DECA team homes in at state competition

On Sunday, March 3, seven students from the Samo Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) chapter placed within the top 10 of four different categories in the California DECA State Competition. The Samo DECA organization was also formally recognized for their Community Service Campaign, a formal report of their outreach and participation in the local community.  Out of thousands of attendees, Jordan Kramer (’19), August Fouts (’19), Louis Fliegner (’19), Mason Hackman (’20), Duke O’Callahan (’20), Holly Hudson (’20) and Beanie Pernoll (’20) placed in the top 10 of DECA members for each of their division’s content interviews. These consist of industry professionals testing student knowledge through a role-play about business practices in fields such as hospitality, tourism, entrepreneurship and marketing. The chapter’s multi-faceted community service outreach consisted of giving care packages to local homeless populations, accommodating free and reduced fee lunch students at the Vikes’ Inn for the first time and hosting a college night where guest students from all walks of life were brought in to speak about their college experiences. DECA is a national organization that educates and prepares high schoolers as business leaders. Its conferences are highly competitive and allows students to showcase their preparation which consists of mastering terminology and interacting with professionals. All this prep culminates at these competitions in the form of a lengthy written exam and interview-style role play.  Samo also entered an Enterprise Team in the competition consisting of Alex Steigelfest (’19), Hackman and O’Callahan. Their mission was to write a business report analyzing the finances, marketing, management and distribution of the Vikes’ Inn operations. The California DECA organization awarded them a Gold Certification, one of only five teams to ever achieve the honor.  “We are honored to have had the opportunity to present the report. Given the extensive judging criteria, being able to successfully cover all of [the analysis] and exceeding their expectations deepened my passion for [learning about] business,” Hackman said.  The trio, buoyed by a successful debut of their report, will be moving on to compete in an International Business Competition in Orlando, Florida. in late April.