Over 155 SM East DECA — Distributive Education Clubs of America — students competed in the 2026 DECA State Career Development Conference from Sunday, March 1, to Monday, March 2, at Kansas State University, with over 15 teams and individuals finishing in the top three.
Twenty-five schools from across Kansas were in attendance, including Shawnee Mission, Blue Valley and Wichita Collegiate high schools, according to business teacher Mercedes Rasmussen.
“I was really proud that I was able to place in both my Business Solutions project, getting first and in Business Law, getting second,” senior Sarah Stein said. “It was really great to get to end our senior year off on such a strong note and get to run it back for a role play and finish our project off strong.”
Thirty-three students have qualified for DECA internationals in Atlanta in late April.
“We had more people on stage and honored than in past years,” Rasmussen said. “Internationals is the cherry on top of the sundae. I’m just proud of everyone.”
Second place - Charlotte Reintjes
Third place - Hannah Achatz and Kate Lucas
Third place - Max Broghammer
Third place - Millie Craven, Ava Fredrickson and Carly Kounkel
Second place - Evelyn Desalvo
Third place - Jeremy George
First place - Campbell Norris and Sarah Stein
Second place - Katherine Cook and Sarah Devkota
First place - Christopher Long
Second place - Quinlyn Anderson, Kaylee Gilliam and Megan Sederquist
Third place - Kara Parrett
Second place - Catherine Beltrame and Macy Sims
First place - Carly Kounkel and Megan Sederquist
Second place - Chase Jehle and Gus Kettler
Second place - Chloe Harmon and Eva Lowry
Third place - Cade Wildman
Third place - Ellie Burgess and Courtney Reiser
Second place - Cora Durman
Third place - Annie Trenkle
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