DECA is a group of over 200,000 students internationally dedicated to studying marketing, finance, business management, hospitality, and entrepreneurship. 

The members compete to advance their education and gain new skills. This year, Weatherford High School’s DECA program was among 525 chapters (schools) that achieved THRIVE level recognition because of their great success in the Membership Campaign and the Promotional Campaign. 

This recognition has granted the group six extra seats at DECA’s International Center Development Conference (ICDC). The WHS DECA members who earned this recognition are Kylie Gannon, Anna Gilbert, Cole Hebbe, William Ramirez, and Aniston Teel, with assistance from their advisors Ashley Holder and Brandon Nicewonger.

The Membership Campaign’s goal was to gain 20 more members than the year before and to get 20 professional members, which are former DECA students or business leaders in the community. 

Our chapter went from 51 to 80 members. For the promotional campaign, they had to do different activities to promote the chapter. This got the chapter more members, boosting the success of the membership campaign. 

Earning THRIVE level means our DECA members get to go to Leadership Development Academy, and will be recognized at ICDC.

 “It’s a lot of hard work,” said DECA advisor Brandon Nicewonger, “but our officer team did a fantastic job of organizing and putting together these particular campaigns and carrying them out.”

Coming up next is the state competition in Dallas from March 9 to 11, where 15 students will be competing in their respective categories.