Dozens of students from Flathead, Glacier and Whitefish high schools tested their business acumen at state and earned a spot at the DECA International Career Development Conference in April. 

Thirty-four Glacier students, 22 Whitefish students and 11 Flathead students qualified to compete on the international stage at the Montana DECA Career Development Conference held Feb. 1-3 in Missoula. 

At state, 833 students from 15 chapters around Montana competed in a variety of business, marketing, finance, management, entrepreneurship, and hospitality and tourism events through role playing, presentations and written research.  

Depending on the event, the top two to three competitors advanced to the international level. Although students may compete in multiple events at state, qualifiers may only compete in one event at the international conference April 25-28 in Atlanta. 

In other state awards, Glacier’s Kailey Lacy and Kinsey Bergman took home the $1,000 prize for winning the state competition’s “Shark Tank” style challenge. For the challenge, students are tasked with designing a new use for an everyday item, Glacier DECA adviser Josh Munro said.  

This year’s item was an ice cream scoop. Lacy’s and Bergman’s winning design was the Snowballer Pro, a snowball and water balloon trebuchet. Munro said a Glacier team has won seven out of eight challenges. 

Glacier, which brought 138 students to state, was also recognized for its membership campaign and growth. 

Following are local individual results: 

Accounting Applications (top three)

5. Oliver Kufa, Glacier  

6. Lauren Pittman, Glacier 

 7. Thomas Jensen, Glacier 

Apparel and Accessories Marketing (top three)

2. Kendall Dolan, Glacier  

4. Yris Hadziomerovic,  Glacier  

8. Delila Vine, Whitefish 

Automotive Services Marketing (top three) 

1. Huzhao Miele, Glacier 

5. Will Danielson, Glacier 

7. Hailey Fiala, Glacier  

8. Boston Case, Flathead 

Business Finance (top three) 

1. Will Danielson, Glacier 

8. Sienna Blanchard, Flathead 

Business Law and Ethics Team Decision-Making (top three)

3. Olivia Kufa and Alyssa White Glacier  

4. Oliver Casey and Huzhao Miele Glacier 

7. Annie Patterson and Claire Timm Flathead 

Business Services Marketing (top three) 

2. Avery McPherson, Whitefish  

3. Kendall Dolan, Glacier  

5. Marlo Carpenter, Glacier  

6. Maggie Zonich, Whitefish  

7. Oliver Casey, Glacier  

8. Ava Beck, Whitefish 

Business Services Operations Research (top two) 

2. Leo Bungener, William Cubbage and Luca Gignoux, Whitefish 

Buying and Merchandising Team Decision-Making (top three) 

3. Sarah Loran and Nora Pittaway, Flathead  

4. Norah Cantrell and Reid Sanders, Glacier  

5. Lucy Marzo and Delila Vine, Whitefish  

6. Autumn Basharaand Bridget Reed, Glacier  

7. Caitlin Conversea nd Gracie Mae Kilmer, Flathead  

8. Maggie Giffin and Tanisi Patel, Glacier 

Career Development Project (top two)

1. Lucy Marzo Whitefish 

Community Awareness Project (top two)

1. Shailey Green and Allie Stuart, Whitefish 

6. Max Brown, Jack Flink and Ean Flynn, Whitefish 

3. Clair Easterley and Bailey Lowell, Whitefish  

5. Olivia Kufa, Alyssa White Glacier  

6. Cole Moses and Joey Priegel, Whitefish  

7. Cadence Daniels and Cassidy Daniels, Grace Lingle, Glacier  

8. Ava Beck and Avery McPherson, Isabella Mitchell, Whitefish 

Entrepreneurship (top three)

3. Carsen Wenz, Glacier 

7. Colton Crandal, Flathead 

Entrepreneurship Team Decision-Making 

2. Griffin Ingersoll and Camden Knutson, Glacier  

3. Kinsey Bergman and Kailey Lacy, Glacier  

5. Braylee Ehmann and Grace Gall, Flathead  

7. Riley Davidson and Nolan Sterck, Flathead  

8. Chance Lenz and Lincoln St. Jean, Flathead 

Financial Consulting Event (top two)

2. Logan Yuasa-Green, Flathead  

3. Vanessa Solomon, Whitefish 

Financial Literacy Project (top two)

4. Maggie Zonich, Whitefish  

5. Madhav Gautam and Jakoby Isles, Glacier 

Financial Services Team Decision-Making (top three) 

2. Will Scott and Bridger Stupack, Flathead  

3. Thomas Jensen and Andrew Short, Glacier  

5. Hailey Fiala and Asher Stanfield, Glacier  

6. Ella Elliott and Jamie Murphy, Glacier  

7. Henrey Boysen and Sage Delaloye, Whitefish  

8. Kyla Turley and Sage Witten, Glacier 

Food Marketing (top three)

3. Tesla Liebe-Cohen, Glacier  

4. Grace Miller, Glacier  

7. Jonathan Stebbins-Han, Glacier 

Franchise Business Plan (top two)

4. Oliver Casey, Griffin Ingersoll and Huzhao Miele, Glacier  

5. Bristol Lenz and Gunnar Weckwerth, Flathead 

Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling (top two)

3. Yris Hadziomerovic, Glacier 

8. Nola Brown, Whitefish 

Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research (top two)

2. Unity Loveless, Brody Morrison and Gavin Sibson, Whitefish  

3. Mason Loeffler, Whitefish 

Hospitality Services Team Decision-Making (top three)

3. Josh Lee and Ethan Ronngren, Glacier 

6. Alicyn Bending and Riley Davidson, Flathead  

8. Max Brown and Ean Flynn, Whitefish 

Hotel and Lodging Management (top three)

2. Hailey Fiala, Glacier  

3. Asher Stanfield, Glacier  

4. Anya Denmark, Glacier  

5. Jakoby Isles, Glacier 

Human Resources Management (top three)

1. Hannah Cantrell, Flathead  

4. Olivia Kufa, Glacier  

5. Grace Miller, Glacier  

6. Vanessa Solomon,  Whitefish  

7. Alicyn Bending, Flathead  

8. Will Danielson, Glacier 

Innovation Plan (top two)

4. Keegan West, Flathead 

7. Maxwell Jones, Forest Sanderson and Logan Yuasa-Green, Flathead  

8. Abigail Berry and Nikolas Quenzer, Whitefish 

Integrated Marketing Campaign — event (top two)

3. Isabella Evans, Ella Goicoechea and Parker Speer, Glacier  

4. Sienna Blanchard, Sarah Loranand Naomi Miller, Flathead 

6. Abbagayle Jackman, Chylnn Kesteleyn and Cruz Pettymyers, Flathead  

7. Annabelle Barrile and Allison Shors, Whitefish 

Integrated Marketing Campaign — product (top two)

5. Carmela Forcone, Unity Loveless and Vanessa Solomon, Whitefish 

8. Fawkes Flaherty, Cohen Gates and Mason Loeffler, Whitefish 

Integrated Marketing Campaign — services (top two)

8. Bristol Lenz and Gunnar Weckwerth, Flathead 

International Business Plan (top two)

4. Nolan Campbell and Nolan Sterck, Flathead 

6. Carmela Forcone, Chance Isles and Marcus Mercer, Whitefish  

8. Sienna Blanchard and Casiann Clemons, Flathead 

Marketing Communications (top three)

3. Jaela Armstrong, Glacier  

4. Jaydon Pesola, Flathead  

6. Lillie Groom, Glacier  

7. Annie Patterson, Flathead 

Marketing Management Team Decision-Making (top three)

2. Forest Sanderson and Logan Yuasa-Green, Flathead  

3. Marcus Mercer, Cole Moses, Whitefish  

5. Naomi Miller and Jaydon Pesola, Flathead  

6. Sarah Loran and Blake Stowe, Flathead  

7. Josie Morrison and Jolee Pitts, Flathead  

8. Morgan Becker and Braylee Ehmann, Flathead 

Personal Financial Literacy (top three)

1. Cole Moses, Whitefish  

2. Jaydon Pesola,  Flathead  

3. Will Scott, Flathead  

4. Asher Stanfield, Glacier  

5. Jakoby Isles, Glacier  

8. Andrew Jacobson, Flathead 

Principles of Business Management and Administration (top three) 

1. Duncan Young, Glacier  

2. Allie Stuart, Whitefish 

5. Benjamin Dow, Whitefish  

6. Emma Boogerd, Polson  

8. Beck Moses, Whitefish 

Principles of Entrepreneurship (top three) 

6. Ali Anton, Flathead 

Principles of Finance (top three)

2. Andrew Short, Glacier  

5. Jake Shors, Whitefish 

Principles of Hospitality and Tourism (top three)

1. Toviah Graham, Flathead 

6. Avery Bender, Glacier  

8. Sammie Shors, Whitefish 

Principles of Marketing (top three) 

4. Lilly Rittenhouse, Flathead 

Professional Selling Event (top two)

5. Isabella Mitchell, Whitefish  

6. Chance Lenz, Flathead 

Quick Serve Restaurant Management (top three)

5. Josh Lee, Glacier 

8. Chloe Snyder, Flathead 

Restaurant and Food Service Management (top three) 

2. Maya Aleman, Glacier  

3. Anya Denmark, Glacier  

4. Natalie Young, Flathead  

5. Marcus Mercer, Whitefish  

6. Kord Madsen, Glacier  

7. Morgan Becker, Flathead 

Retail Merchandising (top three)

2. Josh Lee, Glacier  

3. Unity Loveless, Whitefish  

5. Grace Miller, Glacier  

6. Alicyn Bending, Flathead  

7. Nolan Sterck, Flathead  

8. Kiera Williams, Glacier 

Sales Project (top two)

2. Kase Madsen, Kord Madsen and Charles Zlogar Glacier 

Sports and Entertainment Marketing (top three)

1. Tesla Liebe-Cohen, Glacier  

3. Griffin Ingersoll, Glacier  

6. Carsen Wenz, Glacier  

8. Abbigail Reynolds, Glacier 

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision-Making (top three) 

3. Lauren Pittman and Reid Sanders, Glacier  

6. Autumn Bashara and Lillie Groom, Glacier  

7. Micah Coen and Enzo Vidaurri, Glacier 

Sports And Entertainment Operations Research (top two)

1. Mikayla Muller and Ryenn Schellinger, Whitefish 

Start-up Business Plan (top two)

1. Leilani Lennarz, Glacier  

2. Kinsey Bergman and Kailey Lacy, Glacier 

7. Norah Huff and Emery Lindemann, Glacier  

8. Lucas Tuma, Glacier 

Travel and Tourism Marketing Team Decision-Making (top three) 

6. Norah Armstrong and Lilly Rittenhouse, Flathead  

7. Ellie Easley and Natalie Young, Flathead  

8. Addison Brisendine and Abbigail Reynolds, Glacier 

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or [email protected].