Valencia High School DECA students joined over 300 other students from across Southern California to win multiple business awards earlier this month.

DECA is a business-oriented career technical organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

Members of Valencia High School DECA team spent the weekend of January 8 to 10 competing, networking, and learning at the Southern California District Career Development Conference.

With a 100 question competency test as well as two impromptu speaking events called role plays, members found themselves challenged as well as enjoying themselves.

At the end of the conference, six of the eight members who attended found themselves receiving an award. From rookie freshman to experienced juniors, success found many students who had spent months before studying to win their category.

The students who won the awards are:

Joel Beckwith, Retail Merchandising: 1st in Test and Role Play, 2nd Overall Kristen Beckwith, Hotel and Lodging: Honorable Mention Christopher Carlsen, Marketing Management: 2nd Role Play and Test, Third Overall Pablo Gratas, Automotive Services: 2nd in Role Play, 3rd in Test, Third Overall Mark Gray, Business Services: 2nd in Test, 3rd in Role Play, Third Overall Dayoung Lee, Hotel and Lodging: Honorable Mention

These members are now preparing for the State Career Development Conference in San Diego on March 3 to 6, where they will join over 2,500 other California DECA students to compete again. Members who place in the Top 4 at this conference will advance onto the National Conference in Nashville, TN.