Utica High School students capture second place, top 20 honor at national business competition

Utica High School marketing students captured second place and a top 20 ranking at a competition featuring the nation’s top business programs.

The Utica High School team of Juliana Hebeka and Ava Piazza from Utica High School earned second place in the nation in School Based Enterprise Retail at this year’s DECA Nationals, held in late April in Atlanta.

In addition, UHS students Kylie Newcomb and Brooke Stalker earned a top 20 national placement in the Integrated Marketing Campaign Event out of 200 competitors.

The advisor for the UHS DECA program is marketing teacher Dana Boice.

The second-place finish was earned for the students’ leadership in the UHS school store, The Chief Connection.

Students wrote a comprehensive paper on the store that qualified them for gold School-Based Enterprise certification. This allowed them to compete at the conference to attend the SBE Academy by presenting a 10-minute presentation. 

“I’m so grateful for DECA and all the memories I have made throughout my three years, but nothing will be as good as being up on stage and winning second after all of our hard work,”  said Hebeka, a UHS senior. “I will never forget my amazing experience with everyone and how much fun we all had. In the end we really are ‘all in this together.’”

Piazza, a UHS junior, also said the honor will create a lasting memory for her.

“Making it on stage and hearing our names was the best feeling and am so grateful for all the work we put in and the support that Mrs. Boice gave us throughout this year,” she said.

DECA Nationals gathered over 20,000 high school students, advisors, and business professionals to compete in various marketing, finance, and hospitality categories. This year’s national competition was held April 25-28 at the Georgia World Congress Center.