16,000 high school students, from all over the United States and Canada competed in Anaheim, California at the DECA International Career Development Conference at the end of April. To qualify, students had to place in the top three in their category at their respective state competition.

Westside had fifty-one students that were able to go to the national competition in Anaheim. Out of everybody who competed at nationals, five students were able to make it to finals, which means they placed in the top ten percent overall. Nate Lippincott and Tyler Siegel in Business Finance Services Team Decision Making, Cora Watanabe and Liz Kutilek in Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making and Adam Froendt in the Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan.

“This is the best year we’ve ever had,” said marketing teacher, Katie Harmon.

Senior Adam Froendt went into nationals hoping to “bring home gold.” Although he didn’t exactly do that, he came very close. Froendt placed in the top 10 over everybody in the nation in his category for his innovation plan.

“ They were RV leveling blocks and they allow you to park and level your camper. I just took that and built a business around it and got it out to retail stores then presented that to judges,” says Froendt.

Although, this was Froendt’s last year to compete, his fellow finalists will be able to come back next year seeing as they are only juniors, which means that next year looks promising for Westside DECA.