Saint Andrew’s Upper School DECA Students Advance to State Conference

Saint Andrew's Upper School DECA had an outstanding performance at this year’s district competition on Friday, January 16, at Keiser University. The process for qualifying for the district event was incredibly competitive this year, with over 2,000 student entries. In the end, 19 SA students placed at the top of their events and qualified for the state-level conference in March, also known as DECA’s Career Development Conference (CDC).

DECA is a globally recognized student organization that prepares high school and college students for careers in business, finance, marketing, hospitality, and entrepreneurship. Through competitive events, leadership conferences, and hands-on projects, DECA connects classroom learning to real-world business challenges, helping students develop professional skills, innovative thinking, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial mindsets.

“One of the reasons I love DECA is that it gives students an exciting space to practice critical thinking and professional communication with industry professionals, while also building confidence, friendships, and networks with students from other schools,” said DECA advisor Cristen Magaletti. “I have been so proud to watch this club grow at Saint Andrew’s and to see students consistently leaning into opportunities to challenge themselves, apply what they are learning, and step into leadership in meaningful ways."

Emma Bachrodt ’26, President DECA at Saint Andrew’s, will be going to states for her second time, competing in Travel & Tourism Team Decision Making.  

“Last year’s experience taught me so much, and I can’t wait to use it to do even better this year!”

When speaking about the team’s experience at Districts, she said, “Our team gained so much confidence and experience, and it’s been amazing to see even more people qualify for States this year!"

Congratulations to all the SA students who participated for their hard work, professionalism, and dedication.

 

Below is a list of the students advancing to the State-Level Conference (CDC):

Angie Anderson ’26

Emma Bachrodt ’26

Maximo Banegas ’27

Elan Beker ’28

Adriano Cirillo ’28

Paolo Civera ’27

Alexa Gomez ’27

Sabrina Greenberg ’26

Constantine Kanarios ’26

Blake Kornhaber ’26

Jackson Kuntz ’27

Cameron Mackay ’26

Brandon Mordis ’26

Olivia Orlandi ’26

Mia Plasencia ’26

Thomas Schreiber ’26

Matthew Spina ’26

Daniel Stoica ’26

Maggie Worrilow ’26