Lawrence students compete at DECA International

Lawrence High School freshman Danielle Hance and junior John Loughlin Jr. both for competed in the category of Hospitality & Tourism Professional Selling at the DECA International Career Conference in Atlanta April 20 to 25.

“I am very proud of their accomplishments this year,” said Mark Albin, a Lawrence High business teacher and the DECA adviser. “John really worked hard and improved his presentation from last year to this year. “Danielle has a great work ethic and the sky is the limit for this freshman.”  

DECA was founded in 1946 and originally known as the Distributive Education Clubs of America, the nonprofit Reston, Va.-based group aims to prepare high school and college students — budding leaders and entrepreneurs — for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.

“I am really excited for next year as I will have four kids that made it to International in the past two years competing, as well as others that were just on the cusp of making it this year,” Albin said. I expect us to be able to flirt with our record number of seven that I coincidentally took to Orlando seven years ago as this is where the competition will be held next year.”