Gahanna DECA members Sarah Jadwin and Emily Barnett met with members of the City of Gahanna’s Department of Planning and Development today. The purpose of the meeting was to learn ways our chapter could partner with the city in a research study this year.
City officials Mr. Matt Huffman and Ms. Leah Evans shared several key development initiatives that could serve as topics for our chapter’s annual community marketing research project. More details of the latest city/DECA partnership will follow!
Five members of this year’s chapter competed at the DECA District 14 State Officer competition yesterday at Olentangy Orange High School, and their results were outstanding!
Female Public Relations Event
1st Place, Miranda Hritz
3rd Place, Sarah Jadwin
Male Public Relations Event
1st Place, Dan Rajczyk
Parliamentary Law Event
1st Place, Emily Barnett
2nd Place, Cathlene Beck
Gahanna students competed against area DECA Chapters in testing, writing, and interviewing events during the contest. All first and second place winners have now qualified for state competition held the first week of November. What a great showing for our chapter!
The DECA class welcomed visitors from Central Office Wednesday morning for a small focus group. Coordinator of Community Services, Dale Foor, and Coordinator of Off-site Programs, Tresa Durkin, requested a meeting with DECA students to discuss ways of further developing and promoting Eastland-Fairfield Career Center’s International Business program housed in Gahanna Lincoln.
DECA students offered marketing ideas and strategies to make the program more attractive to Gahanna students. The event also provided a framework to DECA students for research projects they will be completing later in the year.
Joel Kingsley, father of DECA student Blaire Kingsley, visited DECA this past Tuesday to speak about being an entrepreneur. Kingsley owns Axis Construction, a local company. He explained the different impacts our current economy has had on his company, and described building his company from the ground up. He also provided insight to how government agencies, such as OSHA and EEA, affect his business.
The recent speakers to our Chapter have all been part of the “Learn & Earn” Entrepreneurship Project that is currently under-way. The purpose of the project is to allow students to learn about entrepreneurship, and then start an actual business enterprise. With many learning activities now complete, our Chapter is ready to launch a new business concept, Paw Print Direct. More info on this new enterprise will come soon!
This past Wednesday local entrepreneur Ms. Shaun Chokreff of KMM Promotions paid a visit to Gahanna DECA. During her visit Ms. Chokreff shared information with our chapter about the business start-up process. She also explained the origins of her business and some of the challenges and rewards of being an entrepreneur. Thank you for a great visit, Ms. Chokreff!
Gahanna DECA is selling blue and gold Gahanna themed shirts to all elementary and middle schools throughout the district to promote pride for all of the students. Order forms will be located in all Gahanna-Jefferson school buildings from September 14, 2009 to October 2, 2009. Both long sleeve shirts and T-shirts are available in royal blue with gold Gahanna lettering. The long sleeve shirts will cost $14 and the T-shirts will cost $10.
A Portion of each sale will be donated to fund a new program to help district students in need. “I hope for this project to be a great success in order to help Gahanna students in need due to the current economic crisis,” Puja Patel, project manager, said.Shirts may also be ordered by contacting Gahanna DECA at 614-478-5500.
Gahanna DECA selected its 2009-2010 chapter officers. Officers were chosen the first week of school. Shahmeer Azmat was chosen as President and Daniel Rajczyk as Vice President.
Carissa Strauss will serve as Chief Financial Officer, Leah Polster as Public Relations Representative, and Gregory Lewis as Historian. Officers will work together to set goals for the Gahanna DECA Chapter and motivate other members.
