Niles High School senior Jerrid Burdue always had a knack for business.

As a child, Burdue said he would loan his allowance to others and charge interest in return.

“It kind of grew from there,” he said.

It’s no surprise then that Burdue attained one of the highest honors in high school business last week.

Burdue finished first in the banking and finance category at the National Business Professionals of America competition Thursday in Orlando, Fla.

He topped more than 100 of the top BPA students in the country.

Burdue said he was shocked when they named him winner.

“I didn’t think I did that well,” said Burdue. “I was glad that I made my advisor (Michele Clement) proud, and I was making Niles High School look good for their business program.”

Clement, who traveled to Orlando with Burdue, was so excited she forgot to take Burdue’s picture on the awards stand.

“I was jumping up and down so much I couldn’t do it,” she said.

Clement said it’s been several years since Niles has had a BPA student win nationals. The last to do it was Claire Blanchard and Geffrey Antos.

“It really is a huge honor, and he is very deserving,” Clement said of Burdue. “He just retains information so well, and he is really driven. He has a plan, knows what he wants to do and follows through.”

The competition consisted of a timed written test, preparing a budget and a multiple choice test.

Burdue has been in BPA for four years. He’s been treasurer of the BPA and Niles FIRST robotics club.

In addition to being naturally interested in business, Burdue said taking business classes at Niles helped him win.

“I enjoy reading the newspaper and keeping up to date with things like that, and I like being an informed consumer,” Burdue said. “I like to know who I am supporting and benefit the community that way.”

After graduating later this month, Burdue will study civil engineering at Michigan Technological University in Houghton.

“I’d like to work for either state level or federal level government for infrastructure,” he said.

Jerrid’s mother is Marcy Burdue. His grandparents are Jerry and Mary Ann Burdue.