Business sense — Local students shine at state DECA Conference

Young entrepreneurs and business-minded students from Flathead, Glacier, Whitefish and Polson high schools had a successful showing at the Montana DECA Conference.

At the state conference, held Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, students competed in marketing, finance, hospitality and management events, among others.

Flathead received awards and top accolades at the competition. Students, Wyatt Thompson and Katie Breary, were selected to be state officers for the 2022-23 school year. Twelve interviewed for the positions, according to Flathead DECA adviser Caitlin Heuscher. The Flathead team also received the prized Spirit Award traveling trophy, which is given to the chapter that “goes above and beyond” in showing leadership and professionalism at state while participating in various activities in addition to competing. Flathead’s achievement of Thrive Level status was also recognized at state for the work the chapter completed through Membership, Promotional and Community Service campaigns during “DECA month,” in November. Flathead was the only team to achieve this level in the state, according to Heuscher.

“I am so proud of how hard our students worked, and for how well they competed. We have such great students, and it was fun to see their hard work pay off. I am excited to see how well they will compete at Nationals,” she said.

Glacier won the Shark Tank Challenge and received $1,000 for coming up with a creative new use for K-Cup pods, which are a brand name of single-serve plastic coffee containers. Participating students each also received $100. Glacier competitors came up with a product line with two uses. One use was for making Popsicles, and another use of preventing sticky messes by placing the containers underneath a Popsicle to collect any melting liquid, according to Glacier DECA Adviser Josh Munro said. He said Glacier has won Shark Tank each of the four years it’s been held.

Students placing in the top three in the majority of events qualify to compete at the International Career Development Conference in Atlanta in April. In “written events” only the top two advance. Students who qualified in multiple state events may only choose one event to compete in at the international level.

Following are local state results.

Accounting Applications Series

1. Kaitlyn Murphy, Glacier
2. Brighton Kelsey, Glacier

Apparel and Accessories Marketing Series

1. Zoey Marzo, Whitefish
2. Bella Teggeman, Glacier
3. Vivian Rahn, Glacier
4. Katie Brearey, Flathead
5. Sofie Saurey, Whitefish
6. Kane Morisaki, Glacier

Automotive Services Marketing

1. Natalee Lembke, Flathead
2. Orion Preszler, Flathead
3. Calvin Schmidt, Glacier
4. Kennedy Postovit, Flathead

Business Finance

1. Niko Hunter, Whitefish

Business Law And Ethics Team Decision Making

1. Haley Jochim and Kylie Munsinger Flathead
2. Niko Hunter and Emma Trieweiler Whitefish
3. Kaitlyn Illi and Ryan Webster Glacier
4. Isaac Brown and Blake Lindemann Glacier
5. Morgan Grube and Charlotte Lehmann Whitefish

Business Services Marketing

1. Vivian Rahn, Glacier
2. Bella Teggeman, Glacier
3. Taylor Pooton, Flathead
4. Emma Trieweiler, Whitefish
5. Katie Brearey, Flathead
6. Mitchell Johnson, Flathead
7. Angeliegh Storr, Flathead
8. Michael Super, Glacier

Business Services Operations Research

1. Grace Sebby Whitefish

Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making

1. Natalie Cook and Gabe Menicke, Whitefish
2. Carter Bullins and Miller Bushnell, Flathead
3. Maddy Moy and Peyton Walker, Flathead
4. Emma Shaffer and Macy Whisenand, Whitefish
5. Rylee Barnes and Libby Reiner, Flathead
6. Finn Davidson and Carson Keim, Glacier

Community Awareness Project

1. Zoey Marzo and Lauren Rossi, Whitefish

Community Giving Project

1. Katy Bitney, Sarah Downs and Elise Strobel, Glacier
2. Colby Wharton, Whitefish

Entrepreneurship Series

1. Taylor Pooton, Flathead
2. Harrison Sanders, Glacier
3. Cody Bingham, Glacier
4. Calvin Schmidt, Glacier
5. Isaac Brown, Glacier
6. Haley Jochim, Flathead
7. Ethan Woods, Glacier

Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making

1. Adison Siegel and Jackson Walker, Flathead
2. Ronnie Dalton and Ben Rainford, Glacier
3. Timmy Glanville and Kenna Sandler, Glacier
4. Clara Jones and Maayana Sattler, Flathead

Financial Consulting Event

1. Johnny Nix, Whitefish
2. Tevan Solomon, Whitefish

Financial Services Team Decision Making

1. Michael Downs and Sarah Downs, Glacier
2. Katy Bitney and Elise Strobel, Glacier

Food Marketing Series

1. Emma Rashleigh, Glacier
2. Emma Barron, Whitefish
3. Maile Vine, Whitefish
4. Micah Brooks, Flathead
5. Kaitlyn Illi, Glacier
6. Logan Marlow, Glacier

Hospitality And Tourism Professional Selling

1. Bowdrie Krack, Whitefish

Hospitality And Tourism Operations Research

1. Lauren Brown, Mason and Olivia Genovese, Whitefish
2. Sydney Buckmaster and Johnny Nix, Whitefish

Hospitality Services Team Decision Making

1. Maggie Pulsifer and Allie Simpson, Whitefish
2. Faithe Barkus and Rachel Chipley, Glacier
3. Madeline Crandall and Alexandra Houseworth, Glacier
4. Kyrie Gislason and Elaina Stern, Flathead
5. Laney Franchini-White and Madi Gilchrist, Flathead

Hotel and Lodging Management

1. Kaitlyn Illi, Glacier
2. Sydney MacIntyre, Whitefish
3. Marius Devries, Glacier

Human Resources Management

1. Taylor Pooton, Flathead
2. Maile Vine, Whitefish
3. Brett Pesola, Flathead
4. Cadence Dean, Flathead

Integrated Marketing Campaign (event)

1. Morgan Grube and Charlotte Lehmann, Whitefish
2. Natalie Cook, Whitefish
3. Mia Gannon, Kylie Munsinger and Kennedy Postovit, Flathead
4. Neila Lyngholm and Sayla McCulley, Flathead

Integrated Marketing Campaign (product)

1. Sage Jeude, Marley Miller and Hayden Sharpe, Flathead

Integrated Marketing Campaign (services)

1. Matthew Peschel and Macy Whisenand, Whitefish

International Business Plan

1. Addie Oehlerich, Whitefish

Marketing Communications

1. Bella Teggeman, Glacier
2. Sydney Buckmaster, Whitefish
3. Orion Preszler, Flathead
4. Vivian Rahn, Glacier
5. Hailey Hendrickson, Flathead
6. Marley Miller, Flathead

Marketing Management Team Decision Making

1. Cody Berry and Tanner Harmon, Whitefish
2. Lauren McConnell and Adison Siegel, Flathead
3. Addie Oehlerich and Emma Trieweiler, Whitefish
4. Amelia Mason and Sienna Sterck, Flathead

Personal Financial Literacy

1. Tanner Harmon, Whitefish

Principles Of Business Management and Administration

1. Clara Jones, Flathead
2. Chandler Noland-Gillespie, Flathead
3. Emma Barron, Whitefish
4. Elise Plum, Glacier
5. Baylanna Brash, Flathead

Principles Of Finance

1. Michael Manning, Flathead
2. CJ Thew, Whitefish
3. Davis Rennie, Glacier
4. Mikenna Conan, Flathead

Principles Of Hospitality and Tourism

1. Aiden Christy, Flathead
2. Cody Hoover, Whitefish
3. Timmy Glanville, Glacier
4. Abby Clark, Flathead
5. Jesse Burrough, Whitefish

Principles Of Marketing

1. Olivia Genovese, Whitefish
2. Brett Pesola, Flathead
3. Ryan Webster, Glacier
4. Isaac Brown, Glacier
5. Olive Lyngholm, Flathead

Quick Serve Restaurant Management

1. Emma Rashleigh, Glacier
2. Allie Simpson, Whitefish
3. Jasper Steindorf, Glacier
4. Carly Garrick, Polson
5. Maggie Pulsifer, Whitefish

Restaurant and Food Service Management

1. Aidan Walker, Glacier
2. Zoey Marzo, Whitefish
3. Colby Wharton, Whitefish
4. Natalee Lembke, Flathead
5. Addie Oehlerich, Whitefish
6. Linnea McCrady, Whitefish
7. Maddy Muhlfeld, Whitefish

Retail Merchandising Series

1. Maile Vine, Whitefish
2. Angeliegh Storr, Flathead
3. Lauren Rossi, Whitefish
4. Blake Lindemann, Glacier
5. Alexandra Houseworth, Glacier
6. Colby Wharton, Whitefish
7. Kenna Sandler, Glacier

Sports and Entertainment Marketing

1. Macgregor Adkins, Glacier
2. Harrison Sanders, Glacier
3. Ethan Woods, Glacier
4. Emma Barron, Whitefish
5. Brooke Zetooney, Whitefish
6. Bowdrie Krack, Whitefish
7. Finn Davidson, Glacier
8. Kane Morisaki, Glacier

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making

1. Ava Bee and Gretel Vine, Whitefish
2. Harrison Sanders and Ethan Woods, Glacier
3. Carter Bullins and Miller Bushnell, Flathead
4. Rylee Barnes and Hania Halverson, Flathead
5. Bella Kerley and Kolten Kerley, Flathead
6. Finn Davidson and Marius Devries, Glacier

Sports and Entertainment Operations Research

1. Mary Mercer and Myli Ridgeway, Whitefish

Start-Up Business Plan

1. Carly Garrick, Polson
2. Saxton Roettig and Maayana Sattler, Flathead
3. Abby Clark and Mia Gannon, Flathead

Travel and Tourism Marketing Team Decision Making

1. Clare Converse and Kylie Munsinger, Flathead
2. Jasper Steindorf and Aidan Walker, Glacier
3. Niko Hunter and Gabe Menicke, Whitefish
4. Hailey Hendrickson and Olive Lyngholm, Flathead
5. Zia Georgeff and Lauren McConnell, Flathead