POBJFKHS School-Based Enterprise Honored by DECA

The Hawks Nest, a school-based enterprise (SBE) at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, earned Gold Re-Certification by DECA for the 2022-2023 school year. The student-run business was among 461 worldwide to achieve this recognition—and one of only four in New York State to do so. As part of this special re-certification, The Hawks Nest will be recognized during DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida, in the spring.

An SBE is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods and services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. DECA advisors have utilized this effective educational tool for over four decades to provide their students with realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction, enhance 21st century skill development, and prepare students for college and careers.

The Plainview-Old Bethpage DECA members who contributed to the certification were Sofie Nelson and Divbani Sabharwal. They were assisted by their DECA chapter advisor, Lindsay DeLucca.

As part of the re-certification process, DECA’s SBE certification program provides recognition for outstanding achievement by SBEs and motivates student-run organizations to strive for excellence and growth. SBEs can be certified at three levels: bronze, silver or gold. In order to apply for the certification, SBEs must submit extensive documentation that explains how the SBE demonstrates the practice of various marketing and retail standards. A review committee evaluates the documentation to determine which level of certification has been achieved. DECA’s school-based enterprise programs are sponsored by Intuit and Otis Spunkmeyer Inc.

For more information about the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District, please visit the District’s website at www.pobschools.org. Exciting activities happening throughout the District and programs celebrating student achievement can also be found on the District’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pobschools/.