PHS DECA Members “Make it Count”

Pittsburg High School DECA members have had a busy school year.  From service projects to competition they have done their best to “Make it Count” this year.  

In addition to serving the community, members have also been busy working on competitive events. Students compete in various business, marketing, and hospitality related events. Students took a 100-question exam related to their event covering the areas of business management, finance, hospitality and tourism, and marketing. 

In addition to the exam, students either participated in a role-play with a judge or prepared an 11-30-page written report followed by an oral presentation. 

Fourteen members attended the district conference held at Region 8 ESC.  This round of competition encompassed students from all over northeast Texas and those who advanced went on to compete at the state conference in Dallas.  The eleven members who advanced to state are: Megan Monts, Areli Portillo, Parker Sewell, Hannah Heyduck, Jocelyne Flores, Bailey Branch, Yezenia Cedillo, Liz Waltrip, William Yocum, Kaipo Adcock, and Johnny Chan.   These students heard motivational speakers, competed in events, and elected new state officers.   

The chapter was also recognized for their participation in the statewide community service project.  This year’s project “Hat’s Off for Cancer” which collected hats to give to the local children’s hospital for those battling cancer.  PHS DECA donated 49 hats to this worthy cause.  

Monts and Portillo were recognized on stage as winners in the Community Service Project event as well as Heyduck and Sewell who were recognized as alternates in the Sports and Entertainment Operations Research Event.  These four students will be traveling to Atlanta, GA in May to represent Pittsburg HS at the International DECA Conference. Members started off the year with the annual Paint Pitt Pink project. This project increases awareness about breast cancer and raises money for Sally’s Hope, a local nonprofit breast cancer awareness organization. 

The group would like to thank the community and businesses for their support, donations, or promotion throughout this year’s Paint Pitt Pink project.  Paint Pitt Pink was extremely successful; with all proceeds combined from fundraising, PHS DECA was able to supply Sally’s Hope with $3,000. 

The Paint Pitt Pink Project involved several activities, including T-Shirt sales, a business window decorating contest, flamingo flocking, a door decorating contest at the high school, Pitt Dines Pink, a pumpkin decorating contest with Creation Station, a prettiest in pink contest and a teacher’s jeans week. Region 8 ESC won the business decoration contest while Creation Station was second and Nora’s Salon was third.

The PHS DECA group had great support from its sponsors, including American Campaign Signs, Big Earl’s, Brookshire’s, Cactus Mexican Restaurant, the Camp County Chamber of Commerce, Corner Express, Creation Station, Cypress Bank, Guaranty Bong Bank, Hershel’s, Mane Attractions, Nora’s Salon, Pain or Pleasure, Parker Furniture, Peralta’s, Pittsburg Floral, Pittsburg Hot Links, Pizza Inn, Region 8 ESC, Scrubbies Wash USA, Smith Furniture and Pittsburg ISD faculty and staff.