At this year’s Career Development Conferences sponsored by Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), 17 Mentor High School students placed first at regionals, eight placed second, and one senior, Gianna Mongenel, placed ninth at states. (See the breakdown of names and events in the sidebar.) 

Mongenel’s ninth place win was no small feat considering the number of students who participated. According to Drew McKnight, the advisor of DECA, “Out of over 110 schools and 7,000 students in the state of Ohio that offer DECA programs, approximately 2,500 students typically attend the Career Development Conference each year for state competition.”

At Mentor High School, DECA is a big part of the Marketing/Business Administration class, just one of the classes that make up the Career and Technology Education (CTE) program at the school. CTE offers many classes on various careers to help prepare students for entry level work in those fields. The Marketing/Business Administration class focuses on business-related jobs, such as marketing, finance, and more.

McKnight, who also teaches the Marketing/Business Administration class, said, “I think the best part of DECA is seeing the students succeed with something new and having a learning experience outside the classroom that demonstrates their skills and exposes them to different careers.” He said that for him the most rewarding part is watching students succeed and find their paths for the future.

Mongenel’s classmate, Caya Santana, is also a part of DECA. When asked to describe her favorite aspect of the club, she said, “For me it’s learning new things and being able to do it with your friends all hanging out and going to dinner.” Many other participants agreed that teamwork and skills are the best part of the class. 

As the 2026 season comes to a close in April those who are interested in becoming a member of DECA for next year are highly encouraged to do so. For students debating whether they should join or not, Santana said, “Definitely join. It’s a learning experience, and next year I’ll do it again because I learned stuff that prepared me for the real world.”

Santana’s final piece of advice for those interested in the class is: “ Just take advantage of your resources from class. Use them to help and prepare yourself and just have fun. Don’t stress out. It’s actually fun.”