This year, 21 Saline County Career Center DECA students participated at district-level competition in Independence on Wednesday February 12, and eight members will be moving on to compete at the state level March 24-26 at Westin Crown Center in Kansas City.
A news release says DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. These students competed in a variety of events for a chance to represent their district at the State Career Development Conference. The SCCC DECA students who received recognition on Wednesday include Marissa Vestal, Alexia Bowlen, Omar Quintana, Josh Garcia and Kelly Stewart.
For the first time, the chapter has a sophomore who has qualified as its leadership delegate. Leadership delegates automatically attend the International Competition and receive specialized training on leadership at the state and international competitions.
Advancing to state are:
Project Management Event:
-First place Community Service Awareness Project-Marissa Vestal (STEM Within);
Team Role-play Event
-Third place Entrepreneurship Team Decision Event-Joshua Garcia and Omar Quintana;
Individual Role-play Events
-Third place Entrepreneurship-Marissa Vestal;
-Fourth place Automotive Services Marketing-Xane Anderson;
-Seventh place Food Marketing Series-Gabriel Boatman;
-Eighth place Quick Serve Restaurant Management-Cynthia Martinez;
Integrated Marketing Campaign-Services Event
-Third place Alexia Bowlen;
Leadership Delegate
-Third place Kelly Stewart;
VBC Event
-Second place in Missouri for the Restaurant Challenge: Nikole Gooden (However, this category does not compete at state).
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DECA members pictured: (front, left) Lydia Sanders, Kay Kohper, Jessica Parada, Marissa Vestal, Alexia Bowlen and Nathaly Fuentes; (second, left) Chaztin Stephenson, Marlon Linares, Joshua Garcia, Gabriel Boatman, Nikole Gooden, Kelly Stewart, Lizvet Menenedez, Xane Anderson, Cynthia Martinez, Erica Rodriguez, A-Quila Thomas, Omar Quintana, Jerome Likorio-Alex, QuVuanna Falls and Herson Renderos. (Photo provided by the Saline County Career Center)