Bethel Park High School made a significant mark at the 2026 Pennsylvania DECA State Conference, held from February 17-20 in Hershey. With over 80 members competing, the students showcased their skills across various categories, qualifying 28 for the upcoming DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) scheduled for April 25-29 in Atlanta.
Two students from Bethel Park garnered special recognition for achieving the highest test or role-play scores within the organization. Mrs. Maria Christenson was honored with a DECA Certificate of Appreciation, acknowledging her 15 years of dedicated service as a DECA Advisor.
Carly Conroy was sworn in as the new PA DECA District III Representative for the 2026-2027 year during the conference, strengthening Bethel Park's leadership presence.
At the conference, Bethel Park students achieved notable placements across various categories:
1st Place Winners:
- Bryan McGuire and Dominic Ollio in the Business Solutions Project
- Laura Casaldi and Samira Gorman in the Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service
2nd Place Winners:
- Veronica Balkovec, Colleen Kuhn, and Presley Thimons in the Innovation Plan
- Camdyn Cekus, Maddie Jackson, and Annabella Laffey in the Financial Literacy Promotion Project
- Gavin Coleman and Reese Coleman in the Integrated Marketing Campaign - Event
- Adelyn LeMessurier and Grace Mattila in the Independent Business Plan
- Leena Miloua and Andrea Solorzano in the Career Development Project
- Haylee Moore and Maria Templonuevo in the Franchise Business Plan
3rd Place Winners:
- Cami Fisher and Nora Welch in Community Awareness
- Bryce Postler in Principles of Finance
4th Place Winner:
- Jacob Coffield, Rowan Darr, and Cooper Kicinski in the Sales Project
5th Place Winners:
- Emma Farrell and Marisa Whitmer in the Community Giving Project
- Hunter Slavonic and DeAngelo Williams in the Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service
In addition to individual achievements, Bryce Postler was recognized as a medalist for having the top test and role-play scores in Principles of Finance, while Jeffrey Rubican received accolades for his performance in Personal Financial Literacy.
The Bethel Park DECA chapter also received Thrive Level recognition within DECA Inc.’s Chapter Campaigns. This honor, awarded to Danielle Whitaker for completing the application, grants the chapter two spots at the Thrive Academy during the ICDC.