Pentucket Students Place at District 3 DECA Competition
WEST NEWBURY — Superintendent Justin Bartholomew is pleased to share that several students recently placed at the District 3 DECA Competition.
DECA, a nonprofit student organization, works with high schools and colleges to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
A group of 16 Pentucket Regional High School students attended the competition on Thursday, Dec. 19 at Merrimack College in North Andover. Six of the participants placed in various events designed to test students on their knowledge and expertise in various business and entrepreneurial subjects.
Casey Pedersen, a junior, placed second in the Accounting Applications Series at the event. Sophomore Lizzie Kershaw placed third in the Business Start-Up event, Ava Spencer, a sophomore, placed fourth in Integrated Marketing Plan event, and sophomores Zak Eckholt, Brandon Lee and Oliver Schutz placed fifth in the Franchise Business Plan event.
“Well done to these students, and to their advisor, Madison Estes,” Superintendent Bartholomew said. “They worked incredibly hard to prepare for this competition and learn valuable skills that will help them tremendously in their future careers, and it is wonderful to see them succeed.”
Students prepared for the competition after school through various activities to hone their business, leadership and entrepreneurial knowledge, including studying a 100-question comprehensive exam, writing a research paper and preparing a presentation for a judge.
Pentucket’s DECA Club will move on to compete at the Massachusetts State Career Development Conference on Feb. 27-29 at the Marriott Copley Hotel and Sheraton Boston Hotels in Boston and the Hynes Convention Center.
Pentucket Regional High School’s DECA Club was organized last year under the leadership of the group’s advisor Madison Estes. The club began with six students during the 2018-2019 school year, and has grown to include 16 students this school year.
“These students go above and beyond their own hectic lives to better themselves and truly take on the DECA challenge,” Estes said. “I could not be happier with their results! I will admit, one of the best feelings is seeing your students get called up on stage among more than 1,000 students and receive a medal or trophy. Win or lose, these kids put everything they had into the competition, and I cannot wait to see how they grow over the next few years.”
Estes also wishes to thank the district’s administration, teachers, parents and students for their support of the DECA Club.
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