13 students advance to DECA nationals

Katherine Mayhew/Staff Writer

The CFHS DECA team had 13 students qualify for the national competition: Patrick Sesker, Kelley Dobson, Lauren Bannon, Ben Challgren, Shane Shaddox, Colby Creger, Chris Dobson, Natalie Rokes, Wyatt Kroemer, Nick DeBuhr, Laura Schwickerath, Lindsey Davis, Jane Challgren and Sami Schildroth.

More than 500 Iowa students competed in the state competition in Des Moines back in late February. The national competition will take place in Salt Lake City in April.

Business teacher Matt Flaherty described DECA. “It’s a group of kids interested in business and marketing. It is an organization they pay membership to be involved and gain professional experience in,” Flaherty said.

Students competed in various categories of DECA, each category doing different things. “For the most part, everyone took a marketing test. Some of the kids did a one-on-one role-playing situation then presented their ideas in an interview with a businessperson. Some of the kids gave presentations,” Flaherty said.

CFHS DECA members were more successful in this year’s state DECA competition than in years passed. “We had the most kids in my 12 years qualify for nationals this year,” Flaherty said. Regrettably, not everyone who qualified for nationals will go due to financial, locational and timing problems.

Flaherty explained how the DECA team will tackle collecting the money for the trip. “We’ll start planning on doing some fundraising, so that helps. I don’t think the cost deters kids. I don’t think it’s a big deal most of the time,” Flaherty said.

Flaherty said he thinks that DECA is an important organization to include at CFHS. “I think it gives students an opportunity to gain real-world business experience. They gain communication skills, problem-solving skills, creative thinking and sit down with real businesspeople,” Flaherty said.

Class of 2014

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