Gillette takes top honors at DECA conference

Whitefish High School junior Sydney Gillette won first place at the DECA International Career Development Conference April 23 -28 in Louisville, Ky. — marking the first time a Whitefish student has garnered a top score at the event.

"I was extremely surprised that I won," Gillette said. "They called my name and I couldn't believe it. It's sort of surreal. I don't think I realize what a big deal it is yet."

Gillette, competing in the Principles of Hospitality and Tourism category, had to demonstrate her basic marketing knowledge through a competency exam of 100 questions, and her ability to apply these concepts through a real-life business situation. She had 10 minutes to prepare her response to a case study about hotel security for businesswomen, and then present her ideas to a judge.

"You have to come up with creative and unique ideas that stick out," Gillette explained. "You practice thinking of things others won't."

Her presentation wowed the judges and garnered her a glass trophy and $1,000 in prize money.

Despite the win, Gillette doesn't think she'll pursue a career in hospitality or even business. She's interested in journalism and TV anchoring, but she still sees great value in DECA and the international competition.

"The competition makes you think on your feet," she said. "DECA prepares you for solving problems, being personable, and being around people and connecting with them.

"It's great that I found something I'm good at."

DECA adviser Jeremy Anderson said Gillette's success is a direct reflection of her commitment and dedication to prepare prior to the competition.

"She could have been content with her place at the state competition," Anderson said. "But she's a true competitor, and she set her goals to be successful at the next level."

Gillette's win came against some of the top high school students in the nation and across the world.

"It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime accomplishment," Anderson said. "It's not easy to do what she did. Just to get to the international level of competition was an accomplishment in and of itself."

Students have to qualify through local and state competitions, Anderson explained. Each state is allotted a certain amount of competitors who move on to the international competition based on the number of DECA members in their state.

"Montana, being a small state with a limited number of DECA members, only gets to advance the top two from the state competition," Anderson said.

Other states, like Virginia where there are 13,000 DECA members, get to advance considerably more.

"Each competitive area has hundreds of the top students, the cream of the crop from each state vying for top honors," Anderson said.

Gillette competed against more than 200 other DECA members.

Whitefish High School instructors and DECA advisers, Anderson and assistant Shelle Kuntz brought nine students to participate in the conference, including Gillette, Willie Roche, Becca Strellnauer, Alex Fuehrer, Jacob Washer, Jack Hyer, Jake Walp, Miranda Myers and Bailey Chauner.

DECA is an international association of marketing students and provides a co-curricular program of activities for local high school marketing education programs across the U.S. and in Canada, Guam, Germany, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

The program is a great way for students to get involved with a co-curricular activity in any area of business, management, marketing, entrepreneurship or finance, Anderson said.