CCHS DECA students attend national event in Atlanta

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Charles City High School Distributive Education Club (DECA) students returned from competition at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Atlanta at the end of April.

The students competed at the April 23-26 conference with 17,000 other DECA members from across the country. Claire Girkin competed in her event, “Start Up Business Plan,” and Ella Morton competed in the “Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling” event. Chris Tull also made the trip to Atlanta by participating in the “Ignite Leadership” conference.

DECA is a student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. At Charles City six members competed this year in the new organization at the high school.

“It was so wonderful getting to meet all the different students that were interested in the same things as me and being able to compete in Atlanta was a great opportunity,” Morton said. “I look forward to growing our chapter and going to ICDC next year.”

DECA Advisor Tammy Wheeler said that her main goal for DECA next year is to increase membership numbers. She said that DECA can help to increase professionalism and development for students’ careers.

“DECA actually teaches you to be a professional in life,” added Tull. “I enjoyed attending ICDC because of the new and unique friends that I made from other schools.”

The international conference followed the Iowa State Development Conference in Des Moines in February, when Charles City came away with a few awards. Morton placed first in her Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling event and Girkin and Madi Johnson placed in the Start Up Business Plan to advance to nationals.

“Through DECA I have made relationships that will last a lifetime,” said Girkin. “I continue to gain important business skills that I will use in the real world. I am looking forward to having more members involved in Charles City DECA next year as well as connecting with new people.”

Other members in DECA this year were Natalie White and Hannah Lahner.