Staff photo/Ian Gleadle
(1st row, l-r:) Marc Lobree, Erin McDevitt, Hannah Leask, Yasmin Sefrioui, Anna Kummerlowe, Nicole Vasilatos, Kirsten McNeil; (2nd row:) Jack Wagner, Cici Cyr, Kelsey Frost, Kristin Frost, Stefanie Watson, Jamie Stivala, Ryan Gilkey; (3rd Row:) Adriane Biddle, Jennell Lottinville, Cory Stoll, Derek Chestnut, Matt Petersen. Not pictured is Marc Laliberte.

On March 6-8, 53 students from the WHS DECA program, who had successfully competed in the DECA Area 3 Competition on Jan. 11, competed at the State DECA Career and Development Conference. WHS students joined over 3,000 marketing students from across Washington in vying for the coveted invitations to the International DECA Career and Development Conference to be held in Atlanta, Georgia, April 25-30. In Atlanta, 20 WHS DECA students will be competing with over 13,000 national and international marketing students.

The success of the WHS DECA program has been recognized nationally. For the past 5 years WHS DECA has taken an average of 20 students to the International Competition compared to the state average of three students per school.

Marketing teachers Paul Glenovich and Sarah Gibson are the advisors for the WHS DECA program.

Congratulations to the WHS DECA students who will attend and compete in the International DECA Career and Development Conference through their performance at the Washington State DECA Competition:

1st Place Sports Marketing Team: Erin McDevitt and Hannah Leask

1st Place Travel and Tourism: Kirsten McNeill and Nicole Vasilatos

1st Place Hospitality Marketing: Cory Stoll and Jamie Stivala

1st Place Financial Analysis Marketing: Marc Lobree and Ryan Gilkey

1st Place Automotive Services Marketing: Adriane Biddle

2nd Place Apparel Marketing: Derek Chestnut

2nd Place Sports Marketing – Individual: Marc Laliberte

2nd Place Food Marketing: Matt Petersen

3rd Place Restaurant and Food Service Marketing: Cici Cyr

4th Place Quick Serve Restaurant Marketing: Stefanie Watson

4th Place Buying and Merchandising: Kelsey Frost and Kristin Frost

5th Place Entrepreneurship Written (30 page Business Plan): Anna Kummerlowe and Yasmin Sefrioui

6th Place Food Marketing: Jennell Lottinville

6th Place Hotel and Lodging Marketing: Jack Wagner

In addition to the national qualifiers, the following students received awards in subcategories and just barely missed getting an invitation to the International DECA Conference:

Haley Moore – Business Services

James Pulse - Business Services

Whitney Finn – Retail Services

Natalie Grant – Technical Services

Taylor Bolibol – Sports Individual

Kayla Hagensen, Taylor Schultz, Bergen Anderson – Fashion Merchandising