Thirty-two members of the Westonka DECA Chapter qualified to compete at the 2020 International Career Development Conference. Bottom row (from left): Amelia Proulx, Emily Moore, Avery Robbins, Anna Reier, Lily Sipprell, Libby McCue and Stephanie Anderson; Second row (sitting): Anna Elliott, Sam Otto, Ingrid Aufderheide, Ari Zahasky, Blake Lee, Kathryn Butler, Beckett James and Jake Gaylord; Third row: Coco Sir, Hallie Dierbeck, Kathryn Collins, Quinn Jenson, Claire Ficek, Mikaela Morris, Grace Peterson, Ellen Pruitt and Laura Sunnarborg; Back row (standing): Olivia Martel, Katie Clarke, Avery Finck, Lauren Balk, Grace Carlson, Melissa Drill, Jack Dahm and Mason Brakemeier

March 10, 2020 — Mound Westonka High School brought 153 students in grades 9-12 to compete at the 2020 Minnesota DECA State Career Development Conference, which was held March 1-3 in Minneapolis. Continuing a long tradition of excellence for the Westonka DECA program, 32 qualified to compete at DECA Internationals.

Approximately 3,500 Minnesota DECA student members take part in the organization’s competitive events program during the school year, allowing them to compete in over 50 events focused on the areas of entrepreneurship, finance, hospitality, marketing and related fields. The competitions are designed to simulate real-life business scenarios and test students’ academic understanding and skills development. After qualifying at district competitions earlier this year, students put their talents to the test during the state competition.

Westonka DECA was entered in 50 of the 53 events run at the state level. The top 12 finishers advanced to the final round in each DECA category. Westonka advanced 60 students/teams to the finals:

Written Papers:

• Sales Chapter Project – Anna Elliot, Anna Reier, Blake Lee, 6th
• Community Awareness Chapter Project – Avery Finck, Emily Moore & Amelia Proulx, 3rd
• Business Solutions Chapter Project – Kathryn Collins, Olivia Martel & Mikaela Morris, 8th
• Financial Literacy Chapter Project – Trent Kelly, Avery Robbins, Katherine Clarke; 7th
• Integrated Marketing Campaign Service – Grace Peterson & Lily Sipprell, 3rd; Jake Gaylor, Blake Lee & Anna
• Reier, 4th; Lydia Emery & Gabby Yonker, 10th
• Integrated Marketing Campaign Product – Ingrid Aufderheide & Hallie Dierbeck, 7th; Santi Phommahaxay & Brooke Pioske, 9th
• Innovation Plan – Kathryn Collins, Hannah Hall & Annie Springer, 7th
• Franchise Business Plan – Josie Farwell, Cooper Curti & Nick Peterson, 8th
• Start Up Business Plan – Stephanie Anderson, Mason Brakemeier & Kathryn Butler, 3rd
• Business Growth Plan – Jack Dahm, 3rd
• Buying and Merchandising Operations Research Project – Chloe Kantola, Emma Mack & Ari Zahasky, 8th
• Hospitality & Tourism Operations Research Project – Quinn Jenson, Libby McCue & Coco Sir, 2nd; Lily Donelan, 10th
• Finance Operations Research Project – Melissa Drill, Emily Moore & Samantha Otto, 3rd
  Business Services Operations Research Project – David Godoy-Henderson, Olivia Martel & Avery Robbins, 9th

Professional Selling Events:

• Professional Selling – Ellen Pruitt, 5th

Individual Role Plays:

• Apparel and Accessories Marketing Role Play – Bennett Kelley, 12th
• Business Finance Role Play – Jack Ryall, 11th
• Marketing Communications Role Play – Jake Gaylord, 12th
• Hotel and Lodging Management Role Play – Meagan Mattson, 12th; Elijah Goetz, 13th
• Human Resources Management Role Play – Emma Mack, 11th
• Quick Serve Restaurant Role Play – Samantha Otto, 8th; Anna Elliott, 9th; Coco Sir, 11th
• Business Services Marketing Role Play – Amelia Proulx, 1st
• Personal Financial Literacy Role Play – Blake Lee, 2nd
• Retail Merchandising Role Play – Anna Reier, 1st; Stephanie Anderson, 2nd; Josie Farwell, 5th; Nathan LaLuzerne, 8th
• Restaurant and Food Service Management Role Play – Avery Robbins, 5th

Team Role Plays:

• Hospitality Team Role Play – Lauren Balk & Grace Carlson, 5th; Sara Funderburk & Gretta Pioske, 12th
• Buying & Merchandising Team Role Play – Kathryn Collins & Claire Ficek, 4th; Laura Sunnarborg & Ellen Pruitt, 10th
• Travel & Tourism Team Role Play – Olivia Martel & Ari Zahasky, 5th
• Marketing Management Team Role Play – Logan Leonard & Brooke Pioske, 10th; Samantha Pickert & Gabby
• Yonker, 11th
• Financial Services Team Role Play – Savanna Newell & Maureen Reily, 11th

Principle Role Play (first-year members only):

• Principles of Marketing Role Play – Brekken Thompson, 11th
• Principles of Finance Role Play – Beckett James, 4th

Top Test Score Medals:

• Financial Literacy Exam – Jack Dahm, David Godoy-Henderson & Blake Lee
• Business Administration Core Exam – Logan Kevitt
• Business Management & Administration Cluster Exam – Emma Mack, Hallie Dierbeck & Sara Olson
• Marketing Cluster Exam – Grace Peterson & Laura Sunnarborg
• Hospitality Cluster Exam – Olivia Martel
• Entrepreneurship Exam – Grace Peterson
• Finance Exam – Isaac Miner, Jack Ryall and Laura Sunnarborg

State-Only Events (those that don’t advance to International DECA):

• Sales Demonstration General/Home Service Lines – Brekken Thompson, 12th
• Sales Demonstration Hard Lines – Gretta Pioske, 5th
• Sales Demonstration Soft Lines – Scott Greenshields, 3rd
• Employment Interview – Entry Level – Ava Hollan, 5th; Sara Funderburk, 10th; Savanna Newell, 12th

The following MWHS students qualified for the 2020 International Career Development Conference – the pinnacle of DECA competition: seniors Jack Dahm, Melissa Drill, Olivia Martel, Emily Moore, Mikaela Morris, Sam Otto, Amelia Proulx and Ari Zahasky; juniors Lauren Balk, Grace Carlson, Katie Clarke, Claire Ficek, Avery Finck, Grace Peterson, Avery Robbins and Lily Sipprell; sophomores Stephanie Anderson, Ingrid Aufderheide, Mason Brakemeier, Kathryn Butler, Kathryn Collins, Hallie Dierbeck, Anna Elliott, Jake Gaylord, Beckett James, Quinn Jenson, Blake Lee, Libby McCue, Anna Reier and Coco Sir; and ninth-graders Ellen Pruitt and Laura Sunnarborg.

[View photos from the 2020 Minnesota DECA State Career Development Conference]