Five students from the Saline County Career Center attended and received recognition at the DECA International Career Development Competition (ICDC), held from April 25-30, in Orlando, Florida.

This year’s conference featured over 25,000 members and advisors in attendance. In addition to career-based competitions, DECA members engaged in leadership academies and networking opportunities with over 70 internationally recognized businesses and universities. All 50 states were represented at ICDC, along with participants from Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, China, and Germany.

Attending this year’s conference from SCCC DECA were Michelle Lin, Peyton Marshall, Trevor Watkins, Ethan Russell, and Mattie Weaver.

Lin, Marshall, and Russell all placed within the top 25 percent of their categories, representing their chapter and Missouri DECA admirably. During the conference, Weaver served as a leadership delegate and attended a two-day session focused on leadership team-building activities. During the opening session, SCCC DECA chapter representatives were recognized for their achievements by attaining Thrive Status for the seventh consecutive year. This year, in addition to chapter recognition, Evans and Lin earned the DECA Emerging Leader Honor Award. This award recognizes students studying marketing, finance, hospitality, and management who are academically prepared, community-oriented, professionally responsible, and experienced leaders through their participation in DECA. Award recipients must be DECA members in their senior year of high school, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or better for each high school semester.

Students from the Saline County Career Center will be recognized for their achievements during a special DECA awards ceremony on May 8. The event will begin at 6 p.m. in the Little Theatre at Marshall High School. During this time, seniors will receive their stoles, and members will be awarded their DECA letters and pins.