WVHS DECA, front row from left, are Tyler Hall, Ashlyn Williams, Brandon Breland, Kasey Lawson, Jaimee Moreland, Caitlin Tharp, Caitlyn Gobble, Taryn Wilson, Zoe Ross and Jayla Blanton, DECA adviser. Second row from left, are Dillan Edwards, Miranda Cartwright, CJ Jones, Joseph Sanger, Brody Hambright, Loren Chiles, Steven Lawhorn, Garrett Cantrell, Chase Denny, Mark McFadden, Dillon Koenig and Casey Ferrer.
Mark McFadden was elected as Tennessee DECA’s 2012-13 secretary. He gave a speech to more than 100 people about his platform ideas to improve DECA over the next year. McFadden also had a campaign booth set up for voting delegates to see in the theme of “Flash Gordon.” This was to represent that changes would be coming fast to Tennessee DECA if McFadden was elected.
McFadden has 12 trips scheduled with Tennessee DECA for leadership conferences, planning meetings and competitive event conferences. This will provide opportunities for McFadden to make networking connections along with building his knowledge in marketing and communication skills. He will host the 2012-13 Tennessee DECA Conference with the other four Tennessee DECA officers at the Opryland Resort with more than 2,000 attendees.
Casey Ferrer, McFadden’s campaign manager, and Miranda Cartwright, McFadden’s campaign worker, worked hard to help with his campaign.
Many students also received awards at state competition. Several of the students were first-year competitors at the state competition. Each event consisted of a 100-question test and a 15-minute role play specific to their category. Makayla Jenkins placed first role plays in the Restaurant and Food Service Management event. Joseph Sanger and Loren Chiles placed third for their role play in the Financial Services Team Decision Making event. Jenkins, Sanger and Chiles will represent Walker Valley in Salt Lake City at the international level April 28 to May 1. Kelsey French won third place for her role play in the Business Services event. Tyler Hall received second place for his role play in the Retail Merchandising event.
Other students competing at the international level include: Steven Lawhorn and Brody Hambright are also competing at international competition in the Sports and Entertainment Promotion Plan written event. Caitlyn Gobble and Caitlin Tharp are first alternates for the international competition in the Fashion Merchandising Promotion Plan written event. Hambright, Lawhorn, Gobble and Tharp spent all fall writing an eleven page paper creating a fictional promotion plan for Rue 21 and the Miami Heat. At state competition, they presented professional speeches and a PowerPoint presentation to present their ideas to judges with expertise in this area. Chase Denny and Garrett Cantrell are second alternates for the international competition in the Business Law and Ethics event.
“We are accomplishing much more than we ever imagined with the marketing classes and DECA,” said Jayla Blanton, Walker Valley marketing teacher and DECA adviser.
DECA and the marketing classes have only been offered at Walker Valley for three years. Each year Walker Valley has produced state winners and competed at international competition.
