Gibraltar Business Students Advance to International Competition in Anaheim

Five Gibraltar High School business students earned state awards at the State DECA Career Development Conference (CDC) in Lake Geneva March 18.

Sophomore Rachel Mickelson earned a medal in the Marketing Management Comprehensive Exam. Juniors Zach Kunstman and Hannah Mickelson earned medals in the Comprehensive Marketing Exam in the Travel and Tourism Team Event. All three also participated in role-play scenarios with industry business people.

Advancing to the international level of competition in Anaheim are Juniors Samantha Thorn and Nathan Fearing. They earned 4th place out of 41 teams in the state in the Buying and Merchandising Management Team Series Event. Thorn, the daughter of Kim Thorn, and Fearing, son of Andrea Fearing and Michael Fearing, scored in the top ten in the economics and marketing exam, and had high scores in the two role play events involving buying, pricing and promotion competencies. They will compete on the international level against approximately 500 other teams April 29 – May 2 in Anaheim, California. There are approximately 200,000 marketing, management and entrepreneurship students representing five countries in the High School Division of DECA.

In addition, three Gibraltar sophomores competed online in the Virtual Business – Retailing computer simulation and earned 1st place in Wisconsin. Team members Tyler Greenwood, Matt Marcon and Tyler Hanusa completed their competition last fall online. Thorn also earned the Gold Student Award for Wisconsin DECA by documenting her professional contributions, community service, leadership activities, and educational experiences through Gibraltar DECA.

DECA is an association of marketing, management and entrepreneurship students. The State DECA CDC is host to over 2,000 high school students competing in 35 different marketing, management and entrepreneurial events.

Gibraltar students continue to excel in academic and extra-curricular areas through dedicated studies, motivation and a history of high standards from their teachers at Gibraltar.

“We’re like rock polishing machines – we provide them with the right (educational) environment, tumble them around for quite awhile, buff them up and give them an opportunity to be on display,” said DECA advisor Mary Witteborg. “Gibraltar students are gems and we’re here to help them shine.”

Businesses interested in getting involved with the Gibraltar Marketing and Business Education / DECA program can email Witteborg at [email protected].