WVHS DECA Students

Walker Valley High School

Marketing Students

Sweep District Competition

On February 10, The Walker Valley High School Marketing Department was represented well at DECA District Competition held at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. DECA is the club for students taking marketing classes. Walker Valley students competed in 20 specific categories.

Students who placed include:

•·         Steven Lawhorn and Corey Simpson placed 1^st in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing role play

•·         Joseph Sanger and Eric Parker placed 2^nd in the Financial Analysis test and role play

•·         Nathan Nix and Bryan Grisham placed 3^rd in the Buying & Merchandising role play

•·         Hannah Ratcliff and Taryn Wilson placed 2^nd in the Hospitality Services role play

•·         Christian Jones placed 2^nd in the Principles of Finance role play

•·         Mark McFadden placed 3^rd in the Principles of Finance role play

•·         Caitlin Tharp placed 1^st in the Accounting Applications role play

•·         Ammar Khalid placed 1^st in the Accounting Applications role play

•·         Caitlyn Gobble placed 2^nd in the Apparel & Accessories role play

•·         Michaela Sivley placed 3^rd in the Business Services role play

•·         Sara Mitchell placed 2^nd in the Food Marketing role play

•·         Katey Retzlaff placed 1^st in the Quick Serve Restaurant test and 3^rd in the role play

•·         Steven Akin placed 2^nd and 3^rd in the Restaurant & Food role play

•·         Brant Barnes placed 1^st and 3^rd in the Hotel & Lodging role play

•·         Courtney League placed 1^st in the Retail Merchandising role play

At competition, the students are given real world scenarios where they are to resolve business type situations. Competition fosters leadership, communication, interviewing skills as well as confidence. It also provides an outlet for the students to utilize classroom learning. The marketing classes revolve around hands-on learning. These classes take the academics the students have accumulated from Math, History and English and apply this knowledge to solve business situations within the community. The marketing classes are applicable to help prepare students for practically any occupation. This information is being circulated as the marketing program is becoming prominent within the school.

This is the third year of the Marketing Program at Walker Valley, and it is a definite year of growth. More students competed at district than previous years, thus, more students will be competing at state competition.

The Walker Valley DECA chapter took 35 students to competition and a total of 32 awards were received, with 13 students advancing to State Competition March 6^th through 8^th in Cool Springs, TN.  Congratulations to the DECA members on representing Walker Valley successfully.