Three seniors are preparing for the DECA International Career Development Conference in Orlando. Ryan Geist, Ryan Meiner and Bryce Woods earned first place as Missouri DECA state champions. It is a first for the school in more than 20 years.
The conference is scheduled from April 29 through May 4. Approximately 14,000 high school students, advisors, business persons and alumni attend the annual conference for leadership and career advancing workshops and activities. Many participants compete in various events; top competitors are recognized for outstanding achievements.
Working as a team, the trio wrote a business plan for a college recruitment company with the focus of showing that all students can make it to college. Their ideas and business plan helped them win state earlier this spring.
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“They are all previous state qualifiers. This year, they stayed focused on the task at hand and their business plan was a great concept,” said Bill Mitchell, business teacher and DECA sponsor.
The mission of DECA is to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.