The DECA competition team competed in their district meet on Jan. 14 in Mount Pleasant. The categories included a variety of topics that focused on different common occupations. The team placed in the categories of entrepreneurship writing, financial consulting, hospitality and tourism research, marketing communications, professional selling and business finance.

In the division of entrepreneur writing, two students, junior Alexandra Harrell and senior Kiarra Bagsby, won. Senior Jamie Hicks was a winner in financial writing, and senior T’ana Smith won in hospitality and tourism research.

“I was nervous at first, like any newbie,” Harrell said. “However, once I entered the room to present to the judge, it just felt right. I felt like the competition went really well and will be [heading] to state, Feb. 25, along with the others who won at district.”

The marketing communications team, junior Colleen Russell and junior Alanna Tran, also received district winner awards. Junior Nick Newman was the winner for the category of professional selling.

“This was my second year to compete,” Russell said. “I like the team because Alanna and I work really well together, so we can throw ideas off of each other. It was also a really good learning experience because we got to present ideas to a local CEO.”

District winners:

Alexandra Harrell – Entrepreneurship Written

Kiarra Bagsby – Entrepreneurship Written

Jamie Hicks – Financial consulting

T’ana Smith – Hospitality and Tourism Research

Colleen Russell and Alanna Tran – Marketing Communications Team

Nick Newman – Professional Selling

Naveen Malik – Business Finance