Badger High School DECA was among 461 school-based enterprises achieving DECA’s Gold School-Based Enterprises Chapter Certification for the 2021-2022 school year and will be recognized during DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, GA.
A school-based enterprise (SBE) is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods and services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. DECA advisors have utilized this effective educational tool for over four decades to provide their students with realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction, enhance 21st century skill development, and prepare students for college and careers.
The Badger DECA members who contributed to the certification were VP of Finance, senior Melynna Arreola-Quiroga, and sophomore Ellie White with the assistance of their DECA chapter advisor, Mr. Phil Huff and many of the DECA officers and members. The SBE at Badger High School has operated for 22 years and is to be commended for this achievement.
“DECA’s School-based Enterprise Certification Program is a rigorous process designed to help DECA members demonstrate their classroom learning in a practical, learning laboratory, and then translate that into meaningful outcomes,” said Christopher Young, CAE, Chief Program Officer at DECA Inc. “These DECA members are practicing important workplace readiness skills while preparing for college and careers.”
“Every year, it’s our DECA members’ hard work and commitment that helps to ensure our school store operates smoothly and effectively. I am extremely proud of Melynna Arreola-Quiroga and Ellie White, who wrote our recertification project and have been leading the store to the greatest sales year in our history with the help of many of our DECA officers and members,” said Phil Huff, Badger DECA Advisor.
DECA’s School-based Enterprise Certification Program provides recognition for outstanding achievement by school-based enterprises and to motivate SBEs to strive for excellence and growth. SBEs can be certified at three levels: bronze, silver or gold. In order to apply for the certification, SBEs must submit extensive documentation that explains how the SBE demonstrates the practice of various marketing and retail standards. A review committee evaluates the documentation to determine which level of certification has been achieved. DECA’s School-based Enterprise programs are sponsored by Intuit and Otis Spunkmeyer Inc.
About DECA Inc.
DECA is a career and technical student organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs who are interested in careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. DECA enhances the preparation for college and careers by providing co-curricular programs that integrate into classroom instruction, apply learning, connect to business and promote competition. DECA student members leverage their DECA experience to become academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible, experienced leaders. DECA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with more than 225,000 members in 4,000 high school and college chapters in all 50 United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico and Germany.
For more information about DECA, visit http://www.deca.org.