Almost two dozen Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) middle and high school students finished in 1st or 2nd place at the DECA International Career Development Conference, held April 22-25, in Orlando, Fla.
Kyle Jones, director of Academies and Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education, says, “Career Technical Student Organizations are extension of the career-ready skills developed in our CTAE classrooms, and we are proud of our students who have competed at the highest level in the state, demonstrating just how great our students in Gwinnett truly are. These are our future CEOs, CFOs, COOs, entrepreneurs, business owners, healthcare professionals, and so much more. These opportunities to compete both at the state and national level help set them apart and provides an early entry point to the worlds of business, marketing, and healthcare through DECA, FBLA, and HOSA. This is all only possible through the tireless effort of CTSO advisors spending countless hours outside of school to prepare students to compete and win.”
DECA is an international association of high school and college students that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Through DECA, GCPS’ students have the opportunity to participate in leadership development activities and compete in a variety of events on an international level.
| School | Advisor | Student Name | Placement | Competition Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Creek High School | Brett Butler- Pasquinelli | Skylar Strickland | 2nd State | Sports & Entertainment Marketing |
| North Gwinnett High School | Andrea Barrett & Jennifer Muyres | Emerson Halcomb | 1st State | Theme Speech |
| North Gwinnett High School | Andrea Barrett & Jennifer Muyres | Isabella Traykova | 1st State | Business Services Marketing |
| North Gwinnett High School | Andrea Barrett & Jennifer Muyres | Adunni Noibi | 2nd State | Human Resources Management |
| North Gwinnett High School | Andrea Barrett & Jennifer Muyres | Rebecca Brauns | 1st State | Quick Serve Restaurant Management |
| North Gwinnett High School | Andrea Barrett & Jennifer Muyres | Chetan Setty | 2nd State | Innovation Plan |
| North Gwinnett High School | Andrea Barrett & Jennifer Muyres | Harrisen Ulrich, Patrick Mannino, Parth Kumar | 1st State | Integrated Marketing Campaign–Event |
| North Gwinnett High School | Andrea Barrett & Jennifer Muyres | Aditi Venkatesh, Diya Mannacherry | 1st State | Marketing Management |
| North Gwinnett High School | Andrea Barrett & Jennifer Muyres | Diya Mannacherry | 2nd State | Advertising Services Testing |
| North Gwinnett Middle School | Ralston Carnegie | Arlen Ibe | 2nd State | Principles of Business Management & Administration |
| North Gwinnett Middle School | Ralston Carnegie | Neeral Gandhi | 2nd State | Principles of Hospitality & Tourism |
| North Gwinnett Middle School | Ralston Carnegie | Emma Rice | 2nd State | MS Only- Principles of Business Mgmt & Admin |
| North Gwinnett Middle School | Ralston Carnegie | Emilie Hsieh | 2nd State | MS Only- Promotional Pitch |
| North Gwinnett Middle School | Ralston Carnegie | Caroline Walton | 1st State | MS Only- Principles of Marketing |
| North Gwinnett Middle School | Ralston Carnegie | Kennedy Simon | 2nd State | MS Only- Principles of Marketing |
| Paul Duke STEM High School | Lauren O'Connor and Ashley Wright | Mihir Pai | 1st State | Human Resources Management |
| Paul Duke STEM High School | Lauren O'Connor and Ashley Wright | Rohan Pai, Ali Akbar | 2nd State | Business Law & Ethics TDM |