At the recent Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) International Career Development Conference (ICDC), Lambert DECA was strongly represented, with five teams from Lambert placing Top 20 worldwide. This accomplishment is especially impressive considering over 10,000 members across the globe participated. The DECA advisors, Dr. Deborah Hutchinson, Ms. Cassidy Mazzei and Mr. Michael Roberts, worked tirelessly to prepare competitors for the conference by providing guidance and support throughout the season. Lambert students and sponsors’ dedication contributed to their success on the international level.
Notably, Lambert students and ICDC competitors Kylie Williams, Aanya Sinthanaiselvan and Lillian Strada placed top 20 for their Community Awareness project called “Live Like Brooke Williams”. Their project focused on raising awareness about epilepsy in dedication to Williams’ older sister, Brooke Williams, who passed away last year. They executed this project, through fundraising and outreach efforts. Specifically, the team partnered with Delta Phi Epsilon, Brooke’s sorority at the University of Georgia, to host a large awareness event that aimed to educate others while supporting epilepsy-related causes.
Although the community awareness event was highly competitive, Williams and her team stood out because of their passion and dedication to their project. The project not only honored Brooke Williams in memory, but also brought attention to epilepsy awareness within the community. Preparing for ICDC involved tireless work and extensive planning, as the team coordinated events throughout the year. Their commitment and community involvement contributed to their success, earning them a place as top 20 in the world within their event.
“Finding out we placed in the Top 20 made me happy because we could see that all of our hard work paid off,” Williams said.
Another group that exceeded expectation were competitors Aiyana Verma, Riya Kapoor and Grunth Bhavsar, who placed Top 20 in the competition, “Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research,” basing their research project focused on the social conditions of Swim Atlanta, aptly titled “Making Waves in the Community”. Their project, based on the group’s interest in Swim, allowed them to further explore the behind-the-scenes of marketing, business approach and consumer relations.
Aiyana Verma, the freshman in the group, got the first-hand experience of participating in DECA ICDC at the high school level. For her, the experience taught her about the way scoring and presenting differed from the middle school level.
“I really had the best time networking with people and seeing the other competition,” Verma stated. “Even just from seeing how the judges scored us. We made the second round and got Top 20, and it was an amazing experience.”
From networking with other members, to competing with members internationally in interesting competitions, ICDC intends to inform and educate students about the nuances of business and entrepreneurship. With over 20,000 students competing at ICDC, Lambert students continue to rise to the occasion: networking, leading and taking charge, one competition at a time.
