White River DECA runs into new year at full steam
Published 1:13 pm Monday, January 3, 2011
The White River High School DECA chapter started the year by taking 16 students to Bellevue for the Washington State DECA Fall Leadership Conference Oct. 24-26.
While there, Tanner Blunk, Colton Caldwell, Hannah Cylkowski, Monica Estes, Amedeo Gallucci, Madeline Grimm, Weldon King, Trevor Kurtz, Reagan Ledbetter, Trevor Lystad, Nick Nelson, Tyler Ousley, Ryan Roulier, CJ Schierling, Jessica Tidwell and Jordan Towne participated in many business and marketing seminars and leadership building activities.
Several students were selected to participate in a Chapter Leadership Academy that focused on how “Teamwork Makes the Dream Work.”
Along with the Fall Leadership Conference, eight students traveled to Washington, D.C., Nov. 10-14 to participate in a national leadership conference called “The Ultimate DECA Power Trip.”
Students from across the United States and Canada were involved in this learning experience. Jonah Athey, Caldwell, Grimm, Iwalani Kauhi, Nelson, Tidwell, Towne and Brooke Ulrich participated in seminars, role-plays and networking. They also managed to squeeze in time for sightseeing in the nation’s capital.
Ulrich, a WRHS DECA senior, said the trip to Washington, D.C., was incredible, especially the history and meaning of the landmarks. She said the guided night tour of memorials was a highlight.
“Our bus stopped at every memorial and we were able to get an up close and personal look at everything there was to see,” Ulrich said. “Our tour guide was exceptionally knowledgeable in regards to everything in Washington, D.C., and provided us all the ultimate learning experience that night. Some students were even able to pay tribute to friends and family members represented by the memorials.”
Aside from the historical aspects, Ulrich said students were given tips on how to excel in college and leadership, as well as in fields of the business and entrepreneurial world. Professionals from across the country shared their knowledge so we may know how to better help our generation succeed on an even greater scale, she said.
DECA Adviser Randy Wilson said both experiences have helped the students grow personally as well as giving them opportunities to interact and learn with marketing students and adults from many diverse cultures and environments.
DECA’s next conference is the Area Career Development Conference Jan. 11 at Emerald Downs. Community members interested in serving as a judge can contact Wilson at 360-829-5639 or rwilson@whiteriver.wednet.edu.
