CRAIG — About 100 students gathered at Colorado Northwestern Community College’s Craig Campus on Monday, Dec. 3, for the 2018 DECA district competition. 

“DECA participants participate in a variety of marketing based events, made up of a 100-question multiple choice test and business role-play scenarios with a judge,” said Caitlen Krause, media representative for the Moffat County DECA chapter. “In our district, the first-place winner qualifies for state.”

The judges, business people from the area, were impressed by the home team; Moffat County will send 15 qualifiers to the DECA State competition in Colorado Springs in February.

Moffat County hosted the district DECA competition on Monday. The team qualified 15 students to state.

“We’re very grateful for all of the community members and business owners who were willing to come and judge our competition and CNCC for once again allowing us to have this event on campus,” Krause said. 

This year’s state qualifiers number five more than in 2017, when 10 students were successful in their bids for state. 

 “I’m really proud of everyone who qualified for state,” said Molly Neton, high school senior and DECA state qualifier. “We did a great job, and hopefully, we’re able to send some people to nationals.”

In 2017, Brianna Burkett — now a high school senior — participated in the DECA national tournament in Atlanta, Georgia, and is among those qualifying for the state meet this year.

The 2019 Colorado DECA state conference is scheduled for Feb. 24 through 26 at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.

Contact Sasha Nelson at 970-875-1794 or snelson@CraigDailyPress.com.