Posted on 04/18/2018
Students from Francis Howell School District joined a record 1,900 high school marketing students from across Missouri at the annual DECA State Career Development Conference in March. As a result of the students’ outstanding efforts, several took home top awards and FHSD high schools will have 28 representatives at the International DECA Career Development Conference in April.
Steve Cross has been FHC’s DECA Advisor since the school opened in 1997, so he knows just how important the program is. He explained, “DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe!” Under his tutelage, teams have consistently achieved amazing results.
However, these competitions – and DECA, itself – are not about the awards. The purpose of getting the best and brightest marketing students together in one place at the same time is to help develop their skills through collaboration and friendly competition.
Once again, FHC students shined at the state conference competitions, with 11 students advancing to the international level, which will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 20-25. FHC DECA is one of the largest in Missouri, with 200 members. But they weren’t the only FHSD students who achieved great success at the state conference.
Francis Howell High, for instance, had 10 students qualify for the international competition. And FHHS’s longtime advisor was recognized for his thirty years of service – we said “longtime” – to the FHHS DECA organization as an advisor. “I would say that one of the most rewarding program I have been involved with in the last 30 years has been DECA,” Anders said. “I have seen students grow and flourish in what DECA offers. The students not only learn marketing concepts, but they are also able to put them into practical application. The leadership and community service that these DECA students participate is priceless. I am just glad my co-DECA sponsors (Nadine Freedline and Jennie Guttmann) have been there to witness these accomplishments as well.”
Francis Howell North High School had seven students qualify out of just 34 members. FHN had 15 students place in the top ten of their respective competitions, almost half of those who competed.
Students receiving recognition of individual ability and achievement at the state level were:
FHHS:
Name
|
Place
|
Competition
|
Adam Reider
|
1st
|
Marketing Communication Series
|
Madison Wooldridge
|
5th
|
Business Service Marketing Series
|
Jess Fisher and Sammie Markus
|
1st
|
Financial Service Team Decision Making
|
Jenna Rhoads, Abbie Schellert, and Megan Schulz
|
2nd
|
Buying and Merchandising Operations Research
|
Hanna Anderson, Marilyn Schene and Abby Taylor
|
6th
|
Start-Up Business Plan
|
FHC:
Name
|
Place
|
Competition
|
London Rodgers
|
3rd
|
Marketing ManagementTeam Decision Making
|
Rilee Geringer
|
3rd
|
Marketing ManagementTeam Decision Making
|
Zach Allison
|
3rd
|
Travel and Tourism Marketing Team Decision Making
|
Ryan Noble
|
3rd
|
Travel and Tourism Marketing Team Decision Making
|
Ashley Gault
|
4th
|
Business Services Marketing
|
Chloe Webb
|
4th
|
Food Marketing Series
|
Alayna Dehne
|
5th
|
Food Marketing Series
|
Dontae Horace
|
5th
|
Entrepreneurship Series
|
Ashley Burgess
|
6th
|
Buying and Merchandise Team Decision Making
|
Brooke Schiefelbein
|
6th
|
Buying and Merchandise Team Decision Making
|
Nicholas Zuckerman
|
6th
|
Sports and Entertainment Marketing
|
FHN:
Name
|
Place
|
Competition
|
Maddie Kraus
|
1st
|
Hotel and Lodging Management
|
Grace Stevenson
|
6th
|
Hotel and Lodging Management
|
Jamie Sneed
|
1st
|
Human Resources Management
|
Abigail Coffman
|
3rd
|
Buying and Merchandising Team
|
Kira Stock
|
3rd
|
Buying and Merchandising Team
|
Maddie Adams and Courtney Haislip
|
7th
|
Innovation Plan
|
Riley Lawson and Colby Winner
|
5th
|
Financial Team Decision Making
|
Eli Bowen, Chris Connolly, and Shyam Kannan
|
Top 8
|
Business Services Operations
|
Estafania Cruz
|
Top 8
|
Financial Consulting Event
|
Ben Jamison
|
Top 8
|
Quick Serve Restaurant Management
|
Katie Leuthauser
|
Top 8
|
Human Resources Management
|