Ocean City High DECA Team Reaches International Competition For First Time In 9 Years

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City High School seniors Leah Drewnowski and Dani Ritzel have advanced to the DECA International Career Development Conference, marking the first time in nine years that an Ocean City DECA team has qualified for the international competition.

The two students earned the spot after a state-level performance in the Integrated Marketing Campaign–Event category. They will compete in Atlanta from April 25 to April 28 alongside 15,000 DECA students.

Maureen Merighi, an Ocean City High School business teacher and DECA adviser, worked with both students during the year as they prepared for competition.

“I have been impressed by their commitment to DECA, as well as the focus and growth they have demonstrated,” Merighi said. “Both Leah and Dani have shown strong leadership within the chapter by mentoring fellow members and sharing valuable tools and resources available through DECA.”

To qualify for the state conference, Drewnowski and Ritzel created a 20-slide pitch deck centered on an Atlantic City music festival aimed at boosting tourism and generating revenue. They spent months refining the concept and building marketing strategies. As part of the evaluation process, they also completed a 100-question exam on key performance indicators.

The pair competed among 70 teams in the Integrated Marketing Campaign–Event category. They advanced to the finalist round by finishing in the top 11, then moved through another elimination round to place sixth and secure a place at the international conference.

Drewnowski, who has been part of DECA for three years, said the team’s mix of experience and new ideas helped them.

“I have had experience in DECA because I have been part of the chapter for three years,” Drewnowski said. “It’s Dani’s first year. Her fresh perspective and creativity, combined with my experience, make us strong competitors.”

Throughout her time in the program, Drewnowski has competed in several events and this year served as vice president of Ocean City DECA.

Ritzel stood out this year with her performance in Business Law and Ethics at the district level. Looking ahead to Atlanta, she said the opportunity goes beyond competition.

“We look forward to competing against the best,” said Ritzel. “We also are excited to attend leadership workshops and learn new business strategies that could help us in our careers.”

Principal Dr. Wendy O’Neal said the students’ accomplishment also reflects the school program behind them.

“Their achievement reflects not only their hard work but also the strength of the DECA program and its commitment to developing emerging leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality and management,” O’Neal said.