This year, Hopedale DECA sent 20 DECA members to Anaheim, California to participate in the 2024 International Career Development Conference (ICDC). With exceptional performances at the MA DECA State Conference in March, Hopedale students earned the opportunity to compete and network with over 22,000 attendees from around the globe.

Preparing The Next Generation Of Leaders

Several Hopedale DECA students participated in Leadership Academies (Thrive, Aspire, & Elevate), in which they were taught leadership and team-building skills, how to improve their DECA chapter, and how to use this newly acquired knowledge after high school. Participants included juniors Jonathan Araujo and Alexandra Goode, and seniors Alexandre Lannibois,  Cody McLain, Jack Riddell, James Seaver, and Hudson Terando.

Project-Based Competition Experience 

For the competition, each Hopedale team competed against ~200 worldwide winners per project category. Teams submitted 20-page papers or prepared for testing, before meeting with a judge to present their project. Participants by category included: Project Management (Financial Literacy: Will Adamski, Matt Carroll, Kyle Malony and Sales Project: Riley Mulligan, Kenzie Styles, Aaron Terbush), Operations Research (Business Services: Team1: Patrick Madden, Carter Lacchiato, Team 2: Nate Jerrett, CJ Kivlehan), School-Based Enterprise (Retail: Emma Gosselin, Antonia Rolo), and Professional Selling (Leah Hodgdon). 

The Sales Project team of junior Riley Mulligan and seniors Kenzie Styles and Aaron Terbush advanced to the top 20 round, ultimately placing 5th in the world! “Our project focused on the Raider’s Nest merchandise sales, as well as the fundraisers, sponsorships, and marketing that help raise money for our chapter. We explained the various project management tools used that helped us raise money to offset competition costs for our members”, explained Kenzie Styles.  

Thank You To The Community!

Hopedale DECA extends its gratitude to the local community for generously supporting the co-curricular program. Thanks to the community’s help, $26,000 was raised, significantly lowering the per-student cost of the 5-night trip from $1800 to just $500! Thank you!  Community members contributed through various activities like Egg My Yard, the DECA Dodgeball Tournament, Pasta Dinner, can donations, car washes, and the online popcorn fundraiser. Sponsors at platinum, gold, silver, and bronze levels, including platinum supporters Consigli Construction, D&M Auto Parts, Hopedale Alumni Association, Hopedale Foundation, Mason’s Lodge, Milton CAT, and WGB Homes, further bolstered the students’ endeavors for the 2024 ICDC.