A total of 63 Hamilton High School DECA members competed Dec. 18 in the Southeastern DECA Career Development Conference at Racine Case High School. Hamilton’s DECA group earned 139 awards including 36 plaques and 38 students qualified for state competition.
The following Hamilton students earned recognition in their respective series and will advance to state competition:
- Dhruv Ahuja, first place overall and four medals in business services marketing, third place overall and one medal in economics excellence;
- Akhil Pidikiti, first place overall and four medals in hotel & lodging management;
- Srikar Kalapala, first place overall and three medals in accounting applications;
- Shashwat Shastri, first place overall and three medals in restaurant and food service management;
- John Dow, first place overall and two medals in principles of finance;
- Olivia George, first place overall and two medals in retail merchandising;
- The team of Thomas Seiler and Joseph Simmons, first place overall and two medals in business law and ethics;
- Rohit Washikar, second place overall and four medals in principles of hospitality and tourism;
- Aayush Iyengar, second place overall and three medals in business services marketing;
- Alayna Fry, second place overall and three medals in human resources management;
- Audrey Davies, second place overall and three medals in personal financial literacy and one medal in economic excellence;
- The team of Natalie Lassiter and Hailey Stubler, second place overall and three medals in hospitality services;
- Maggie DeCleene, second place overall and two medals in accounting applications;
- Oluwatodimu Afolayan, second place overall and two medals in entrepreneurship;
- The team of Evan Bunker and Aden Myhre, second place overall and one medal in travel and tourism;
- Natalie Olson, third place overall and four medals in principles of marketing;
- Samantha Seiler, third place overall and three medals in quick serve restaurant management;
- The team of Joshua Xue and Joshua Dahlgren, third place overall and three medals in travel and tourism;
- Elise Elkin, third place overall and two medals in entrepreneurship;
- Divyesh Pandey, third place overall and two medals in food marketing;
- Carly Elkin, third place overall and two medals in hotel and lodging management;
- The team of Aubrey LaPrest and Brynn VanTournhout, third place overall and one medal in buying and merchandising;
- Andrew Dahlgren, fourth place overall and three medals in hotel & lodging management;
- Miguel Estrada, fourth place overall and two medals in personal financial literacy;
- Madeline Yingst, fourth place overall and two medals in principles of business management and administration;
- Matthew Maher, fourth place overall and one medal in marketing communications;
- Jessica Riesterer, fourth place overall and one medal in principles of hospitality and tourism;
- Tyler Verhaalen, fourth place overall and one medal in sports and entertainment marketing; and
- The team of Josiah Dieman and Benjamin Landre, fourth place overall and one medal in sports and entertainment.
Additional students who earned recognition at the conference are:
- Adit Bhootra, two medals in apparel and accessories;
- Connor Wilcox, two medals in entrepreneurship, one medal in economics excellence;
- Lahari Gurram, two medals in principles of business management and administration;
- The team of Norah Miller and Madelyn Gammon, two medals in hospitality services;
- Devdharshan Masanam, two medals in principles of marketing;
- Brooke Price, one medal in apparel and accessories;
- Sriya Gannapureddy, one medal in personal financial literacy;
- Jacy Fierst, one medal in principles of finance;
- Maxwell Miller, one medal in principles of hospitality and tourism;
- Addison Prochazka, one medal in principles of hospitality and tourism;
- Sonia Wright, one medal in principles of marketing; and
- The team of Amelia Berrall and Madeline Mrozinski, one medal in hospitality services.
The State DECA Career Development Conference will be held Feb. 22-24, 2022 at the Grand Geneva Resort and Conference Center in Lake Geneva, Wis.