Lakeland Regional High School DECA students dressed for success to compete at the state competition at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City from March 3, to 5, 2020. Juniors Isabella Craus and Samantha Hess are Vice Presidents of Marketing and Media for this school year. They’ve shared with the Ledger about their personal experience in the marketing area of competition:

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Each of the three days varied in routine. The girls recall that each morning would begin early with a meeting for their own project with junior Connor Kennedy. The meetings were to help Kennedy with his campaign for Northern Region Vice President. After that work, the three ate a big lunch (because they skipped breakfast) and prepared to present at their event. 

The group’s goal at the competition was to present their “Steps Against Stigma” campaign that they’ve been working on since the summer of 2019. 

After the events of the day, all chapter members would get together for a meeting with DECA adviser Ms. Ornella Incardona. 

However, the presentation wouldn’t take up the entire day. Hess said one of her favorite aspects of the experience was “that every year we always meet someone new and DECA is honestly just a huge family.” 

At the state level, Lakeland students got the opportunity to connect with other DECA members from all over New Jersey. “I think throughout states, the best part was just being around people who all share one common thing,” Craus said. 

DECA, or Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a technical organization that allows high school and college students to take on various business roles in hypothetical situations. 

At the end of their stay came the gratifying news that they would be continuing on to the national competition in Nashville, Tennessee. “Receiving the news that we made nationals was probably the biggest honor I’ve ever gotten to experience”, Hess said. “Knowing that your judge supported the cause that we were so passionate about was huge”.

With such a big honor placed on them, Craus said, “It didn’t sink in until our bus ride home. It’s crazy to think how hard it is to even just qualify to go to nationals, but to actually make it was beyond crazy”. 

Hess, Kennedy, and Craus weren’t the only ones to find success in the competition. The LRHS chapter returned home successful, with several students ready to take on nationals. Although they will no longer be able to compete in nationals due to the COVID-19 virus, these students still know how much their hard work paid off.