MHS DECA Wins Big

Dave Reynolds, Coordinator of Career and Technical Education and Mike Awdziewicz, DECA advisor and founder of the program, both Middletown residents, submitted this report on the Middletown High School DECA.   Middletown DECA, the largest and most successful DECA program in the state and recognized as a top 1% program, is a student organization of 160 Junior and Senior students at Middletown High School.  DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.  There are over 200,000 DECA students in 5000 high schools and hundreds of colleges worldwide.

In February of this year, students from Middletown DECA competed at the annual state competition against approximately 1000 students from around the state.  There are over 50 competitive events in which students must take a rigorous test, perform case study presentations and create and present business plans.  Events include Marketing, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Hospitality, Business Ethics, Sports and Entertainment, Travel and Tourism, Human Resources and many others. Out of 50 students from our city that competed, Middletown DECA had 39 winners, 17 of which were first place winners.  This was another record-breaking year.

This week, 22 students from Middletown DECA competed at the International Career Development Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.  15,000 students from around the globe, that had won at their respective local competitions, attended the conference.

Students had to again complete rigorous written testing and multiple case study and business plan presentations.  The young women and men of Middletown DECA brought pride to our school and city by earning seven medals, which was half the total of all of Connecticut, and 13 certificates of merit.  Middletown DECA was also recognized as one of the top 1% of all DECA programs in the world.


·         Thomas McAlear, 3 medals for competitive events and testing, top 20 in world.

·         Patrick Michaud, 2 medals for competitive events and testing, top 20 in the world.

·         Travis Garbowski, 2 medals for competitive events and testing, top 20 in the world.



Top 20% certificates of merit:

·         Quian Callendar

·         Miriam Charry

·         Elizabeth Fraulino

·         Rachel Kantrowitz

·         Ava Delmastro

·         Tom McAlear

·         Brittany Pieta

·         Alyssa Kegley

·         Heric Flores-Huerta

·         Fatima Bishtawi

·         Samantha Gambino

·         Patrick Michaud

·         Travis Garbowski

Congratulations DECA students!