By Megan Kelley

Review Writer

The Lake Orion High School DECA students competed in the DECA state competition in March with several students placing well enough to move onto the international competition.

Top honors for Lake Orion include:

Amy Bronikowski and Megan Witt – Role Play winners, Top 10 and State Champions in the Integrated Marketing Event Project.

Nick Heal and Angelina Filias – Angelina won the medal for the test, Top 10 and both were 2nd place.

Kristin Choi – Entrepreneurship – Role Play winner, Top 10, State Champion.

Riley Yearwood – Quick Serve Food Marketing – Role Play winner, Top 10.

Other highlights include:

Kristin Choi – The newly elected State Officer. Choi gave a speech to a packed room with 4,000 people to be elected by the student members.

Kerstin Heitzenrater – The outgoing State Officer.

The LOHS DECA team, headed by Lake Orion High School Marketing teacher Julia Dalrymple, attends the state conference each year and has had a presence at the world competition for the last 18 years.

Last year, due to COVID-19 protocols, students participated in both the state and international competitions virtually.

“This year, coming back from a virtual conference last year, makes it a very sweet moment for all these students. They worked so hard to get here,” Dalrymple said.

“Moving on to the International Competition is such an amazing accomplishment for each and every one of my students. At our first meeting, we talk about working hard and the idea of getting out what you put in, and they did!” Dalrymple said. “The idea of us returning to some ‘normal’ after being in COVID school is very exciting. It’s making us appreciate the rewards of their hard work.”

This year, the International Competition is April 22 – 27 in Atlanta, Georgia, where Dalrymple looks forward to her students getting the opportunity to network with new people from across the nation.

Lake Orion students will compete with 13,000 high school students from around the world.

“For me, the most exciting thing for all of them to network, meet new students from other states and enjoy the time together learning and having fun. Of course, we want them to be named the best in the world, but getting the experience is also very rewarding,” said Dalrymple.

The Lake Orion DECA team begins meetings in the fall at the start of the school year and is always looking for new high school students to join the team.

Additionally, adults who would like to get involved can volunteer to judge the annual competition held at LOHS in January.

Anyone interested in volunteering as a judge can email Julia Dalrymple at julia.dalrymple@lok12.org.

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

Online: www.deca.org.