SYRACUSE – Wawasee High School’s DECA chapter continues to make its mark in business and marketing education, earning top honors at the Indiana DECA Association Career Development Conference (ICDC), held March 2-4 in Indianapolis.
Competing among more than 2,400 high school students from across the state, Wawasee students demonstrated exceptional skills in business, finance, hospitality and marketing, according to a news release from Wawasee Community Schools.
Leading the way, Cyanna Leon and Sophia Smith brought home first place in Project Management: Community Awareness Project, securing their spot at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) April 26-29 in Orlando, Fla. The chapter also earned the distinguished Thrive Level recognition in DECA’s 2024-2025 Chapter Campaigns.
Reflecting on the chapter’s success, Michelle Bradley, WHS DECA advisor, said, "To say I am proud of our chapter is an understatement. Our students exceeded all my expectations this year. During DECA’s Emerging Leaders’ Summit in July 2024, veteran advisors told me to focus on just one or two goals — but our team went above and beyond. Under the leadership of Chapter President Julia Pohl and Vice President of Leadership Hannah Hughes, our students put in countless hours to complete multiple Challenges and Campaigns. Their hard work paid off with our Thrive Level achievement, and when I heard Sophia and Cyanna’s names announced as first-place winners, beating powerhouse schools like Penn and Carmel, I was speechless. This success is just one step toward making Wawasee High School the top high school in Indiana!"
This year’s achievements add to Wawasee’s growing legacy of DECA success. In previous years:
● 2020: Wawasee had qualifiers for ICDC, but the event was canceled due to COVID-19.
● 2021 & 2023: Students attended ICDC, showcasing Wawasee’s continued presence on the international stage.
● 2024: Summit Shaw earned statewide recognition for his outstanding Business Management and Administration exam score.
Wawasee joins a select group of schools from Region 1, District 2 sending students to ICDC, including Penn High School and John Adams High School.
With industry-aligned competitions in marketing, business, finance and hospitality, DECA prepares students to be college and career-ready. More than 170 business professionals evaluated participants through role-plays, case studies and prepared presentations, reinforcing real-world skills.