Students from Jessamine Career and Technology Center took home several awards at the DECA State Conference on Tuesday, March 7.

DECA is meant to prepare students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.

Business and marketing students from JCTC took home several trophies in categories including Hotel and Lodging Management, Food Marketing, Apparel and Accessories, Retail Merchandising, Quick Serve Restaurant Management, Franchise Business Planning and Principals of Hospitality.

The competitions are designed to simulate real-life business scenarios and test students’ academic understanding a skills development.

Students have attended the conference for the past 10 years.

“This is the most we’ve made to internationals,” said Rachel Kahly, a business and marketing teacher at JCTC.

In 2016, 12 members went on the trip. This year, twenty different JCTC students qualify to advance to the International DECA competition in Anaheim, CA on April 26 – 30.

“We just keep growing,” Kahly said.

Over $500,000 in scholarships and awards will be presented to students and teachers for their achievements at the international conference.

In addition to the career-based competition, DECA members engage in leadership academies and networking opportunities with over 60 internationally recognized businesses.

“These students worked hard to demonstrate their skills in business, marketing, entrepreneurship and finance,” Kahly said. “They are a joy to work with and an inspiration.”