Members of the business organization DECA competed at the District 4 meet at Klein High School on Saturday, Jan. 16. Fifty-three students competed and 50 placed, which qualified them to compete at the state competition in San Antonio in February.

“I’m very pleased with the results of the competition,” DECA sponsor Brenda Vines said. “They are a result of the students’ hard work and dedication.”

Competitive events center around five categories: entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, hospitality and tourism, and business administration and management. It was the first DECA competition for senior Sneha Sannabhadti, who competed and qualified in Advertising Campaign, where students create marketing campaigns for a product of their choosing.

“By competing, I have learned more about another career field that I was never interested in until now,” Sannabhadti said. “Now, I may take additional business classes in college, because not only is it good for my general knowledge, but it will help me if I were to open my own practice in the future.”

The state competition will be from Feb. 25 through 27, and the district will provide room and transportation.

“My hope for state competition is that we send more people to nationals this year than we did the years before,” DECA officer senior Isaac Williams said. “My goal is to break the school record for national competition participants.”