Sixteen members of the Saline County Career Center (SCCC) DECA chapter showcased their business prowess at the 78th annual Missouri DECA State Career Development Conference, held March 22-24. The event resulted in eight students placing in their respective categories and four moving on to compete for the upcoming international competition.
Throughout the conference, students presented long-term projects to a judging panel of more than 100 industry professionals. Four SCCC students- Allyson Astorga, Peyton Marshall, Vanesa Cortes, and Allison Gary- will travel to Atlanta, Georgia, from April 24-29 to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC). These students will represent their school on a global stage while participating in intensive professional leadership workshops. In addition to these competitive successes, Gary was selected as a Leadership Delegate, representing the chapter’s leadership interests at the state level.
The SCCC DECA chapter also maintained its reputation for excellence, achieving Thrive status for the eighth consecutive year. This recognition is awarded for outstanding work in community service, promotional outreach, and membership campaigns.
Furthermore, the chapter will receive a special plaque from National DECA for successfully completing the February Advocacy campaign, marking the eighth year in a row that SCCC has earned four distinct chapter campaign honors. Also, Peyton Marshall was honored with the prestigious Lester B. Kesterson Missouri DECA Scholarship, a testament to her academic excellence and commitment to the organization.
The complete list of SCCC students earning top honors at the State Conference is posted below:
• Trevor Watkins: 3rd Place, Financial Literacy (Money Matters)
• Mattie Weaver: 3rd Place, Start-Up Business Plan (The Wandering Paintbrush)
• Allyson Astorga: 4th Place, Community Awareness (U.N.I.T.E.)
• Peyton Marshall: 5th Place, Integrated Marketing Service (Fitzgibbon Auxiliary Gift Store)
• Oscar Moron & Ivan Lin: Top 10 Finalists and Medalists, Integrated Marketing
• Jennifer Reyes: Top 10 Finalist and Medalist, Principles of Entrepreneurship
• Vanesa Cortes: Top 10 Finalist and Medalist, Career Development
Photo courtesy of Saline County Career Center