Oxford High School has yet another achievement to notch on its already full belt thanks to its DECA Club members.
OHS sent 31 marketing students to help represent Michigan at DECA’s 59th Annual International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California from April 26 through May 1.
DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America and is the only international student organization operating through schools to attract young people to careers in marketing, merchandising, management and entrepreneurship. Its purpose is to teach occupational proficiency and to promote understanding and appreciation for the responsibilities of citizenship in our competitive enterprise system.
Oxford’s DECA delegation joined more than 600 other Michigan DECA members to compete in 40 events with 14,000 DECA members from all 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Germany and Korea.
Shana Jones and Chelsea McIntosh took first place in the General Market Research category for their project on the restaurant Victoria’s Delights in downtown Oxford.
Vanessa Collier, Rachel Kenny and Ally Zonsius placed second in the Public Relations Project category by raising awareness and funds to fight childhood cancer. The students donated the money they raised to the Michael Magdaleno Scholarship Fund and Children’s Hospital of Detroit. They also collected and donated 160 inches of hair to Locks of Love.
Christine Fortier and Danyelle Parris competed in the Civic Consciousness project and placed in the top 16 internationally. Fortier and Parris? project raised awareness and funds for the Oakland County Carehouse in Pontiac, which deals with child abuse and neglect.
Caitlyn Stanis placed in the top 10 in the Fashion Merchandising Promotion for her work on a fashion line for the Covered Wagon Saddlery store in downtown Oxford.
More than 1,500 business professionals representing both domestic and international corporations judged the events.
The top three percent were chosen to receive scholarships and trophies.
Steve Ruch, OHS’s DECA advisor and sponsor, said he was really proud of the kids and their hard work.
‘We’ve never done so well, that was our first, first place,? he said.
Although most of the week was hard work, Ruch said the students took a trip to Disney Land to relax and have a great time.