Maricopa DECA earns 30 medals, Carillo elected to state office

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Maricopa High School DECA delivered their best performance to date at the State Career Development Conference on March 1.

Competing against more than 2,600 student competitors and 90 Arizona high schools, MHS DECA brought 27 students competitors to the state conference and returned with 30 medals. MHS DECA dominated in team role plays in the areas of Marketing Communications, Travel and Tourism, Hospitality, Buying & Merchandising, and Sports & Entertainment Marketing as well in individual role plays of Business Service Management, Apparel & Accessories Marketing, Quick Serve Restaurant Management and Hotel & Lodging Management.

MHS earned 21 first-place rankings in these competitions. Eight students went on to finals, with four students qualifying for the International Career Development Conference April 22-27 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Juan Carrillo, MHS junior and MHS DECA chief marketing officer, was elected Arizona DECA State Officer for the 2016-2017 school year. He will represent all rural schools and district and serve on the Arizona DECA Executive board. Chosen from more than 80 applicants, Juan ran along with 15 other candidates for one of the coveted eight state officer positions.

Juan Carillo. MUSD file photo
Juan Carillo. MUSD file photo

DECA is an organization dedicated to emerging young leaders and entrepreneurs in the fields of finance, hospitality, management and marketing in high schools and colleges around the world. Additionally, MHS alumna Valeria Ortiz took third place in Collegiate DECA’s state conference representing Northern Arizona University.