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DECA students from both Foothill and Amador Valley high schools placed at the business organization’s International Career Development Conference near the end of April.
High school students from around the world converged in Atlanta, Ga. from April 21-24 for the conference, which is DECA’s highest level of competition.
Six of the 18 Foothill students there placed in the top 20 in their respective events, as did seven of the 16 Amador attendees.
“This continues the legacy that AVHS has for producing high-performing DECA competitors,” said Amador advisor Douglas Hartog of his team’s performance. “Back in Pleasanton, the students are taking the lessons they learned from ICDC to prepare themselves, and their peers, for next year’s DECA conferences.”
DECA is a global organization that aims to prepare students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
The Pleasanton students who traveled to Georgia in April had qualified for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) at the state-level competition in March. Approximately 15,000 high school students from around the world participated in the conference, according to Hartog.
The competition itself featured over 30 events ranging from human resources management to business services marketing to quick serve restaurant management — with each event consisting of an exam, project, presentation and/or case study.
“Winning second place at ICDC was a dream come true,” said Praveen Ravisankar, Foothill DECA co-president. Ravisankar, a senior, has been a part of the group throughout his high school years.
He added, reflecting on his time in the organization, “DECA has literally helped me change my life. It took an awkward kid and made me into the extrovert that I am.
“My public speaking skills improved tremendously. My connections grew and I made some of my very best friends in DECA. If I had the opportunity, I would go back to freshman year and do it all over again.”