Copperas Cove DECA members compete at world contest

Special to Leader-Press

After bringing home a third-place win from Anaheim, Calif. last year at the 2017 International Career Development Conference, there was a lot of pressure on this year’s Copperas Cove High School DECA Chapter.  
Last week, the award-winning organization sent 26 state winners to the international contest in Atlanta, Georgia to compete against over 19,000 competitors at the 2018 International Career Development Conference.  
DECA member Seth Wheeler was returning to the international competition this year and he knew the dedication and preparation required for the world stage. 
“We were literally with each other for months,” Wheeler said. “Anytime one of us had free time, it included countless hours working on our paper and giving speeches to anyone that would listen to us.”
Each student expressed his amazement and overwhelming feeling of competing at such a prestigious competition with and against their peers, calling the experience “nerve-wracking” and “incredible.”
When checking in for the first day of competition, the students were a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of competitors. Teaching and working with DECA students for 18 years, adviser Charlotte Heinze says that every group has a different “personality” and a comradery that’s not found in most academic competitions. 
“Every year is a new challenge and new groups,” Heinze said. “I’m proud of them, but we’re not done. There is a lot of talent sitting here, and I have very high expectations for them as we get ready for 2018-2019 school year.”
This school year started with 56 students competing at district and 55 advancing to state.  Twenty-six students (10 projects) advanced to the international contest. Twenty three of the 26 students, 88 percent, received Certificates of Excellence scoring at an elite level but not placing in the top three in the world.   
“I shook their hands and congratulated each of them when it was over,” Heinze said. “I knew that they worked hard and gave it their all. I am proud of them.”