On Jan. 15, Washington High School DECA students attended the Indiana DECA District 10 Leadership Conference. The conference was held at Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville. DECA members from Castle, Evansville North, Evansville Central, Evansville Reitz, Mount Vernon and Washington all attended this conference.
DECA students spent the day focusing on their competitions. Members participated in over 40 competitive categories including Travel and Tourism, Sports and Entertainment, and Business Law and Ethics. Students can compete by themselves or with a partner.
Participants began the day with a test then waited and prepared until it was time to present their role play situation.
Awards were given at the end of the day. The students that placed will advance to compete at the state conference in Indianapolis in March.
Students who captured first place finishes include: Cody Harner and Hunter Wethington, who participated in the Sports and Entertainment Team event, Brian Fitzgerald, who competed in Hotel and Lodging Management, Garrett Winkler, who won in Retail Merchandising, Hilary Leighty and Ethan Hunsinger, who participated in Business Law and Ethics, Justine Johnston, who placed first in Restaurant and Food Service Management, and finally Nick Waggoner and Caleb Evans, who participated in the Financial Analysis Team event.
Also advancing to state was Joselyn Ivy, in Automotive Services, Cody Slaven, in Food Marketing, Hannah Long, in Quick Serve Restaurant Management, Brock Brothers, in Retail Merchandising, Nolan Rainey and Adam Lane, in Business Law and Ethics Team Event, Mikala Barber and Madi Heacock, Blythe Wildridge and Maddie Forte, all in Travel and Tourism Team Event.
“I think everyone enjoyed the competing at the conference this year,” said Harner, the Indiana DECA District 10 President, when asked about the conference. “I am excited to see how everyone performs at the state conference in Indianapolis this March.”
DECA is an international not for profit student organization. DECA has over 180,000 members worldwide.
Students are given the opportunity to participate in competitions related to marketing, management and entrepreneurship. In addition, DECA offers various leadership and scholarship opportunities to participants.
