ORLANDO, Fla. (OBV) – Hundreds of young Oklahoma DECA members traveled to Orlando, Fla., recently to compete against students from throughout the world.
The 223 Oklahoma students who went to Orlando for the International Career Development Conference are from 17 DECA chapters.
The Oklahomans excelled, with three earning top 10 results in their competitive events: Aarav Jilka, Edmond Santa Fe High School, top 10 exam score in human resource management; Makayla Worley Jolly, Francis Tuttle Technology Center-Rockwell Campus, top 10 role play in professional selling; and Diana Nguyen, Mustang High School, top 10 role play in professional selling. Each event had100-150 competitors, according to an Oklahoma CareerTech news release.
“Oklahoma was well represented at this year’s DECA International Career Development Conference,” said Paxton Cavin, Oklahoma DECA adviser at the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. “Over the year our association has implemented a competitive events training initiative, and we are seeing the results from those efforts. Our advisers and students are committed to diligently working to showcase their skills at this international competition.”
Oklahoma DECA advisors helped out with the competition, managing the Principles of Marketing event. Also, the 2023-24 state executive council acted as voting delegates to elect a new DECA executive council, and officers trained in leadership and networked with other officer teams.
“Our students are not only getting the experience of competing with at least 100 competitors in their competitions, but also the unique opportunity to network with 22,000 students from all over the world who are all working towards similar goals,” Cavin said. “The energy at ICDC is unmatched, and Oklahoma always rises to the occasion to represent our state in the best way.”
DECA is focused on marketing education and is one of seven CareerTech student organizations affiliated with CareerTech programs.
