Sparta DECA students advance to finals

Sparta - As the winter months drew to a close, the Sparta High School DECA chapter readied itself for the three-day state conference in Cherry Hill. Months of preparation, hard work and dedication came to fruition as 55 Sparta DECA students pursued excellence and success in their various marketing fields. Eighteen of the Sparta marketing students moved on to the final rounds in their respective areas. In addition, 42 awards were given to Sparta students in recognition of their levels of success. Eight Sparta students achieved extraordinary success and secured places at the International Career Development Conference to be held form April 28 to May 2 in Dallas. Sparta students who made it to the state finals in their categories are Elliot Brazitis and Ryan Kerr, Megan McArdle, Cailin Lynam, Courtney Plumb, Amber Mauriello, Vanessa Espinal, Jeff Bird and Emilie Curcio. Overall, Katie Quinn and Trevor Morrow achieved fourth place; Kayla Kretschmer and Chris Greed achieved third; Megan Geary, Dan dos Santos and John Kowulchuk achieved second; and Marilee Bennis and Simon Foster achieved first. Instructional awards were given to Sarah Mooney, Dave Dicianni and Frank Kane. DECA is an international business club and competition for high school students. The organization includes categories such as business law and ethics, accounting applications and marketing management. Competitors perform written and oral tests that determine their placement within a category. In addition, some students also write business reports on various topics, such as international business, e-commerce and entrepreneurship. (Article submitted by Simon Foster, Sparta High School student and DECA member)