Eden Prairie students score DECA honors

Several standout students from Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) won top honors at the recent International DECA competition in Orlando, Florida.

Of the 50 students EPHS sent to the competition, 24 made it to finals and five teams won DECA “glass,” the coveted awards given to top-three finishers.

The EPHS honorees were: 

• Jia Chenchlani and Devanshu Shah, first place: Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making
• Raghava Dwivedi and Aditi Ginuga, first place: Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
• Rohith Kothandaraman, Ghauthamasankar Padmanaban, Sidharth Shiva, first place: International Business Plan
• Maya Ryaboy, second place: Principles of Entrepreneurship
• Siddharth Chowdhury and Atharv Pandey, third place: Financial Services Team Decision Making
• Kayna Aneja and Charles Sexton, fourth place: Sales Project
• Aarnashri Jadhav and Prajna Keenigi, fifth Place: Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making
• Melody Li, fifth place: Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service
• Nawal Abdullahi and Cecelia Erickson, sixth place: Integrated Marketing Campaign – Product
• Avery Anslinger and Isabella Ruiz, seventh place: Career Development Project
• Nithin Palani, seventh place: Professional Selling
• Bhuvan Gundela, eighth place: Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series
• Ayanna Arora, finalist: Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series
• Spandan Datta and Parasram Nemani, finalists: Marketing Management and Team Decision-Making

Student leadership is key to DECA success

While competition is a big part of the DECA experience, Margot Cowing, an EPHS business and marketing teacher who co-advises the DECA teams, said that student leadership is the cornerstone of the program’s continued success. 

Advertisement

“Our officer team dedicates countless hours developing a framework for community building, civic engagement and competition,” she said. 

Cowing noted that DECA officers lead committees, organize meetings, host community service events and run mock competitions to meet member needs – all while balancing rigorous academic schedules and preparing to compete in various DECA events themselves.

“Their leadership is evident in the body of work they have produced, including increased membership, funds raised, competition results and projects that impact the local community and beyond,” she said. 

Scott Sayles, an EPHS business teacher and DECA’s other co-advisor, said that the friendship, collaboration and support these students give each other are what make the club meaningful. 

“We have the luxury of having great success on paper, but it is the other things that aren’t seen that makes our chapter special,” he said. “Our kids are so connected to each other, and they want to see others succeed just as much as themselves. They are so motivated to leave EP DECA better than they found it, and this year are leaving a fantastic legacy.”