INDIVIDUAL DECA CHAPTERS IN WYOMING
Wyoming DECA currently has 10 chapters statewide.
Buffalo High School
Buffalo High School DECA is a small, but very active, chapter
that has been around since 1970. These DECA members take their
community involvement seriously through a number of projects
which include visiting the residents of the Veteran’s
Home to celebrate birthdays each month, and helping out with
the local food pantry. The BHS DECA Chapter is always one
of the main contenders in the Quiz Bowl competition at the
State Career Development Conference. BHS DECA members raise
funds for traveling and competing in state, regional and international
competitions by operating a candy machine.
Chapter Advisor Frank Schleicher is another
of our seasoned advisors, having been involved with DECA since
1980. He is a graduate of the University of Wyoming, with
a Bachelor’s Degree in Distributive Education and a
Master’s of Science in Vocational Education. DECA has
been a family affair for Mr. Schleicher, since both of his
daughters, Amy and Jolene, were BHS DECA members who qualified
for and competed at DECA’s International Career Development
Conference.
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Campbell County High School
Every year for the past 18 years CCHS DECA students have
competed at the DECA International Career Development Conference,
winning numerous top ten awards. There are 140 members in
the chapter, with about 35 students competing each year. Marketing
related classes taught at CCHS are Introduction to Business,
Business Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Business Management
I and II (college credit class).
At the beginning of the year, recruitment of new members
begins by inviting students who are enrolled in business-related
classes to a pizza party. Everyone watches a few case problem
presentations in order to see what DECA is all about.
CCHS DECA volunteers every year for the local Treat Street
Event. This is held in the Clarion Hotel and is an activity
that helps kids to have a safe and fun Halloween. DECA students
are assigned rooms in which they are to give candy out to
the children who come by. This helps to promote good will
within the community for the DECA program.
Hard work and practice, practice, practice are the key to
CCHS’s consistent success in DECA competitive events,
in addition to a strong mentoring program which matches experienced
DECA students with new ones.
Chapter Advisor Susan Newberry has been
involved with DECA since1980, making her one of the most experienced
Chapter Advisors in the state. She is a U.W. graduate, with
a B.S. in Marketing Education; Vocational Cooperative Endorsement.
Mrs. Newberry is currently serving as Wyoming’s Marketing
Representative for the MarkED Curriculum Consortium, and in
this role she helps any business/marketing teacher with curriculum
and implementation of Program/Curriculum and/or Vocational
Standards.
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Cheyenne Central High School
Central High DECA has been around as long as DECA has been
in Wyoming. The school store for Central DECA is called “Central
Station” and if you visit you’ll find a huge variety
of merchandise including food, spirit items and clothing.
Members of Central DECA also sell merchandise at school sporting
events. Each year the members select a different charity project
– this year they will support the Make A Wish Foundation.
Central DECA is also involved in the Halloween Boo Fest which
provides a safe environment for kids on Halloween. They continue
their involvement with youth through the Buddy Program in
which they are matched up with grade schoolers for a variety
of activities.
As if all this (and competing at the state and national level)
doesn’t keep them busy enough, Central DECA members
are treated to Mystery Trips, Holiday Parties and DECA Fun
Nights… never a dull moment!
Chapter Advisor Lori Meredith has been
a DECA advisor since 1991. She was Vice President of DECA
when she was in high school, and a State Officer in Delta
Epsilon Chi in college. Mrs. Meredith has a degree in Marketing
Education from the University of Wyoming and a Master’s
in Teaching from Grand Canyon University.
Assistant Advisor Chad Whitworth has been
involved for 5 years with Central DECA. He teaches Business
Marketing and Entrepreneurship, and looks forward to helping
to lead Central High School DECA for years to come.
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Cheyenne East High School
East High School is the largest DECA chapter with 167 members
in the 2003/2004 school year. In fact, this chapter is the
largest Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO) in
the state of Wyoming! In addition to its size, East High DECA
is noted for its emphasis on developing leadership amongst
its members and for strong showings in all the DECA conference
competitions. Involvement with East High DECA means travel
for a lot of students. Each year the chapter attends the Marketing
& Entrepreneurship Conference, Western Region Leadership
Conference, State Career Development Conference and the International
Career Development Conference.
In addition to traveling and competing in state, regional
and international events, East High DECA likes to have fun
at home with picnics, ice-skating, and fun activities every
month that give members an opportunity to stay involved with
DECA in between conferences. Community service also helps
DECA members keep all four points of the DECA diamond in mind.
Chapter Advisors Manuel Flores and Andy Ruskanen
team up to manage the multiple activities of East High DECA.
Manuel Flores is a U.W. Graduate with a degree in Distributive
Education. He has been a DECA advisor for approximately 12
years, and has increased membership in the program from 27
to the current 167. Mr. Flores is a past recipient of the
HOPE teacher of the year award.
Andy Ruskanen is also a U.W. Graduate with a degree in Marketing
and Business Education. Andy brings real life scenarios into
the classroom with his previous experience as Market Research
Manager for Taco John's International, as Sales Manager for
Mayflower and as Regional Vice President for Triple Crown
Sports. After his business career he became a Business Marketing
teacher for Campbell County High School and then joined East
High School in 2001 as a Marketing and Social Study teacher.
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Evanston High School
Evanston’s chapter of DECA participates in a lot of
the high school activities, including making a float for the
homecoming parade to support the football team. Every year
DECA puts out an Activities Calendar which businesses around
the community sponsor. DECA students go around and collect
money from businesses for this year-round calendar. The fall
edition has all the fall sports like football, girls swimming,
cross country, golf and volleyball. The winter edition has
basketball, wrestling and boys swimming. The spring edition
has golf, soccer, and track. All editions include band activities
and DECA conferences.
Chapter Advisor Cheryl Cranford has been
the advisor for DECA for twenty-one years. She graduated from
Green River High School and was an active member in their
DECA chapter. She graduated from the University of Wyoming
in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in Distributive Education
and in 2001 she received her master’s in Business Administration
from the University of Utah. Ms. Cranford is the only advisor
in Evanston and she juggles DECA chapter management with the
teaching of business computer classes.
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Kelly Walsh High School
Each year Kelly Walsh DECA works with local businesses and
community groups to assist and learn. Just a few of their
activities have included promoting seat belt safety and teaching
about the consequences of shoplifting. The chapter has worked
with the Seton House Shelter for homeless women, Father Raymond’s
Food Bank and the Boys and Girls Club in various projects.
Chapter members have also provided research information to
local businesses in a variety of marketing areas.
Chapter Advisor Mary Hopper is a seasoned
DECA advisor with 23 years of experience. She has a B.S. in
Business Education from U.W. with certifications in Business,
Marketing/Distribution and Vocational Education and a Masters
in Computers in Education from Lesley College in Cambridge,
Massachusetts. With Mrs. Hopper, DECA is a family affair as
both of her children, Chris and Amanda, have been active in
DECA. She believes strongly in the philosophy of a former
professor who says, “Marketing is like a three-legged
stool and without all three legs (classroom, work experience
and DECA), it won’t stand up.”
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Laramie High School
The Laramie High School DECA Chapter has been very involved
with the collection of over 350 cell phones for the Laramie
Safe Project. They also have worked with other school and
community service projects including the Laramie High School
Holiday Helpers and the Laramie Chamber of Commerce Business
Showcase. The chapter sponsored a "Dime-A-Dip" ice
cream social to recruit new members for the coming school
year. During Homecoming DECA members work on hall decorations,
badges, and posters.
Chapter Advisor Karen Smith is a University of Wyoming
graduate with a degree in Business Education. She has taught
at Laramie High School for 25 years. She has been a DECA advisor
for five years and an FBLA advisor for 15 years. Mrs. Smith
and her husband own The Posey Patch, a Laramie floral shop.
Her business experience has always been a big advantage in
the classroom as well as with student organizations.
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Natrona County High School
Natrona High School DECA has been active since 2000. Some
of the activities that Natrona DECA members are involved in
include fundraising, community service, recruiting and business
partnerships and sponsorships. Ways in which Natrona DECA
is involved in the community include working with Make a Wish
Foundation, Self Help Center, School supplies for Iraq school
children, food drives and children's gloves/mittens for the
Salvation Army as well as adopting a boy & a girl each
year off the Mall Christmas Tree.
Chapter Advisor Denise Yates has been involved
with NCHS DECA since 2000. Mrs. Yates is a graduate of UW
with a degree in Business Education. She juggles many responsibilities
in addition to DECA, including acting as the Chapter Advisor
for the NCHS Future Business Leaders of America Chapter, department
co-chair and working on her master’s degree in Technology.
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Riverton High School
The Riverton High School DECA chapter continues its long
tradition of success in volunteerism, fundraising, and competition
this year. We welcome back six competitors from the 2004 International
Career Development Conference as well as 19 new members. Recruitment
has been successful this year in that membership is up and
numerous boys have joined our female-dominated organization.
Each year begins with a pizza party to welcome old members
back and to explain to new members what DECA is all about.
RHS DECA throws a Halloween Party for local preschoolers
at the James H. Moore Career Center. Kids and parents join
our costumed DECA members for a night of fun, games, and trick-or-treating
in the safety of the Career Center. DECA members wait for
the little ones to knock on their assigned door and give candy
to the children who come by. This event has been staged for
many years and is a tradition in the Riverton community.
Chapter Advisor Coby Stoehr is just starting
out as a chapter advisor, working with veteran advisor Susan
Abernathy. Mr. Stoehr returns to RHS DECA as a teacher and
advisor after being involved as a DECA student during high
school. He held several local offices, including president,
and attended four International Career Development Conferences.
Mr. Stoehr has a B.A. in Secondary Social Studies Education
and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Co-Advisor Susan Abernathy has been involved
in DECA for over 25 years. During her tenure, RHS DECA has
been one of the most successful chapters in the state, with
students attending the International Career Development Conference
every year. Mrs. Abernathy is currently working on certification
in Special Education but will continue to be involved in RHS
DECA as co-sponsor.
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Sheridan High School
* The Sheridan High School DECA Chapter is currently on hiatus
due to teacher reassignment. However, we hope that Sheridan
DECA will become active again in the next year or two!
In previous years, Sheridan Chapter participated in the Muscular
Dystrophy Campaign and in the Toys for Tots program. Past
fundraisers have included having members work at the Sheridan
High School concessions stand for a quarter of the year, selling
donuts every Friday morning, selling candles to the community,
and selling suckers.
Sheridan graciously hosted DECA’s fall Marketing &
Entrepreneurship Conference in 2002, 2003, and 2004 with the
assistance of past Chapter Advisors Shirley Coulter
and Sharon Deutscher. Business people from all over
the area have acted as judges and participated in the Business
Panel workshop.
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| For
more information on Wyoming DECA, please contact State
Advisor Denise Osborn at (307) 635-6254 or at denimacoz@aol.com. |
|
