DECA State Success
Forty students from the Chatham Charter chapter of DECA participated in events during the annual North Carolina DECA Career Development Conference (CDC) in Greensboro from Thursday, February 27, through Saturday, March 1, along with over 5,900 other high school students from across the state. Workshops, training sessions, exhibits, general sessions, and competitive events were among the offerings of the Conference.
School-based Enterprise Certification Program
Prior to the state conference, Advisor Larisa Spillman was notified the chapter had achieved School-based Enterprises Chapter Certification recognitions for the 2024-2025 school year. Castle Cafe and Castle Creations received Gold Recertification while Castle Media received Gold Certification. This means Chatham Charter is the only school in the state to have three certified SBEs and gives the Knights DECA chapter a strong presence at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Orlando this April. The teams included Eli Christenbury, Adam Reese and Tannin Scheidt (Media); Kaylee Root and Tori Vaughn (Cafe); and Garrison Clark, Westin Phillips and John Whistle Spillman (Creations).
A school-based enterprise (SBE) is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods and services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. DECA advisors have utilized this effective educational tool for over four decades to provide their students with realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction, enhance 21st Century skill development, and prepare students for college and careers.
DECA’s School-based Enterprise Certification Program provides recognition for outstanding achievement by school-based enterprises and motivates SBEs to strive for excellence and growth. SBEs can be certified at three levels: bronze, silver or gold. In order to apply for the certification, SBEs must submit extensive documentation that explains how the SBE demonstrates the practice of various marketing and retail standards. A review committee evaluates the documentation to determine which level of certification has been achieved. DECA’s School-based Enterprise program is sponsored by Otis Spunkmeyer Inc.
2025 State Career Development Conference Results
Chatham Charter DECA was named a Champion Chapter at the Career Development Conference and received the following chapter awards, the most in Chatham Charter history, at the Triad Region-District 4 Honors Session on Saturday, March 1:
- NC DECA Chapter of Distinction
- NC DECA Foundation Supporting Chapter Award
- Membership Campaign – Thrive Level
- Chapter Campaign – Thrive Level
Additionally, Chatham Charter DECA members received proficiency pins for achieving overall scores of 225 at the Career Development Conference.
Individual event team winners included:
- Kaitlyn Evans/Maddie Teague, 2nd place overall, Integrated Marketing Campaign – Event
- Garrison Clark/John Whistle Spillman/Tori Vaughn, 9th place overall, Sales Project
Both teams have the unique distinction of being State event qualifiers all three years they have competed.
