AAPS: Pioneer DECA chapter boasts record-breaking showing at state competition
Pioneer High School’s DECA chapter had a record-breaking showing at the state competition that took place over the past week.
DECA is an association of marketing students that conducts academic games competitions for students interested in management, marketing, and entrepreneurial careers.
“This year our competition was quite different, as the format was fully virtual,” said Kara Morabito, Pioneer marketing teacher and DECA advisor. “I was completely blown away by the students’ willingness to work so hard to prepare and compete during this difficult year and alternate setting. Our national competition will also be virtual so a trip to a sunny location was no longer a motivating factor. Instead, these students had to rely on their own self-motivation to put in the work and prove that they are one of the top high school business students in the state of Michigan.”
There are about 350 Michigan High Schools that offer DECA as part of their high school curriculum. Since Pioneer DECA was established in 1980, there have been 255 Pioneer Michigan State DECA Champions who qualified for and participated in the International DECA Championship in various U.S. cities.
DECA at Pioneer High School is a part of the marketing and business education curriculum. Impromptu role-plays of business case problems or presentations of written business plans with volunteer business professionals serving as judges are the main focus of the conferences that Pioneer will enter.
Morabito expressed appreciation to Brooke McCully, Marcie Allgeyer and Brian Guastella for volunteering to facilitate the competition.
The following students won awards in their events:
Michigan DECA State Champions
Shankrith Chandru, Business Finance
Cameron Williston, Hospitality Services
Robert Yang, Hospitality Services
Paris Carter, Principles of Marketing
Malak Samaha, Hospitality Operations Research
Matthew Ruud, Hospitality Operations Research
Naiomi Malcheff, Business Growth Plan
Zach Pryor, Start Up Business Plan
Radina Dinov, Start Up Business Plan
Elizabeth Webb, Business Solutions Plan
Kaitlin McCreadie, Business Solutions Plan
Mia Steinhauer, Sports Operations Research
Katie German, Sports Operations Research
Eva Petroff, Community Awareness Project
Logan Brown, Community Awareness Project
Aditya Bapat, Community Giving Project
Kyle Cheng, Community Giving Project
Francesca Chetcuti, Franchise Business Plan
Sandy Hall, Franchise Business Plan
Jade Laatsch, Franchise Business Plan
Jack Yerkes, International Business Plan
Kelvin Jia, International Business Plan
State Champion Runners-Up
Ishara Kelsaw‐Fletcher, Apparel & Accessories Marketing
Charlotte Winegarden, Apparel & Accessories Marketing
Tiffany Li, Food Marketing
Mae Veidlinger, Quick Service Restaurant Management
Anna Kaganov, Restaurant and Food Service Management
Colten Heatley, Sports & Entertainment Marketing
Michael Suter, Sports & Entertainment Marketing
Anthony Gibbons, Sports & Entertainment Marketing
John Lang, Sports & Entertainment Marketing
Sarika Pai, Innovation Plan
1st Place – Event Scenario:
Shankrith Chandru, Business Finance
Paris Carter, Principles of Marketing
Charlotte Winegarden, Apparel & Accessories Marketing
1st Place – Occupational Exam:
Cameron Williston, Hospitality Services
Robert Yang, Hospitality Services
Mary Corey, Marketing Management
Garrett Krach, Sports & Entertainment Marketing
Anna Kaganov, Restaurant and Food Service Management
