Fifteen Heritage High School students competed in the DECA State Leadership Conference (SLC) in Virginia Beach from Feb. 27-March 1, 2026. Students tested their skills in entrepreneurship, business administration, marketing communications, human resource management, and more against the top competitors in Virginia.
DECA (formerly Distributive Education Clubs of America) is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) student organization with more than 300,000 members worldwide. Regional, state, and international competitions help students sharpen industry-specific expertise in marketing, finance, hospitality, management, and entrepreneurship. They also provide opportunities for students to develop leadership, teamwork, public speaking, and networking skills.
“DECA gives students incredible opportunities that they often wouldn’t otherwise get in high school,” said Heritage High marketing and entrepreneurship teacher Andrew Kelso, who leads the school’s DECA program. “I love introducing students to new experiences that will equip them for life, both personally and professionally.”
Heritage High students at the 2026 DECA State Leadership Conference
Competitions Supercharge Business Leadership Skills
DECA helps students take their marketing and entrepreneurship education to the next level. Kelso works with students year-round to prepare for competition events, which include pitching business proposals, creating marketing plans, analyzing case studies, acting out customer service or human resources scenarios, and more. Most years, his students qualify for the SLC after winning district-level honors.
“When I found out I won first place in districts this year, I was ecstatic. I worked so hard for it. I was super excited,” said Heritage High twelfth grader Laila Jones. “DECA has really helped me expand my horizons when it comes to speech, communication, and networking. I’ve improved a lot since last year’s competition.”
Some of Kelso’s students have even made it to the prestigious international conference. In 2024, Heritage High School students Essence Rosser and Serena Hernandez got the rare opportunity to compete in DECA’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC).
Rosser, now a sophomore studying marketing at Johnson and Wales University, says DECA helped prepare her for college.
“Competing with DECA has helped me to establish a deeper understanding of how to quickly and creatively apply what I learn in class to real-world situations. It also taught me soft skills, such as how to establish a voice and presence in a room while presenting and how to communicate my ideas to others,” Rosser said.
Heritage High students Essence Rosser (left) and Serena Hernandez (right) competed in DECA’s 2024 International Career Development Conference.
DECA is an underrated gem at Heritage High. Students often credit it as one of the most impactful educational experiences of their high school careers.
“I feel like DECA made me who I am now. It helped me get better at public speaking, and I’m super grateful for that. I’ve also made so many new friends through DECA,” said Heritage High twelfth grader Kaionna Jones. “I think anybody who wants to do DECA should just start. They shouldn’t be shy. It will really help you in life and have a huge impact on you.”
Kelso says his former DECA students have gone on to be successful lawyers, entrepreneurs, and more. One student, Shawn Webb, even decided to give back to his community as an educator.
Webb, a Heritage High business education teacher and track and field coach, participated in DECA and took Kelso’s marketing classes at Liberty High School. He says these experiences inspired him to pursue a career in business education.
“DECA gives you an opportunity to see different aspects of the business world, from marketing to administration to advertising to HR. It opens your eyes to bigger possibilities that you normally wouldn’t be exposed to as a high schooler,” Webb said. “For many students, DECA conferences are the first time they’re expected to dress in business attire. Competitions give them a taste of the professionalism standards they’d encounter in a real-world business environment.”
Even today, Webb stays connected with DECA as a volunteer conference judge. He even leads competition teams of his own through Heritage High’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), another student CTE organization.
Heritage High students head to the 2025 DECA district conference in December.
HHS DECA Advisor to Retire After Four Decades
For Kelso, this year’s SLC was bittersweet. 2026 marks his 41st and final year as a DECA advisor.
At the end of this school year, he’ll retire from his four-decade teaching career. Over his past 13 years as a teacher at Heritage High, he’s served as a DECA advisor and basketball coach.
“Mr. Kelso has made an immeasurable impact on generations of young people at Heritage and beyond. Through his work with DECA and the marketing program, he’s created real-world experiences kids will never forget. He will be deeply missed,” said Heritage High Principal Tim Beatty.
Kelso’s impact on the Heritage High community started well before he started teaching at the school. Webb says Kelso’s student-focused approach inspired him to be a teacher.
“He’s probably had a larger impact than anyone else in terms of why I am where I am today,” Webb said. “He’s always had a knack for connecting with kids and meeting them where they are. The way kids flock to him and do DECA with him year after year speaks to the kind of teacher and role model he is.”
Heritage High teacher and DECA advisor Andrew Kelso
Many Heritage High students see Kelso as a mentor. He makes a point to form supportive relationships with students, creating an environment in which learners feel empowered to try new things and challenge themselves.
“I think my students know I’m going to try to do what’s best for them. It’s not always about the academic grade for me. If I can have a positive influence on their lives, that’s what matters,” Kelso said. “My favorite thing is when students come back after graduating and let me know they appreciate what I did for them.”
Kelso’s presence at Heritage High will be missed, but his impact on the LCS CTE program will be felt long after he retires. DECA students may even run into him at future conferences–he plans to continue his involvement as a volunteer competition judge.
“I think he’s left a huge impact on Heritage High through his work with DECA. He’s a really good teacher, and he makes everyone feel like family,” said Heritage High twelfth grader Kaionna Jones.
A shelf in Kelso’s classroom displays DECA awards from past years.
DECA Students Win District Awards, Compete at State Level
Kelso’s final DECA competition season was a success. Fifteen of his students participated in the DECA State Leadership Conference (SLC) in Virginia Beach from Feb. 27-March 1, 2026, after winning the district competition.
The following students were recognized at the preliminary state awards ceremony for their outstanding performance:
- Maxx Castle: Apparel and Accessories Marketing
- Laila Jones: Business Services Marketing
- Aaron Lin: Human Resource Management
The following students placed in the top three at the district competition on December 3, 2025:
- Mauricio Hernandez: 1st place in the district for Automotive Services
- Laila Jones: 1st place in the district for Business Services
- Jasmine Ruiz: 1st place in the district for Marketing Communications
- Adrian Alanis: 1st place in the district for Principles of Business Administration
- Paul Okojie: 2nd place in the district for Entrepreneurship
- Aaron Lin: 2nd place in the district for Human Resource Management
- Kaionna Hones: 2nd place in the district for Quick Service Restaurant
- Mariana Layne: 2nd place in the district for Restaurant & Food Service
- Aiden Myers: 2nd place in the district for Retail Merchandising
- Maxx Castle: 3rd place in the district for Apparel and Accessories
- Kyle Davis: 3rd place in the district for Food Marketing
- Caleb Larkins: 3rd place in the district for Principles of Hospitality and Tourism
Juliet Matthews (Human Resource Management), Kingston Crawford (Sports and Entertainment), and Jenesis Huffman (Business Finance) also won awards in their respective district events.
