February 21, 2025
The Gilbert High School DECA chapter had so much to celebrate recently, as it competed and thrived at the state competition.
Just how successful was Gilbert? The bullet points speak for themselves …
- A total of 25 students qualified for the International Carer Development Conference (ICDC) in Orlando, Florida, April 26-30.
- Four additional students are alternates for the ICDC.
- Gilbert earned Gold Certification in the School-Based Enterprise devision for “The DECA Store”, which is the group’s very own custom T-shirt printing. Ellie Wahlman took on the task of writing a 26-page paper that qualified Gilbert, and it earned the chapter two spots in the SBE Academy and competition.
- Gilbert DECA received the Member Engagement Award for Iowa.
- Gilbert DECA also reached Thrive Level for other chapter campaigns and earned an additional two spots in the Thrive Leadership Academy.
- GHS sophomore Noreen Diaconu-Voinea was elected as an Iowa DECA state officer — the first Gilbert student to ever become a state officer.
To qualify for the ICDC, students had to finish in the top three in a role play event, or the top two in a professional selling or written event.
| Student | Event | State Place |
|---|---|---|
| Abigail Thompson | Start-Up Business Plan | 1st Place |
| Aliyah Gamblin | International Business Plan | 2nd Place |
| Bethany Bartholomew | International Business Plan | 2nd Place |
| Bia Dantas | Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research | 1st Place |
| Delaney Anderson | Apparel and Accessories Marketing | 1st Place |
| Delaney Anderson | Independent Business Plan | 1st Place |
| Elisabeth Thompson | Innovation Plan | 1st Place |
| Ella Henningsen | Start-Up Business Plan | 1st Place |
| Ellie Wahlman | Professional Selling | 2nd Place |
| Eloise Lepper | Buying and Merchandising Operations Research | 2nd Place |
| Emma Deal | Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service | 1st Place |
| Evie Christenson | Buying and Merchandising Operations Research | 2nd Place |
| John Hales | Personal Financial Literacy | 2nd Place |
| John Hales | Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research | 2nd Place |
| Kaitlyn Dear | Financial Services Team Decision Making | 3rd Place |
| Kaylin Richards | Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research | 1st Place |
| Lila Goodenow | Project Management Community Awareness | 2nd Place |
| Lizzie Mitchell | Hotel and Lodging Management | 3rd Place |
| Lizzie Mitchell | Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling | 2nd Place |
| Maksymillian Koziel | Hotel and Lodging Management | 2nd Place |
| Maria Sanchez-Davila | Project Management Sales Project | 1st Place |
| Noren Diaconu-Voinea | Project Management Community Awareness | 2nd Place |
| Raya Mueller | Financial Services Team Decision Making | 3rd Place |
| Sadie Breyfogle | Project Management Community Giving | 1st Place |
| Sasha Flower | Project Management Sales Project | 1st Place |
| Taryn Hicks | Food Marketing | 2nd Place |
| Zane Lytle | Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research | 2nd Place |
