BCAT News

Burlington High School has always been a great representative to the state of Massachusetts in the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA). After a couple years of virtual sessions and competition, the BHS DECA Club now means business and is on their way to the International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia April 22nd through the 27th. It’s a pretty big deal. 

65 BHS students competed in the DECA State Career Development Conference in Boston and not only displayed outstanding acumen in business practices but took first place in several competitions. BHS also displayed high level leadership skills through academic conferences and contests. Krista Andeson, BHS Business Teacher and DECA Advisor shared her excitement for the students. 

“Amazing success, we’ve never had this many students win so many competitions,” Anderson continued. “We had so many students that won trophies this year and got to move on to the International competition. We did phenomenal this year.”

BHS competed against approximately 2000 other students from 70 different schools. Anderson explained why state winners go immediately on to Internationals.

“It’s called Internationals because Canada is a big contender there, China, Spain and Guam is in there too,” said Anderson. 

Ayush Shingavi Class of 2022 competed in Finance Operations Research with a partner. The pair wrote a research paper working in a consulting capacity with Axial Financial Group in Burlington. 

“We went in and found ways to improve on their current procedures as well as things from coming out of COVID; what could be done better?” Shingavi continued. “Things like upgrading hardware to finding new training methods”.

Shingavi placed fifth in States which qualified for the International Conference. His DECA teammate Megan Ohol Class of 2023 competed in a Role Play in the category for Hospitality Services Team Decision Making. Ohol and her team took first place in their competition. 

“Honestly it was amazing. I was not expecting to win first place but I was very happy that we did,” said Ohol

Tommy Gallagher Class of 2023 took part in two competitions. Gallager and a partner wrote a 20 page paper researching local companies and how to improve employee satisfaction. 

“In that we placed first in our category. I also ran for State Officer which was a campaign and I won for that so I’ll be doing that next year,” Gallagher spoke about the experience. “It was a lot of work to get there and getting to compete was so much fun. It was everything I wanted to do”. 

Emma Naddaff Class of 2023 and her partner wrote a paper for placing in the top ten and will be participating with other students from around the world in leadership workshops at the International Conference. Naddaff also coordinated a successful fundraising event.

“We ran ‘Burlington Move for a Cure’ and it was a walk-a-thon that benefited the Jimmy Fund and we raised almost $5,000,” Nadaff said.

The bottom line of BHS DECA’s success was well put by Danielle Trouve Co-Advisor of DECA and BHS Business teacher.

“We were blown out of the water by how all these students did and the way they prepared. The last couple years when things went virtual, it kind of threw us all off keel,” Trouve continued. “So I think our students really took it to heart and some of them since their Freshman and Sophomore year really came out because the 20 trophies that we took home is very impressive. Burlington was so well represented, we’re very proud of them”.

All of us here at BCAT wish the BHS DECA Club the best of luck in their endeavor to Atlanta in April at DECA’s International Competition. And if these students keep going the way they are – we might be working for them someday.