Tolland Students Travel to California for International Competition

Six students from the Tolland High School DECA club recently went to Anaheim to participate in the International Career Development Conference.

Four of the students achieved a Certificate of Excellence, which is for obtaining a specific level of proficiency in their topic area.

Kelsey Lewis and Shaheer Hassan competed in Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making, and earned a Certificate of Excellence Award.

Chance Foster competed in Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series and Hunter Muhlhauser competed in Quick Serve Restaurant Management. Both also achieved a Certificate of Excellence.

Tyson Bridge and Ray Tetreault competed in Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making.

Club advisor Lynne Bridge said that with over 10,000 students from around the world competing, the Tolland students held their own and learned a lot.

"It was an amazing experience for all," she said, echoing the students, who had spoken very excitedly to the Board of Education.

According to Bridge, during the school year, approximately 120,000 of DECA’s 200,000 student members take part in the organization’s competitive events program, allowing them to compete for local and regional titles. The competitions are designed to simulate real-life business scenarios and test students’ academic understanding and skills development.

The top state and provincial winners put their talents to the test during the program’s final round of competition in Anaheim. The DECA International Career Development Conference was the pinnacle of competition, where nearly 10,000 students vied for international honors.

Nearly $500,000 in scholarships and awards were presented to students and teachers for their achievements.    

In addition to the career-based competition, DECA members engaged in leadership academies and networking opportunities with over 60 internationally recognized businesses.  

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. DECA enhances the preparation for college and careers by providing co-curricular programs that integrate into classroom instruction, apply learning, connect to business, and promote competition.