Baldwin High School Excel at DECA Competition in Inaugural Year
This school year, Baldwin High School proudly introduced DECA as part of the district’s School2Career framework. Through this educational program, the students have already demonstrated their business skills and marketing knowledge with notable victories in the regional and state competitions despite it being the first time for Baldwin to participate.
DECA, which stands for "Distributive Education Clubs of America," is a student organization dedicated to equipping future leaders and entrepreneurs with the skills needed for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Primarily targeting high school and college students, the non-profit focuses on cultivating business acumen and leadership through competitions and educational programs. During the competitions, which range from local through national level, students engage in business-related challenges, such as presenting a role-play scenario to a judge or creating a comprehensive marketing campaign. Baldwin High School’s inaugural DECA team consisted of students, Layla Gentles, June Kreshsvich, Alyssa Ramdass, and Solomon Ruff. Together, they joined more than 290,000 members and 4000 schools from around the globe, helping to build the next generation workforce.
"The Baldwin High School Business Department's inaugural year in DECA has proven to be a remarkable journey of dedication and achievement,” said Dr. Gabriella Franza, assistant director of instructional programs. “I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments of our students, Layla Gentles, June Kreshsvich, Alyssa Ramdass, and Solomon Ruff, and grateful for the invaluable support of our DECA advisor, Brendan Malin, who has been a vital part of our success. The team’s performance is a testament to their dedication and hard work, and I could not be any prouder of their achievements.”
Following the Nassau County Regional Competition, where three of the four Baldwin students achieved a perfect score in the role play challenge, the determined team advanced to the New York DECA’s 66th annual State Career Conference. The three-day competition took place at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, where 2600 aspiring business professionals across the state rivaled one another. By the end of the competition, Solomon and Layla earned medals by placing in the “Top 10” during the role play event. Additionally, all four students walked away from the enriching, hands-on learning experience with an enhanced skillset, including communications and critical thinking—competencies that industry leaders look for in job candidates.
“DECA is a program that aligns with our district’s commitment to designing a curriculum that promotes ‘future readiness’,” stated Dr. Shari Camhi, superintendent of Baldwin Union Free. “The success our students have achieved in the program’s inaugural year in our district is remarkable and deserves recognition. Their performance at the competition demonstrated their ability to think critically and effectively communicate while under pressure—skills that we emphasize in our coursework and academic offerings, which that will undoubtedly benefit them in their future careers. Congratulations to the students who participated in this year's DECA competitions, their advisor, Mr. Brendan Malin, the high school’s Business Department and Dr. Gabriella Franza for helping to make this program come to life.”
Dr. Neil Testa, the principal of Baldwin High School, shared his ‘Baldwin pride’ in the results achieved. “This is such thrilling news for our amazing students and representation of the incredible work Mr. Malin and the Business Department has led this year! This is the first of many achievements for DECA!” he said.
For more information about DECA, please visit their official website at www.deca.org.