Students progress to DECA finals, qualify for international conference

A record 13 Dripping Springs High School DECA students advanced to the state finals in their respective events at the DECA state competition in Houston last weekend. Four students also qualified for the International Career Development Conference.

Dripping Springs had a school-record 43 students qualify for the state DECA contest in January. International qualifiers were Eli Craddock (Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series), Margot Heltzel (Business Finance), Perri Parnell (Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making) and Landry Puryear (Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making). Craddock and Heltzel will be making their second consecutive trip to the ICDC.

DSHS students that advanced to the state finals were Luke Austin and Phillip Olson in Marketing Management Team Decision Making, Rebeca Avalos-Oviedo and Caitlyn Dorsey in Integrated Marketing Plan – Event, Chase Castillo in Automotive Services Marketing, Evelyn Chis in Apparel and Accessories Marketing, Gabriella Erb in Business Services Marketing Series, Teagan Krewson in Entrepreneurship Series and Deshawn Seneviratne in Restaurant and Food Service Management Series.

The ICDC will be held April 23–26 in Atlanta, Georgia.