Runner-up finishes by juniors Cayden Catalina and Taylor Flynn and freshmen Ryan Avery and Justin Nitti highlighted Irondequoit High School business students competing in this week at DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Atlanta. Freshmen Evelyn Dean (Principles of Marketing) and senior Dylan Piccarreto also competed in the culminating DECA event of the year.
Cayden and Taylor each earned $1,000 for second place in the Digital Presentation Skills Challenge and the Social Impact Leader of Tomorrow Challenge, respectively. Cayden also was 10th in the Virtual Business Challenge for Accounting. Their focus was on raising money for Pediatric Cancer.
Ryan and Justin earned $500 for being runner-up in the VBC for Sports. They beat out nearly 40 teams in January during a 10-day competition just to get to Atlanta. Dylan was seventh in that.
They were among the 20,000 students, teacher-advisors and DECA alumni who gathered with business professionals. Students compete in various industry-validated events that demonstrating their college and career readiness and knowledge.
Congratulations to all!
Digital Presentation Skills Challenge: 2nd place: Cayden Catalina, junior ($1,000)
Social Impact Leader of Tomorrow Challenge: 2nd: Taylor Flynn, junior ($1,000)
Virtual Business Challenge/Accounting: 10th: Cayden Catalina.
Virtual Business Challenge/Sports: 2nd: Ryan Avery, freshman ($500); 7th: Dylan Piccarreto, senior.
Photo credit: Mr. Lou DiCesare, IHS business teacher/DECA Advisor