Twenty-nine students from Whitefish High School’s DECA team placed at the state competition last week allowing them to qualify for the International Conference.

Whitefish was one of 11 DECA chapters to participate in the statewide competition in Great Falls.

Each student participated in the “role-play” competition, using their poise, marketing knowledge, and business sense to solve marketing problems in real-life situations in front of a judge.

DECA has chapters in more than 4,000 schools across the world. Membership in the high school division is open to students with a career interest in marketing, management, hospitality, finance, entrepreneurship, and/or business administration. DECA programs are co-curricular, meaning programs complement nationally recognized curriculum standards in the classroom and then go further to incorporate realistic educational experiences not available through classroom instruction alone.

The Whitefish team for the second year in a row earned the “Spirit Award” given to the chapter that exudes the most team and school spirit.

Students who place first, second or third qualified to travel to Atlanta for the International Conference in May.

Principles of Hospitality and Tourism:

2. Emma Claire Springs, 3. Myndie Holbrook

Principles of Marketing:

2. Arden Greenwood

Sports and Entertainment Team:

3. McKenzie Wick, 3. Marlow Schulz

Travel and Tourism Marketing Team:

3. Emma Claire Springs, 3. Kate Doorn

Apparel and Accessories Marketing:

1. Hayley Delagnes

Business Finance:

1. Sloan Ellis

Food Marketing:

1. Sam Benkelman

Hotel and Lodging Marketing:

2. Hayley Delagnes, 1. Nathan Boone, 3. Erin Tabish

Marketing Management:

1. Ella Kobelt, 3. Malia Morris

Retail Merchandising:

2. Erin Tabish

Sports and Entertainment Marketing:

1. Jack Brandt

Entrepreneurship Innovation:

3. Ella Kobelt, 3. Caroline Carbo, 3. McKenzie Wick

Restaurant Service Marketing:

3. Caroline Carbo

Human Resource Management:

1. Sam Benkelman

Automobile Marketing:

2. Scott Kahle

Financial Analysis Team:

1. Keaton Grove, 1. Sloan Ellis

Accounting Application:

3. Keaton Grove

Quick Serve Restaurant Marketing:

1. Chaffin Ross

Hospitality Marketing Team:

1. Walter Sobba, 1. Nathan Boone