SHS DECA team wins big at State Leadership Conference
Published 7:14 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2022
- Pictured from left, back row, are Javier Taylor, Isabel Johnson, Riley Gallahorn, Fiona Stewart, Grace Chatham, Emma Chatham, Jake Fales, Mya Lukkes and Grace Ericksen. In front, from left, are Kaitlyn Worrell, Allison Fales, Ashlynn Halsey, Jocelyn Rogers and Taylor Price.
The Smithfield High School DECA chapter sent 14 students to participate in the State Leadership Conference in Virginia Beach March 4-6.
The students earned multiple awards and five qualifying slots at the International Career Development Conference, which will be held in Atlanta in late April.
DECA, an acronym for Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a school club open to 10th, 11th and 12th grade students who have taken or are currently taking marketing, advanced marketing or entrepreneurship education courses. According to Smithfield High’s website, DECA prepares students to be emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management through competitions, training, field trips, community service and other events.
The SHS DECA team received financial contributions from family members to attend the State Leadership Conference, as well as sponsorships from local businesses, including BayPort Credit Union, Q Daddy’s Pitmaster BBQ, Brown’s Enterprises, Classic Hampton Auto Mall, H&H Auto Repair and Watermark Travel.
The SHS chapter received an award for top growth overall percentage in Region No. 4.
The following students received individual awards:
- Allison Fales, 2nd place, highest exam score and highest score – role play, principles of hospitality and tourism
- Kaitlyn Worrell: 6th place and highest score – role play 1 and 2, sports and entertainment marketing
- Ashlynn Halsey and Jocelyn Rogers, 7th place and highest score – role play, marketing management team decision-making
- Taylor Price, 8th place, principles of marketing
- Emma Chatham, highest exam score, quick service restaurant management
- Grace Chatham, highest exam score, retail merchandising
- Jake Fales, highest exam score, sports and entertainment marketing team decision-making
Allison Fales, Worrell, Halsey, Rogers and Price were the five students who qualified for the International Career Development Conference.
The club meets one to two times per month, typically on Wednesdays or Thursdays, at 2:45 p.m. Diane Fulton serves as its faculty sponsor.
