E + R = O (Events plus Response equals Outcome). When faced with adversity, it is not the degree of the struggle that determines our end results, it is our response to these problems that determines our outcomes. This is the equation that was shared with those of us who were fortunate enough to attend the BPA National Leadership Summit this past Saturday, November 14, 2020. The event was similar to our annual State Fall Leadership Conference, but open to members on a national level. It opened with a outstanding keynote speaker who gave us his inspiring life story, as well as many life lessons that I look forward to applying to my daily life! Kent Julian, the speaker, had an intense story pertaining to overcoming the challenges that many individuals face every day, and is the man who imparted upon us the aforementioned equation. After hearing him speak, we played a game of BPA Jeopardy which certainly had me and many others on the edge of their seats. It truly tested the limits of our typing speeds. After that concluded, we moved on to leadership workshops. I attended “Building a Better BPA Together,” “Conflict Resolution,” and “How to Manage Your Chapter.” Each of these workshops were amazing and greatly constructive; I highly recommend watching the recorded version of each one! Of course, these weren’t the only workshops to be found. You can find each session recorded in the member gateway (members.bpa.org) under the Students tab once they are uploaded if you were registered for the event. If you did not have the chance to register in advance, you can still register for only $10. I loved getting to chat with everyone while learning so many useful tools for being a good leader, and I hope to attend more conferences similar to this one going forward!

-Jacob Schonfield, State President