Sparta DECA Sends 83 to State Conference

Written by: Elise Kerim

Sparta's DECA chapter is in competition mode. The group attended the regional competition at Ramapo College on Wednesday, January 4th. Although the temperatures were blistering and navigating the hilly college campus stood up to DECA members' business apparel, Sparta showed up ready to thrive and show DECA judges how prepared they were and how much marketing knowledge they had acquired.

Students are given a role play situation in which they are to assume the role of a business professional and pitch their idea or solution to the judge. Students may perform individually or with a partner. Participants sign up for a category in advance, however do not know their role play situation until they sit in the preparation room and have 15 minutes to prepare an agenda for them to pitch during their 10 minutes with the judge.

Whether it was their first or fourth year enrolled in marketing, Sparta did exceedingly well at the competition. The top thirteen in each category from the region are eligible to move on to the State Development Career Conference in Atlantic City at the end of February.

The Spartans who will be heading to Atlantic City on February 27th are as follows.

Apparel & Accessories Marketing Series
- Rachel Nick, 7th place
- Stelios Kroudis, 9th place

Sports & Entertainment Marketing Series
- Elise Kerim, 1st place
- Logan Daghlian, 6th place

Sports & Entertinament Marketing Management Team Decision Making
- Nick Elnasser & Payton Martini, 2nd place

Automotive Services Marketing Series
- Bayleigh Takacs, 7th place
- Gianna Bednarczyk, 9th place
- Christopher Smith, 10th place


Buying and Merchandising Management Team Decision Making
- Mike Nauta & Cameron Riley, 5th place

Entrepreneurship Series
- Kate Fontes, 9th place
- Tucker Hastings, 12th place

Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making
- Sergei O'Sullivan & Tyler Shaw, 2nd place
- Justin Melick & Adrian Ukaj, 5th place
- Isabella Horowitz & Caitlin Russo, 7th place

Financial Consulting Event
- Josh Williams, 2nd place

Food Marketing Series
- Kate Nash, 6th place

Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling
- Julia Loewen, 3rd place
- Matthew Mcandris, 4th place
- Haley Singer, 7th place
- Carlie Wilson, 8th place
- Esha Iyer, 11th place

Hospitality Services Management Team Decision Making
- Nick Furgeson & Audrey Krajicek, 3rd place
- Savannah Rode & Jessica Schoenfeld, 5th place
- Kayla Collinson & Zsofia Szilagyi, 7th place

Professional Selling
- Olivia Navarro, 1st place
- Sylvia Sochacki, 2nd place
- Turner Tullis, 8th place
- Brooke Elliot, 10th place

Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series
- Daniel Baker, 1st place
- Hannah Fagersten, 3rd place

Hotel and Lodging Management
- Michaela Bleakely, 3rd place
- Jenson Scott, 9th place

Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making
- Hailey Mead & Jillian Van Fleet, 4th place

Business Services Marketing Series
- Ben McDonald, 2nd place
- Henry Flint, 8th place
- Jesse West, 13th place

Human Resources Management Series
- Billy Stoddard, 2nd place
- Victoria Heim, 7th place

Marketing Communications
- Thomas Ferrara, 1st place
- Grace Sander, 6th place
- Heather DiPiano, 9th place

Principles of Business Management & Administration
- John Schon, 11th place

Principles of Finance
- Ryan Cilli, 10th place
- Christopher Pierson, 12th place

Principles of Hospitality and Tourism
- Brenna Hamann, 10th place

Principles of Marketing:
- Yasmeen Caswell, 2nd place
- Nikki Dawar, 11th place

Retail Merchandising
- April Vannieuwland, 1st place
- Shelby Kapp, 4th place
- Paige Smith, 8th place
- Julia Dykstra, 12th place
- Cecelia Canfield, 13th place