When 16 students from Centre Wellington District High School’s (CWDHS) business club recently competed in DECA (Developing Excellence Celebrating Achievement) Ontario’s 34th annual provincial conference in Toronto, they were only California Dreaming.
Now, one of their own will make the trip to Anaheim and represent the school on an international stage.
“We had 14 students qualify to compete and had two included for leadership,” said Brenda Pettifer, business teacher at CWDHS. “I’m just so proud of them. They did such a great job. It’s really hard to make it.”
The competition has more than 5,000 secondary students from across the province competing in a chosen business category where they are expected to write an exam and then are handed two business cases with 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to present it to the judges.
Each competitor had to create the best business solution while meeting criteria specific to the category.
“I felt really good about both of them (competitions). Both judges said I made really good points,” said Katie Rose, 17, of Belwood.
This was her third provincial competition, landing her in the top 10 for the role play portion of her case study in the apparel and accessories marketing category.
“My business leadership course helped me a lot with management fundamentals and management theories,” Rose said, adding in her first year at provincials she had yet to study business at all.
She admits the competition made her nervous, but said it didn’t last.
“I’m nervous when I first sit down, but by the time they ask me the questions, I calm down and am able to give a reasonable answer,” said Rose. “It’s fun to be in a mock situation where there isn’t anything actually at stake.”
The CWDHS chapter of DECA was initiated three years ago by Rose and fellow grade 11 student Kirstin Pulles, 16, of Fergus.
Pulles learned of DECA from a friend in a Toronto school.
“You meet new people, and increase your confidence,” said Pulles. “It’s about being able to let yourself go out there and run with it. It’s fun.”
Pulles earned a top 10 spot for her exam mark and one of her role play scenarios for the retail merchandising category. She admits that in her third year of competition, she created a study package to prepare her for the competition, realizing business classes weren’t going to make her competitive enough.
“The competition is designed so that while you get lessons from courses at school that helps, but to really do well, you have to do the study and research on your own,” Pulles said.
Grade 9 student, Kayla MacMillan, 14, of Alma, took part in the provincial competition for the first time and placed eighth overall in the principles of marketing category.
MacMillan has now earned a spot to represent Canada and CWDHS at the international competition in Anaheim, California, against almost 18,000 students from nine countries. The competition runs from April 22 to 29.
“It’s still kind of surreal,” said MacMillan. “I haven’t been that far away from home before.”
She said her parents had to agree to the possibility that a win would mean a trip to California, on the student’s tab, but no one had anticipated in a field that large that she would make the finals.
“My parents were shocked,” she said. “My father didn’t believe me. He thought I was joking.”
MacMillan prepped for her debut competition by studying for her business exams, which she credits for helping her “get ahead.”
She is the first Centre Wellington student to ever qualify for the international competition.
Pettifer said the competition there will be the same format as it was during provincials. Part of the experience will include sightseeing, too.
While her teammates won’t get to board the plane, they are very excited for MacMillan’s opportunity to represent the CWDHS club.
“I’m just happy to see DECA will continue after we graduate,” said Pulles, who admits she would like to see the club grow to give her school a larger representation at the provincial and international level.
For Pettifer, the excitement of seeing her students achieve success is rewarding enough.
“To make it across the stage for the top 10 is amazing. For Kayla to make it to the top is incredible,” said Pettifer. “It’s really a competition of the cream of the crop.”
