating this spring from Hastings High School and plans to continue his education at Grand Valley State University, where he will pursue studies in information technology and cybersecurity.
His participation in the national conference was made possible thanks to a generous Youth Advisory Council (YAC) grant through the Barry Community Foundation. This support played a key role in enabling Carter to engage with peers, gain real-world experience, and further his career goals.
“We are incredibly proud of Carter’s performance and his commitment to excellence in the technology field,” said Bob Carl, BPA Advisor. “Participating at the national level and earning a certification shows he’s not just preparing for the future — he’s actively building it.”
The BPA National Leadership Conference brings together over 6,000 students from across the U.S. to showcase their business and technical skills, network with peers, and grow as future professionals.