DECA students show their skills

DECA students at Coeur d'Alene High School already know what it feels like to be successful in business.

The school's store, run by students who participate in DECA, is one of just 285 in the nation to be gold-certified.

The DECA program, with chapters at CHS and Lake City High School, teaches the principles of business and marketing through classroom instruction and hands-on experience.

"DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for the challenges of tomorrow through real-world applications today," said Colin Wereley, a CHS junior completing his first term as president of the state DECA chapter.

Wereley was elected to a second term as state president during the state DECA conference in Boise in March.

His re-election is unprecedented, said Jon Hastings, the CHS teacher who serves as adviser for the school's DECA program.

Another CHS DECA achievement this year was the store's gold-level re-certification.

Students Meagan Morris and Camillia Bonasera wrote a paper that led to the re-certification and earned themselves a trip to the upcoming national DECA leadership competition, Hastings said. The national conference will take place later this month in Orlando, Fla.

"The school-based enterprise is essential," said Wereley, who serves as one of the store managers.

The store allows students to apply their classroom learning in marketing and economics to real-life experiences.

The students' focus is always on finding ways to attract more students to the store, Wereley said. They sell snacks, Little Caesar's pizzas, fresh-baked cookies and more.

Innovation and efficiency are also important, he said. The store's registers were adapted to iPads this year.

Revenue from the store helps pay for CHS DECA students to go to the state and national competitions, he said. It costs about $1,400 to send one student to the national competition.

Wereley said the store is on track to gross more than $110,000 this year. It is expected to net roughly $75,000.

"That's an improvement over past years by about 10 percent," he said.

He said the store's sales are impressive, considering it only has 1,400 people to whom it sells and the store is open only 10 hours each week - two hours per school day.

The following CHS DECA students qualified to compete in the national competition:

Austin Sisson, Charlie Button, Andrew Overby, Daniel Walters, Ryan Hanley, Meagan Morris, Jessica Brussel, Colin Wereley, John Richards, Mallery Sisson, Brady Fraser, Taylor Brockhoff, Zoe Burgess, Kyle Schneider, Cole Williams, Elliott Sparks, Chase Sanchez, Aubrey Cunningham, Olivia Esser, Megan Lambert, Sarah Lambert, Jet Younker, Reegan Jacobson, Harrison Davies, Cris Jones, Bailey Mote, Maddie Jensen, Tony Naccarato, Devyn DeLeon, Emily Lorbecki, Camillia Bonasera, Dakota Huntsman, Andrew Swoboda, Allie Schumaker, Matthew Mueller, Tristan Scoffield, Mary Conniff, Amber Meline, Megan Ramsery, Laura Vetsch, Alanna Osmanski, Bridger Dolan, Austin Mack, Rebekah Bryan, Se'Frena Hiatt, Ryan Hanley.

The following Lake City High School students qualified to compete in the national DECA competition:

Camryn Wendlandt, Courtny Hansen, Hannah Knudson, Bradie Lewis, Morgan Redal, Brodie Larsen, Britnea Botai, Morgan Jett, Chrissy Oka, Riley Severs, Martina Smith, Tyler Azvedo, Dylan Torres, Alisa Ricciardi, Victoria Chavez, Isaac Christensen, Connor Newby, Sierra Kinnard, Molly Koczyk, Sam Gundlach, Danny Schramm, Makenna Textor, Bogan Frahm, Ben Schriger, Drew Sundstrom, Jessie Clark, Shelby Severson, Rebekah Guydos, Cassidy Meyers, Alexis Wilson, Hannah Trueblood, Max Johnson, Liz Mahin, Madison Smith, Jackson Miller, Alec Maldonado, Max Mularski, Cory Dan.

Lake City High student Ashley Hardy was elected to serve as the Northern District state DECA vice president.