Sixteen members of the Urbana High School (UHS) DECA chapter have qualified for the 2026 DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, following standout performances at the 2026 Ohio DECA State Career Development Conference.
By placing in the top five of their event categories, these students earned the opportunity to compete with the best DECA members in the world.
State Competition Results
1st Place: Avari Jenkins, Olivia MacKendrick, and Layla West – Project Management Financial Literacy Project
3rd Place: Lacie Cayten, Riley DeMoss, and Charlotte Timm – Project Management Community Awareness
3rd Place: Ellie Blacker, Addi Hegyi, and Bri Schuler – Franchise Business Plan
3rd Place: Hazel Lightle – Business Growth Plan
4th Place: Avery Smith and Noraa Smith – Hospitality & Tourism Business Operations Research
5th Place: Alex Dixon and Brody Donahoe – Project Management Community Giving
Gold Re-Certification: Bre Eggleston & Vincent Lightle – School-Based Enterprise: Food Operations
In addition, UHS DECA set a chapter record with 22 state finalists, placing in the top 12 in their events:
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6th Place: Julianne Hoskins & Madison Music – Finance Operations Research
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6th Place: Bre Eggleston & Vincent Lightle – Project Management Sales Project
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9th Place: Evan Upchurch & Michael Upchurch – Buying & Merchandising Operations Research
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10th Place: Maddie Long & Brylee Spriggs – Business Services Operations Research
Thomas Russell, UHS DECA Advisor, congratulated all students for their hard work and dedication, noting that the chapter continues to grow its presence in both state and national DECA competitions.
