The high school sent 67 business-minded students to compete in the DECA Suffolk County Regional Competition on Jan. 8, facing off against over 1,200 students from 28 other schools. Guided by DECA adviser Gregory Menig, 29 of Deer Park’s students won trophies at the event, while another five earned honorable mention.

Earning first place trophies were Jasleen Kaur in the Accounting Applications category, James Hope in Food Marketing, Saima Hoque in Business Finance, Omar Rahim in Human Resources Management and Esteysy Yanes-Amaya in Personal Financial Literacy. Winning second place were Enika Merekar in Principles of Business Management and Gavin Thomas in Restaurant and Food Service Management; while third place trophies went to Sameem Ahmadzai in Accounting Applications, Huda Nawaz in Principles of Finance, and the team of Isabella Coon and Logan Eisenberg in Financial Services Team.

Also coming home with trophies were Michael Buffa in Food Marketing, Haley Celona in Hotel and Lodging Management, Ushima Chowdhury in Marketing Communications, Martin Chica in Automotive Services Marketing, Matt Farquharson in Quick Serve Restaurant Management, Michael Greene in Automotive Services Marketing, Max Hofstetter in Food Marketing, Hailey Lipiec in Principles of Marketing, Amanda Poggioli in Principles of Business Management, Alyssa Robb in Restaurant and Food Service Management, Nimra Salim in Personal Financial Literacy, Anesa Shahid in Quick Serve Restaurant Management, Khabiba Shahid in Personal Financial Literacy, Tasfia Shaikh in Retail Merchandising, Chaim Shames in Professional Selling (Marketing), Keryn Shames in Hospitality and Tourism Selling, Jessica Siford in Hotel and Lodging Management and Nicholas Stamatakis in Principles of Finance.

These trophy winners will compete on Feb. 25-28 at the state competition in Rochester, in an effort to qualify for the national competition to be held at the end of April in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Deer Park students who earned honorable mention recognition at the DECA Regional Competition were Madison Cadena in the Principles of Hospitality and Tourism category, Regan Mays in Apparel and Accessories Marketing, Ryder Min in Principles of Marketing, Michael Zanello in Retail Merchandising and Dilan Zhindon in Principles of Business Management.

“Congratulations to all of the students on a job well done,” Menig said.