information from Highline Public Schools

These young people know business. Eleven students from Global Connections High School on Tyee Campus are headed to the DECA international competition in Anaheim, California April 25-30. Alaska Airlines is donating four round-trip tickets to kick off the effort to help them get there.

The students qualified for the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) at the DECA state competition in Bellevue, where 30 Global Connections students competed on March 2-4. The AT&T Aspire mentorship program donated almost $10,000 to help students prepare and get to the state level.

It will cost about $1,400 for each student to attend the international conference. Students are brainstorming how to raise funds for the remaining tickets. In 2016, various organizations stepped in and raised $22,000 to help students attend the international event.

DECA is a non-profit student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. DECA provides students the opportunity to apply the marketing skills they learn in class to hands-on projects in and out of class.

“This national success is due not only to what they learn in marketing class, but what they learn in all their classes. Marketing just gives them a place to apply all the writing, math, research, and current events,” said Tyee teacher Alana Vinther. “These are amazing, high-achieving, engaged, dedicated, and collaborative students who are going places—literally and figuratively.”

The 11 students who will represent Tyee’s Global DECA program in Anaheim are:
Armando Rodriguez, Michelle Rojas and Amparo Zaldana in Learn and Earn Project (wrote 30-page report on the Tyee Bazaar with presentation and visuals)
Jonathan Hernandez, Vicky Lucatero and Cindy Cisneros in School-based Enterprise (wrote 20-page report on the Tyee Hot Spot espresso stand with presentation and visuals)
Allie Cruz in Elevate Leadership Academy
Quesias Fernandez in Ignite Leadership Academy
Yvonne Mmata, Elizabeth Lopez and Kardea Buss in the Thrive Leadership Academy

Mount Rainier High School had two students progress from state level to the international conference:
Annika Sandell in Food Marketing
Giuliana Pepe for Officer Academy to enhance leadership skills that can support MRHS

From Highline High School, three students qualified:
Yuan Fernandez-Granil, Tara Nester, and Karen Garcia, in Thrive Leadership Academy.