Hidden Valley High School’s DECA chapter made a strong showing at the Virginia DECA State Leadership Conference in Virginia Beach from February 27 to March 2. Competing against top student entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the state, Hidden Valley DECA demonstrated outstanding skill, earning multiple awards and securing several spots for the International Career Development Conference.
Several students received top placements in their respective events, with many qualifying for ICDC, which will be held in Orlando, Florida, later this year. Here are the highlights of Hidden Valley DECA’s outstanding performance:
ICDC Qualifiers
• SBE Gold Certification (x2) – Emery Katerba, Henry Smith, Pria Bobby, Matti Settle
• Annual Report Recognition – Holly Griffin, Matti Settle
• Region 5 Vice President – Matthew Luviano
• 1st Place – Business Financial Services – Nathan Baxley
• 2nd Place – Project Management Sales – Leila Ramey, Matti Settle, Sergio Rodriguez
• 2nd Place – Business Operations Research – Madi Salinas, Alishba Sofi
• 4th Place – Hospitality Operations Research – Ryan Freisleben, Jackson Frewin
• 5th Place – Integrated Marketing Campaign Service – Pria Bobby, Maya Ghobrial
• 6th Place – Restaurant and Food Service Management – Stephen Neale
• 6th Place – Entrepreneurship Series Event – Matthew Luviano
Chapter Leadership Perspective
Chapter Leader Mr. Hunt says, “I thought it was awesome. I thought our kids excelled and did very well. It was such a great group of kids who all dedicated their time, and I believed it was reflected in the results. Moving forward, I’m really excited for this year’s ICDC. We’re doing a lot of revisions and coming up with deeper, more meaningful evaluations for our papers and projects. We’re also practicing on our roleplays and tests because it key to improve on those, especially at ICDC”.
Competitor Spotlight: Stephen Neale
Stephen Neale placed 6th in Restaurant and Food Service Management, an impressive feat in a highly competitive event. Stephen Neale(10) says ” I feel pretty good about my SLC performace. All of the hard work preparing with practice tests and practice roleplays with Mr. Hunt payed off. I’m very excited to move on to ICDC this year”.
This year’s SLC was a testament to Hidden Valley DECA’s commitment to excellence in business and leadership. The chapter’s success reflects the dedication of its students, advisors, and supporters who have worked tirelessly to prepare for competition.
With several students advancing to ICDC, the road to Orlando promises new opportunities for Hidden Valley’s DECA members to showcase their skills on the international stage. Congratulations to all competitors, and best of luck to those moving on to ICDC!
