Manalapan DECA members
move on to state competition
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — After having qualified to advance to the state level, Manalapan High School Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) students will travel to New Brunswick in March to compete at the New Jersey State DECA Competition.
"DECA students compete against other high schools in various business field categories on the regional, state and national levels," said Ilse Whisner, public information officer for the Freehold Regional High School District.
"During the competitions, students are presented with real business situations and are required to develop solutions and detailed plans of action."
Whisner said judges who are business sponsors rate students according to their action plans and presentations.
There will be 21 DECA students from Manalapan High School attending the state competition.
The following students successfully competed in the regional competition held at Middlesex County College: Nicole Mulvey and Tarin Peterson, seniors, in the sports and entertainment marketing decision making event; Shannon Mueller, senior, in the food marketing management event; and successfully competing in the marketing services event were Cristal Helms and Stacie Rosenberg, juniors, Meghal Kholhani, sophomore, and Monica Barr, Clair Duddy and Melissa Blutstein, seniors.
Additionally, Brook Ellner, senior, in apparel and accessories management, and seniors Chris Ruggiero and Anthony Ciavattoni in business services marketing, successfully competed in the regional competition.
Success was also recognized in the retail merchandising management event when Michael Santoro, senior, and Kevin Kehoe, junior, captured the event.
Seniors Chris Mirabile and Darren Weicher were successful in the retail merchandising associate level competition, and Eric Lesieur, senior, and Steven Bachman, sophomore, are moving up to the state level after capturing the quick serve restaurant management competition. Jason Ascher, sophomore, was successful in the vehicle and petroleum marketing event, while Patrick McElroy and Bryan McCarthy, seniors, received instructional awards for their presentation in the travel and tourism decision making event.