Aaron Bruce and Bryan Mattack are now among the ‘elite of the elite? in the ranks of marketing students across the nation and around the world.
The pair of Oxford High School DECA Club members placed second in the finals of the Competitive Events Program at DECA’s 58th Annual International Career Development Conference held May 1-4 in Nashville, Tennessee.
DECA is an international association of marketing students operating through schools to attract young people to careers in marketing, merchandising, management and entrepreneurship.
According to Steve Ruch, this the OHS club’s highest ranking in the international competition since he took over as club advisor in 1996.
At this year’s competition, 26 OHS DECA members competed against more than 13,000 fellow marketing students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, South Korea and Germany.
‘I was really impressed with everybody,? Ruch said. ‘Regardless of where they placed or whether they place, I was proud of how well everyone prepared. I felt like they all did good.?
Mattack said he was ‘happy? about the second place finish.
‘It was cool,? he said.
Bruce said he was pleased, but a ‘little surprised.?
Bruce and Mattack, both seniors, were recognized for their retail marketing project involving ‘Finishline,? an athletic shoe and apparel store located in the Great Lakes Crossing Mall.
The team determined six ‘major problems? facing the business and formulated six solutions to help the local store and ‘benefit the corporation? that owns it, according to Bruce.
‘We put a lot into our presentation to make sure it was good and polished,? Mattack said.
Bruce said they chose Finishline because they both shop there a lot and are school athletes.
Mattack plays baseball, basketball and golf, while Bruce plays golf.
Senior Courtney McGraw finished in fourth place with her project ‘Reading Big for Boys and Girls: Pine Tree’s Helping Hands Read for Children’s Hospital.?
McGraw’s project involved a Pine Tree Elementary (in Lake Orion) first-grade class reading a total of 1,322 books over a three-month period. In return, the Oxford Big Boy owner Chris Heins agreed to donate five books to Children’s Hospital of Michigan for every 10 books the students read, resulting in a donation of 660 books.
The project was designed to promote the Oxford Big Boy through its community involvement and charity work.
‘It was nice to do something good for the community,? McGraw said of her project.
Of her fourth place finish, she remarked, ‘I was proud of myself and proud of the kids for all the reading they did.?
Ruch noted McGraw is the only OHS DECA member to ever place twice in the international competition’s top 10 since Ruch became advisor in 1996. She took 7th place last year with a retail marketing project.
Two other OHS DECA teams finished in the top 16 at international competition.
The first consisted of Junior Jake Crowell and Sophomore Kelsy King. The team put together a general research marketing project in which they surveyed 300 customers of ‘Landslide Skate Park? in Utica to gauge their perceptions of the facilities, employees, etc.
‘I thought we did really well,? said King. ‘It was our first year with DECA.?
‘We’ll do better next year,? said Crowell with confidence.
The second team consisted of seniors Dave Reile and Kathleen Roberts, who’s civic consciousness project raised more than $1,300 for The Foundation for Ashley’s Dream, a Troy-based organization working to reduce and eventually eliminate drunk driving.
Of their placement in the top 16, Reile said they felt ‘proud,? but ‘we would have liked to finish better.?