WEST IRONDEQUOIT CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Irondequoit High School

260 Cooper Road

Rochester, NY 14617

To: All media

From: Lou DiCesare, Business Education Teacher 336-4633

Date: March 12, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"DEC" TACULAR!!!!!

I.H.S. Business Students Compete

at the New York DECA

State Career Conference Competition

"That's O.K. I've got three more years to earn a trophy in the Hotel & Lodging event." Irondequoit High School freshman business student Samantha Jebbett said as she left the stage upon hearing the results of her event at the 47^th annual DECA State Career Conference (SCC) held at the Riverside Rochester Convention Center March 7-9^th.

Samantha was one of 35 Irondequoit High School business students who qualified to compete at the SCC through writing various business plans or by placing at the regional competitions held at MCC back in January.

"Although Samantha didn't walk away with a trophy, she has just the right attitude about competing in these events." Says Irondequoit advisor and business teacher Lou DiCesare. "It's all about selecting a career area that is of interest to you and learning as much about it as you can. Then to take that learning and test it in a competitive environment to earn you the opportunity to compete against some of the brightest high school minds in the country at the DECA International Career Develovement Conference, this year held in Orlando, FL April 28-May 1."

DECA (an association for marketing students) was organized in 1946 around an ambitious goal: to improve educational and career opportunities in marketing, management and entrepreneurship for students. In the years since, DECA has remained on the cutting edge of educational innovation, working with the business community to integrate academic achievement with career and technical skills. Information about DECA can be viewed at www.newyorkdeca.org.

Although there were many medals and trophies distributed among the 2,000 high school business students for their efforts in the fifty various events, not all were for the vents.

Other awards included:

-The Irondequoit High School DECA chapter received recognition for raising over $100 for the NYDECA charitable cause ? Marty Lyons Foundation

-Irondequoit business teacher Lou DiCesare received recognition for Outstanding NY DECA Chapter Advisor (http://www.newyorkdeca.org/index/ProfessionalDivisionAwardsOutstandingAdvisor0607.pdf)

-The Irondequoit High School DECA chapter received recognition for increasing membership by 10% from last year (170 for ?06-?07).

This year's Irondequoit High School winners include the following

Business Services Marketing

Maggie Baum - senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Medal-Top 10 role play #1

Medal-Top 10 overall

2^nd place overall in the state

Jacob Perry - senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Medal-Top 10 role play #1

Medal-Top 10 overall

Rachel Nolan - senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Technical Sales Demonstration

Stephanie Beiter - junior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Accounting Applications

Maiah Lawson- senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Jonathon Yioulos- senior

Medal-Top 10 overall

Automotive Services Marketing

Jesse Leonardo- junior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Medal-Top 10 role play #1

Medal-Top 10 overall

Business Law & Marketing

Chelsea Lindamood - senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Medal-Top 10 role play #1

Maria Anglov- senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Medal-Top 10 role play #1

Medal-Top 10 overall

Matt Casciani- senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Andrew Hart - senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Business Law & Ethics Team Decision Making

Tyler Watkins- senior & Kevin Coholon- senior

Medal-Top 10 role play #1

John Pastorella- junior and Steve Ross - junior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Medal-Top 10 role play #1

Medal-Top 10 overall

Financial Services Management Team Decision Making

Meaghan Lada- senior and Mike Calabro- senior

Medal-Top 10 test score

Medal-Top 10 role play #1

Medal-Top 10 overall

4th place overall in the state and national qualifier

Virtual Business Management - Retail

Tyler Condello- sophomore and Sam Kennedy- sophomore

Medal-1^st place in New York State

Certificate- 2^nd place in North Atlantic Region

5^th place overall in country and national qualifier

Virtual Business Management - Sports

Matt Cameron- junior and Anthony Festa- sophomore

Medal-1^st place in New York State

"It was great to see the students experience success in an area of business that they are interested in. It makes them so much more motivated to want to achieve more next year."- mentioned Irondequoit DECA co-advisor Jeanine Lent.