The Lake Orion High School DECA team won its district competition and earned 26 recognitions for a variety of project campaigns. Many of the students also qualified as state finalists for their work. Photo provided.

By Megan Kelley
Staff Writer
ORION TWP. — Lake Orion High School’s DECA team has had a busy competition season in December, finishing first in the district competition and also being named to the Thrive Level for a number of its campaigns.
On Dec. 14, DECA Inc. awarded LOHS Thrive Level honors for the chapter’s Membership, Promotional and Community Service campaigns.
Each fall, DECA recognizes leading chapters that have built strong local programs focused on serving an exceptional number of members, advisors, alumni and business partners. These chapters and individuals dedicate their year to academic and career preparation, community service projects, membership recruitment, school outreach activities and other DECA-related endeavors. The chapter’s advisor and student leaders have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to DECA.
DECA’s membership campaign is designed to help chapters grow by making the DECA experience available to more student members, keeping alumni involved and engaging professional members such as administrators, teachers, parents and business partners.
DECA’s promotional campaign provides chapter members an opportunity to share with their school and community what DECA is all about and how their chapter is making a positive impact on its members and community.
In DECA’s community service campaign, chapters held a community service activity, engaged at least 75% of its members, and created at least one form of publicity or promotion.
“Lake Orion DECA is ready to take on the competition this year! For the last 20 years as the Lake Orion DECA Advisor, I’ve been amazed by our students and their commitment to making not only Lake Orion DECA, but our community a better place with these campaigns. Lilla and Sofia rocked the submission projects. I’m so proud to work with these students every day,” said Julia Dalrymple, Lake Orion DECA Advisor in a press release.
Just a few days later, the Lake Orion DECA team participated in the district competition with 26 of the 39 students who participated emerging victorious in their respective categories.
Winners include:
Apparel and Accessories – Lily Baker – State Finalist
Entrepreneurship Team – Lilla Bonner and Haylee Keogh – Role play winner and State Finalists
Hotel and Lodging – Sofia Guajardo – Role play winner and State Finalist
Hotel and Lodging – Ben Meeter – State Finalist
Hospitality Team – Maddy Light and Addison Ocholik – Role play winner and State Finalists
Hospitality Team – Luke Dilberti and Lanagan Wollborg – Test winner, Role play winner and State Finalists
Marketing Communications – Rylen Jurecko – State Finalist
Marketing Communications – Calvin Maes – Role play winner and State Finalist
Marketing Management Team – Noelle Weid and Paige Weid – State Finalists
Principles Business Management and Administration – Ava Bonacorsi, Role play winner and State Finalist
Principles of Business Management and Administration – David Pavelich – Test winner
Principles of Finance – Carlos Urquidi – State Finalist
Sports and Entertainment – Addison Verlinden – Test and State Finalist
Travel and Tourism Team – Julia Filias and Abby Lee – State Finalists
Travel and Tourism Team – Jack Verlinder and Truth Young – Test and State Finalists
The team finishes out the year with a win and will return to compete in the State competition in March.