Pine Tree High School's DECA chapter is making waves! Twenty-nine students have qualified to compete at the DECA State Career Development Conference (SCDC) in Dallas, taking place this week on March 6th-8th. This impressive group will face off against top high school competitors from across Texas, showcasing their skills and knowledge in various business and marketing fields.
DECA: Shaping Future Leaders
For those unfamiliar, DECA (formerly the Distributive Education Clubs of America) is an international association of high school and college students and teachers of marketing, management, and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service. DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in these fields by providing hands-on, real-world experiences.
Types of DECA Competitions
DECA offers a wide range of competitive events, allowing students to explore their interests and develop valuable skills. These competitions typically involve:
Written Events: Students create and present business plans, marketing strategies, or other written projects.
Role-Play Events: Students simulate real-world business scenarios, such as sales presentations, customer service interactions, or problem-solving situations.
Team Decision Making Events: Teams of students collaborate to analyze case studies and develop solutions.
Principles Events: These events are geared towards first-year DECA members, providing a foundation in business principles.
Students can compete in categories like:
Marketing Management
Finance
Hospitality and Tourism
Business Management and Administration
Entrepreneurship
Personal Financial Literacy
Benefits of DECA
Participating in DECA offers numerous benefits to students, including:
Skill Development: Students gain practical skills in areas such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership.
Real-World Experience: DECA provides opportunities to apply classroom learning to real-world business scenarios.
Career Preparation: Students gain valuable insights into various career paths and develop skills that are highly sought after by employers.
Networking Opportunities: DECA events provide opportunities to connect with business professionals and other students from across the state and nation.
Personal Growth: DECA helps students build confidence, develop their public speaking skills, and enhance their professional image.
Pine Tree's State Qualifiers
Please join us in congratulating the following Pine Tree DECA students who have qualified for the state competition:
Aubrey Arce - Human Resource Management
Ben Bigham - Food Marketing Series
Zoey Bowers - Principles of Finance
Sandra Briones - Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
Jasmine Byrd - Marketing Management Team Decision Making
Benito Castro - Automotive Services Marketing Series
Zori Clark - Restaurant and Food Service Management
Max Crochet - Food Marketing Series
Cristal Cupido - Quick Service Restaurant Management
Hayes Daugbjerg - Sports & Entertainment Team Decision Making
McKinley Dunlap - Marketing Management Team Decision Making
Eryka Furlong - Financial Services Team Decision Making
Makeena Griffin - Hospitality Services Team Decision Making
Julian Ibarra - Principles of Business Management and Administration
Adrian Juarez - Business Finance Series
Rachel Malloy - Hotel and Lodging Management
Dax McCain - Personal Financial Literacy Event
Derek Nash - Sports & Entertainment Team Decision Making
Leyton Nguyen - Principles of Finance
Steve Nunez - Financial Services Team Decision Making
Stanford O'Quinn - Apparel & Accessories Marketing Series
Reddic Rau - Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making
Josue Rodriguez - Automotive Services Marketing Series
Kiley Salser - Entrepreneurship Series
Laney Schroeder - Apparel & Accessories Marketing Series
Nolan Sharp - Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making
AhNylan Whitaker - Hotel and Lodging Management
Emily Willadson - Principles of Entrepreneurship
Adan Yoeung - Principles of Hospitality and Tourism
Stanford O'Quinn Runs for State Office
Adding to the excitement, Pine Tree DECA chapter officer Stanford O'Quinn is running for a state office position. This is a testament to his leadership and dedication to DECA. We wish him the best of luck in his campaign!
We wish all of our Pine Tree DECA students the best of luck as they compete in Dallas. Their hard work and dedication are truly commendable!