DECA Students Excel at State Competition and Advance to Internationals

Dozens of Holt and Timberland High School marketing students joined 1,700 of their Missouri counterparts for the 65^th Missouri DECA State Career Development Conference at the Lodge of Four Seasons at the Lake of the Ozarks on March 17-19. During the statewide conference, DECA members were evaluated by more than 100 business and industry professionals who served as competitive event judges. 

Students competed as individuals or in teams in a variety of categories, and were asked to solve realistic workplace problems through one-on-one interaction with an executive or community member. Twenty-five WSD students qualified for the DECA International Career Development Conference/Competition in Anaheim, California on April 24-28. 

The winners from Holt were Courtney Jones, Ally Berry, Karlie Cavanaugh, Paige David, Sarah Wright, Olivia Bogolin, Abi Corbett, Alyssa Huffman, Josh Gilmore, Max Scholle, Brian Birza, David Jack and Nathan Hinds. 

The Timberland winners were Roshan Poptani, Sean McGuire, Mady Young, Kristen Kaestner, Jordan Brown, Morgann Mueller, Taylor Wenger, Bre Eckert, Shae Strom, Matt Thies, Aaron Owens and Kelsie Eckert.

The theme of this year’s conference, "SHINE!" focused on professional development, leadership, dressing for success, and community service.

Missouri students also raised funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association as part of DECA’s international civic consciousness project. 

DECA is an international association of high school students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service. For more information, visit www.deca.org.

From the Wentzville School District