By Bayley Patterson

On Jan 26, DECA, the international business career program, competed at Akron University against many different schools to decipher if any competitors would move on to states.

Both junior and senior DECA students competed in the competition. Students chose to either work in groups or work individually, and then they were given topics such as hospitality, sports and entertainment, and even travel and tourism.

For each event they were given a role to figure out a problem. Once they figured out the problems, competitors had to market their ideas off to the judges.

“It was my first time competing so I felt nervous talking to the judges, but I also felt very confident in my answers,” junior Kim Schirra said.

If competitors received a placement, and if one is placed in the top five, then they move on to states. If one does not get placed then they do not get to move on.

There are many new students involved in DECA this year, so there is a big change to how the students work and interact with each other.

“It was Allie Tinkler’s and I’s first time competing so we were really nervous and intimidated. We didn’t know what to expect and we really wanted to make it to states so we had a lot of pressure. We worked really hard and used our time wisely so I think we did well,” senior Maddie Mills said.

Although they have not received the results yet, all the competitors are very excited to know how they did. DECA will receive their results on Feb 29.