On Saturday, Jan. 19, over 550 students from more than 25 Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) chapters from the region competed in district competition at Northwood University. Of the 550 students who competed in districts, 38 of them were from DHS. At the district competition DECA students competed in various business themed events like Individual Series, Team Decision Making, and many more. Out of the 38 DHS students that competed in districts, 29 of them will be going to Grand Rapids for the state competition in March. If they place well enough in the state competition they will get to go to the international competition in April in Anaheim, California.
Junior Blair Subbarman, who is going to states, believes the DHS DECA program is successful in large part because of their adviser DHS business teacher Melissa Deboer.
“I think we are so successful because Mrs. Deboer really knows how to prepare us, especially in her marketing and business classes,” Subbarman said. “All the skills we learn in there are directly applicable to our success.”
While they have been successful at states in previous years, Subbarman knows his team will have to prepare hard for the state competition.
“I think we can do well at states but I think we have to prepare the same as we have done in the years past,” Subbaraman said.
The following students received awards in the district competition.
Medaling in their occupational test was: Robbie Auger, Lance Drake, Jazmin Bishop, Abby Currie, Ellie Dean, Helena Donoso, Ashley Edwards, Nicole Fisher, Jack Flanagan, Felipe Haddad, Keenan Hammer, Trevor Hulbert, Jackie Ito, Karl Kidder, Matt Logan, Elizabeth Maier, Kofi Ofori-Darko, Amanda Pokriefka, Billy Schuette, Justin Scott, Vikram Shanker, Alex Shiang, Libby Spears, Murphy Stadelmaier, Santiago Suarez, Blair Subbaraman, Wendi Wang and Ada Wong
Medaling in the role play event was: Lance Drake, Jason Chang, Abby Currie, Ellie Dean, Helena Donoso, Ashley Edwards, Jack Flanagan, Madison Grannum, Felipe Haddad, Keenan Hammer, Jackie Ito, Karl Kidder, Jacob Lauer, Matt Logan, Elizabeth Maier, Madison Minardi, Michael Nigro, Kofi Ofiri-Darko, Amanda Pokriefka, Billy Schuette, Vikram Shanker, Alex Shiang, Nick Smith, Libby Spears, Murphy Stadelmaier, Santiago Suarez, Blair Subbaraman, Wendi Wang and Ada Wong.
The following students will be traveling to the state competition: Robbie Auger, Lance Drake, Jason Chang, Abby Currie, Ellie Dean, Helena Donoso, Ashley Edwards, Jack Flanagan, Nicole Fisher, Madison Grannum, Felipe Haddad, Keenan Hammer, Trevor Hulbert, Jackie Ito, Karl Kidder, Jacob Lauer, Matt Logan, Elizabeth Maier, Jessica McNeal, Madison Minardi, Michael Nigro, Kofi Ofori-Darko, Amanda Pokriefka, Billy Schuette, Vikram Shanker, Alex Shiang, Nick Smith, Libby Spears, Murphy Stadelmaier, Santiago Suarez, Blair Subbaraman, Wendi Wang and Ada Wong.
