Members of the DECA club did well at the annual Maryland DECA Career Development Conference earlier this month, with nearly half of club members placing either first, second or third in their individual events.

DECA is an international organization that seeks to prepare high school students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Competitions feature various individual and group events that include roleplays of business situations as well as a 100-question multiple choice test.

In the Maryland DECA competition, Whitman DECA competed with students from six other high schools and placed third overall.

“I was happy and surprised that Whitman DECA won 3rd place for overall winner,” DECA president Jocelyn Dunkley said. “Last year we didn’t get an overall winner award so it was nice that we won third.”

In the individual competitions, ten students came in first place in their individual categories, including two freshmen. It was many of the students’ first DECA competition, making the results even more exciting.

Junior Ryan Nordheimer emphasized the benefits of DECA in the business world.

“It’s an easy way to learn business techniques and how to present yourself in front of adults,” Nordheimer said. “The judges are also business owners with a lot of experience. So it really is a real-world situation and it’s a great way to learn in very general terms what it’s like to be a businessman or businesswoman.”

The next competition for the team is the International Career Development Conference. In previous years, Maryland DECA has only allowed individuals who placed first or second in their event to attend. But after enrollment in the state competition grew more than 70 percent this year, they’re now allowing anyone who placed in the top three in their event to attend.

At nationals, the team expects much stiffer competition.

“Maryland DECA is very small compared to other states and not as competitive, which is why freshmen and first-year students can come in first place so easily,” Nordheimer said.

However, it is still an excellent way for Whitman DECA to gain experience and knowledge, Dunkley said.

“Because Maryland only has a state conference, we are usually at a disadvantage [at nationals] since most other states have districts, regions, then states,” Dunkley said. “But it is still a great opportunity for everyone going to see how competitive and how seriously people take the competition.”