During the weekend of March 3rd through the 4th, a number of students went to Virginia Beach for DECA state competition. The trip was delayed as students were supposed to leave Friday, March 2nd. However, because of the windstorm, Storm Riley, these high winds made it dangerous for students to travel that morning. Although the trip was delayed, students left Riverbend at 4:30am Saturday morning, arriving around 7 am. Role play acts, in which students act out different scenarios based on individual events, were all day Saturday from around 8:30 am to around 4pm.
Saturday night, Riverbend advisors hosted a complimentary dinner for all of the Riverbend students. Students also received their VA DECA t-shirts as well as their ribbons for honor society and merit awards during that time. After dinner Saturday night, students went to the first award ceremony to see who placed top ten in their tests and roleplays.
Sunday morning, there was another award ceremony where top overall and who placed for Internationals was announced. Riverbend had 28 participants place with high enough scores to go further to Internationals. The following students who are moving on are: Mark Baechtel, Matthew Bakerian, Pia Basilica, Abby Crocker, Darius Dunn, Dillon Fields, Nicole Fontenot, Jennifer Garth, Hannah Henley, Kenady Horne, Karen Huezo, Katherine Hummel, Rachel Ivy, Trinity Jelinek, Amber Kressler, Ryan Leaf, Grace Long, Ethan McCue, Katelyn Moulton, Elizabeth Mueller, Sarah Statler, Wally Tamana, Sophie Thomas, Gabriella Viacara, Erika Waszak, Natalie Williams, Connor Wills, and Sarah Young. This is the most students Riverbend has brought to Internationals, also known as ICDC. ICDC will be in Atlanta, Georgia this year from April 21-24 2018.
Lizzy Mueller, Riverbend senior won the $1,000 Louis Spillman Scholarship, which according to Virginia DECA is given to, “remarkable women who contribute so much to Virginia and the nation through the DECA organization.” When asked about what she has gained through DECA, Mueller stated, “DECA has truly helped me find my passion of marketing, which will be my major at the University of Tennessee.” On top of this accomplishment with Riverbend, Junior, Sarah Young, is also now the 2019 Virginia Region 3 Vice President. She ran a campaign while attending states this year to promote herself for this distinguished honor. Young said, “I am so excited to work with the state action team and represent Riverbend.”
Marketing teachers, Ms. Collison and Mr. Gardner were both recognized at state competition as the most outstanding advisors in the state. Riverbend DECA in itself was also recognized as the largest club in Region 3, also achieving Gold Level Certification. This is the highest level of certification depending on the number and type of activities a school-based enterprise completed that was worked on by Lizzie Mueller and Kennedy Horne, advised by Ms. Collison.