Leah Houghton to fly to Atlanta for international business competition

GUELPH/ERAMOSA – Local students will step onto the world stage this spring, representing Ontario in the DECA international competition in Atlanta, Georgia in April. 

DECA (originally called Distributive Education Clubs of America) is a non-profit organization that prepares students for business careers through competitions and conferences.

Leah Houghton, a Grade 11 student at Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute (GCVI) who lives in Guelph/Eramosa, is among the competitors heading to worlds.  

Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) students competed in DECA provincials in Toronto in early February, and 16 students from GCVI and Centennial Collegiate Vocational Institute qualified for the international competition.

“This achievement reflects the dedication, talent and hard work of our students,” said GVCI DECA advisor Dawn Nicholson.

DECA competitions include business, marketing, finance, hospitality and management events.  

For Houghton and her partner Dylan Hostein, the provincial competition involved pitching a product idea to a panel of judges. 

They can’t share too much about the pitch publicly, as the team will build on the same idea for the international competition. The judges submitted feedback about strengths and areas for improvement.

“We’ll take those into consideration and tweak our presentation,” Houghton said. 

And they’re working to find a way make their campaign stand out, as there will be hundreds of contestants.

“We are definitely going to be focusing on more of the creative aspects rather than the nitty-gritty of the campaign,” Houghton said. 

The product is a pair of earbuds and the integrated marketing campaign is called “stay connected.”

The students also completed a written exam as part of the competition, and they’ll write another exam at worlds, too. 

Houghton said she’s feeling nervous about making the business pitch, as she and Hostein are really hoping to win DECA glass – that means placing in the top three and receiving a glass plaque in recognition.  

“It’s very hard to stand in front of a judge and speak and give your pitch while sounding confident,” she said, which makes DECA a great chance to step outside her comfort zone. 

The UGDSB students will be at the DECA International Career Development Conference for a full week, and Houghton is excited about the opportunities that will bring. 

They’ll attend lectures and activities and network with other students and business professionals. 

It’s Houghton’s last shot at the international competition, as she’s in the international baccalaureate program and will be writing exams during next year’s worlds. 

She said participating in DECA has improved her communications skills and prepared her for future careers in business or finance, as well as helped to build relationships in the professional world.   

Houghton is split between wanting to pursue commerce for business or studying biology and becoming a large animal veterinarian. 

She lives in a rural area  near Rockwood and said she’s spent lots of time with cattle, horses and pigs.