DECA state competition was held March 12-15 in Kansas City Missouri. SCHS students David Romer, Luc Bourgeade, Katie Black, Ashira Ransom, Macey Hill, Amour Riley, Mariyah Smith, Jonni Rayburn, Lily Blackwood, Mia Oellermann, Owen Chaisitiphol, Louis Reese, Cesar Cervantes, Trent Beskoravany, Tyler Kies, Macy Jones, and Addison Kersting are the 2022 state qualifiers and prepared for the intense competition.

“DECA is a big marketing program we do and it helps build relations… and you get to practice a bunch of social skills whether it’s talking in front of a bunch of people or talking to one new person.” senior Jonni Rayburn said. “I’m excited but I’m nervous.”

Emotions were high as the intense competition sophomore Owen Chaisitiphol said, “Pretty excited. Nervous because me and my friend, my partner got first place in districts and in state the competition goes way up so it’s nerve wracking but it’s exciting.”

“It’s preparing me for my future,” senior Mia Oellermann said. “If I wanted to go into marketing in college I’d have a lot of experience with that already.”

From sunrise to sunset the qualifiers went through the events of state and finally  returned the evening of Tuesday, March 15 and state was officially at its end with SCHS student Katie Black winning the ability to compete in the next round called ICDC (International Career Development Conference).