Auburn School District No. 408
915 4th Street Northeast, Auburn, WA  98002

01/22/03

NEWS RELEASE
Auburn DECA Dominates Area Competition

On Monday, January 13, over 65 Auburn High School Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) students attended a regional marketing competition at Emerald Downs in Auburn where they competed against each other and the 13 other schools in DECA Area 5.  In order to qualify to attend the regional competition, the students had to first take a marketing test in the subject in which they were competing.  Some of these subjects include business services, marketing management, vehicles and petroleum, retail merchandising, and other economic concepts. 

At the area competition, the DECA members are given two scenarios and five competencies for each scenario.  The students then have to perform two role plays solving what problem the scenarios presented to them while exhibiting their knowledge on the five competencies.  They perform these role-plays with a judge who then scores them.  Their two role-play scores are then combined with their test scores.  Depending on where they placed among the other members in their competition, the top eight in each event are able to move on to the state competition. 

Auburn High School DECA had 28 members qualify for state.  These students will now, along with many others in separate written projects, be attending the State Conference at the Maidenbower Center in Bellevue on March 6, 7, and 8.  They will compete against the other eligible Washington State area members.  At the conference, the students will also have the opportunity to attend different marketing workshops.  Some students will also be campaigning for state or area offices. 

Many students placed at the regional competition and will now be moving on to the state-wide event.  In the Hospitality Management category, Samantha Gibson and Katrina Snow took fifth place overall.  In the Vehicles and Petroleum category, L.T. Turay took first place and Evan Meessen took third.  In Retail Merchandising, Shaun Moore took second place, and Arecka Hansen took third.  In Marketing Management, Kayla Pearson took second and Michelle Stover took third.  In Business Services, Lindsey Miller took first.  Many more students placed in the top eight and will be joining their fellow members in Bellevue.

By Ashley Swartz and Kayla Pearson