PRAIRIE GROVE -- Three Prairie Grove High students scored high enough in a statewide business and marketing competition to advance to an international contest May 3-6 in Atlanta, Ga.
Students, Kendra Happy, Miles Lowe and Darby Rush, are members of Distributive Education Clubs of America or DECA and competed in the job interview category at the state DECA conference in Springdale in March. The Atlanta competition is called the International Career Development Conference.
Rush, 16, placed first in his job interview. He interviewed for a bank job using Principles of Finance. Happy placed third for Business Management and Administrative Series and Lowe also placed third for Principles of Hospitality and Tourism. The top three in each category advanced to the international conference.
Students were given 10 minutes to look over the position they would be applying for and allowed to make some notes to help them in their interviews. That's all the notice they received, Rush said.
Lowe, 16, said he was interviewing for a job in a hotel and the panel asked him questions such as how technology could impact marketing for the hotel and what would be different ways of achieving success for the hotel.
Happy said she was interviewing to work under the chief executive officer for a "big name company."
Prior to the state conference, the students had to take a 100-question test. The grade from this test counted toward their overall score at the state conference.
Lowe said DECA helps students prepare for real-life situations, such as job interviews and how to dress for interviews, business etiquette and meeting new people.
"Overall, it's a good program," Lowe said.
Happy said the club also has helped her with social skills.
"I'm getting ready to go to college. I think everyone needs to learn how to do a job interview correctly," said Happy, a senior who plans to attend the University of Arkansas and major in agricultural education and minor in science.
One thing the students learned through the competition is that they have to be able to "sell" themselves, said Rush.
"You have to present yourself. No one is going to brag for yourself. You have to present yourself as the best one out there," Rush added.
The students are raising their own money to pay for their trip to Atlanta. Anyone wishing to contribute to the costs can contact the high school, 846-4212.
DECA prepares high school and college students around the globe for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management, according to the DECA website.
General News on 04/23/2014