STAR JOURNAL REPORT
Twenty-three Rhinelander High School DECA members are headed to state competition in March, after getting high marks at district-level competition earlier this month in Wisconsin Rapids. DECA competitions include events in numerous business-related fields that fall into one of four clusters: marketing, finance, hospitality and management. A combined score determines how the students place in competition. The scoring involves four aspects: an economics test, a career cluster test, and two role plays.

The economics test was taken before students went to Wisconsin Rapids and included 100 questions that count for a quarter of the score. At the competition, students first took a career cluster test that related to the general event they were competing in (marketing, finance, hospitality, or management) which was also a quarter of the score. For the final half of the score, students were given a ‘real-life’ situation/role play they had to work out in front of a judge, who often plays a complaining customer, a business partner or an employee.

Of the 32 students that competed at the district competition, 10 individuals, and six teams of two were awarded with a medal or plaque. Mason Hageny, Ellen Padgett, and Lauren Rosendahl placed first in individual contests; Markus Johnson and Owen White placed first as a team. Rosendahl brought back three medals, Johnson and White came home with three medals, Padgett returned with two and Hageny with one. Mason Hageny also took home a medal for an economic test, which was an event that all 500 competitors had to take online prior to going to Wisconsin Rapids.

The teams of Jared Fabich and Scott Fox, and Abby Henrichs and Gwyneth Lowry placed second and brought back medals. Fox also medaled for his economics test.

Abigail Krueger ended in third place and also earned three medals.

State competition is in Lake Geneva March 8-10. Anyone interested in providing financial assistance to the students attending can contact adviser Mischell Fryar, 715-365-9500.