DECA students from Sandy Creek High and Whitewater High schools demonstrated their college and career knowledge and skills at the DECA State Career Development Conference, with 17 of them advancing to the International Career Development Conference in April.

These students earned their place at the international conference by taking top placements in their events at the state conference in February. Over 2,400 students from across Georgia competed.

Fayette’s students advancing to the international competition are (Sandy Creek High) Jade Croslan, Food Marketing, fourth place; Tyra Blake, Principals of Marketing, sixth place; Abigael Morris and Chynae’ Smith, Team Decision Making/Marketing Management, sixth place; (Whitewater High) Christina Whitehead and Dresden Day, Hospitality Services, first place; Matthew Moore, Personal Financial Literacy, first place; Edward Huang, Business Finance, first place; Mason Rzepkowski, Marketing Communications, second place; Megan Brubaker, Professional Selling, second place; Mckenzie Mcmanaman, Retail Merchandising, third place; Anna Rzepkowski, Principles of Hospitality and Tourism, third place; Kylee Bennett, Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling, third place; JJ Riesberg, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, fourth place; Jacob Hartley, Hotel and Lodging Management, fourth place; Emma Baus, Professional Selling, fourth place; and Olivia Starkey, Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling, seventh place. 

The competitive process is rigorous. Students are evaluated on both a written component such as an exam or report, and an interactive component with an industry professional serving as a judge.

In addition to the four students at Sandy Creek High advancing to the international conference, the school’s Student Based Enterprise (SBE), The Zone, earned Gold Certification, which allows its DECA chapter to bring three additional students to the conference. To become DECA certified, students reflect upon their work in the SBE through documentation of 10 key business standards and performance indicators from the Business Administration Core, the Marketing Career Cluster, and the Merchandising Pathway of National Curriculum Standards. Earning a Gold Certification qualifies students to participate in the exclusive SBE Academy and Competition held annually at DECA’s International Career Development Conference.

The DECA International Career Development Conference will take place in Orlando, Florida April 27-30. More than 10,000 finalists from chartered associations throughout the world are expected compete at the international event, all in the hopes of being named an international champion.

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. As an integral part of the classroom curriculum, DECA’s industry-validated competitive events are aligned with the National Curriculum Standards, and directly contribute to every student being college and career ready when they graduate from high school.