Pictured in the front row, from left, are Sofia Carrillo; second row, Sylvia Ghisel Medrano, Haley Wagner, Nisha Mody and Christian Haley; back row, Ashley N. Gonzalez, Alex Ray Sanchez, Rubie Contreras, Alan Scott, Hunter Smith, Brianna Cavazos and Sabrena Ortiz. Bishop High School marketing students attended the District I DECA 2012 Career Development Conference Jan. 16 at the University of Texas - Pan American in Edinburg.

There were more than 400 conference delegates from 22 high school in District I, which extends from Beeville to Laredo and to Brownsville. Bishop High School is the only 2A high school in the DECA district. All other schools are 3A and larger.

DECA is a marketing association that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. The organization’s activities and programs complement classroom instruction by giving students practical experience through application of the skills learned at school.

The following Bishop High School students competed in these various marketing categories:

Brianna Cavazos and Sabrena Ortiz - Fashion merchandising promotional plan

Rubie Contreras and Ashley N. Gonzalez - Community Service Project Research Project

Christian Haley - Accounting Application Individual Series Contest

Sofia Carrillo and Sylvia Gishel Medrano - Creative Marketing Research Project

Alan Scott and Hunter Smith - Sports and Entertainment Team Decision Making Contest

Nisha Mody and Haley Wagner - Hospitality and Tourism Team Decision Making

Alex Ray Sanchez - Human Resources Management Individual Series Contest

The state qualifiers are Rubie Contreras, Ashley N. Gonzalez, Sofia Carrillo, Sylvia Gishel Medrano, Alan Scott, Hunter Smith, Alex Ray Sanchez, Briana Cavazos, Sabrena Ortiz and Christian Haley.

The DECA State Career Development Conference will be held March 1-3 in Corpus Christi.