Conference Prepares Next Generation of Education Teachers
Monday, January 7 2008
MOSCOW, Idaho – More than 180 North Idaho high school students from Lewiston, Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene and Lake City high schools were at the University of Idaho campus on Dec. 6 to participate in the annual DECA Conference hosted by the College of Education’s Department of Adult, Career and Technology Education. DECA aims to prepare its members for future careers in general marketing and business and provides professional development opportunities for both high school and college students. The event was designed and managed by ten University of Idaho students who are majoring in business and marketing education and technology education. “Planning, coordinating and managing an event like this is a great hands-on service learning activity for our University of Idaho students who are close to completing their teacher certification,” said Allen Kitchel, event manager and assistant professor in the department. “Students have an opportunity to work with high school advisers and develop their event planning and leadership skills. It helps prepare them for a career in education as business or marketing teachers at the high school level,” he said. Advisers and high schools attending the conference were Jon Hastings of Coeur d’Alene, Russ Blank from Lake City, Sindy Mathewson and John Potter of Lewiston, and Ryan Vordahl of Post Falls. The event prepares the university students to attend the state DECA conference in March in Boise. At the state conference, students will work towards qualifying for the International Career Development Conference in Atlanta in April 2008. University of Idaho students who planned and managed the event are: Morgan Purvis, Cathy Martin, Mitch Swanger, and Jaimie Kennedy. Technology education students included Chris Armstrong, Ross Miller, Altan Kandiyeli, John Grove, Matt Rauch and John Fisher. Dana Stover, assistant dean of the university’s College of Business, gave the welcome talk during the opening session of the conference. The high school students then chose one of 13 marketing categories for their competition. Each contestant completed a role-play event in which they were given a marketing scenario in the category they chose. Students also took a 50-question, multiple-choice exam. The combined score of these two activities determined the winners. Kandiyeli led the efforts of university technology education students to design the plaques given to the first place winners. All four schools had students place in the top four and received recognition and awards. Individual first place winners of their categories were Angela Alder in apparel and accessories marketing; Bryce Gillespie in automotive services marketing; Nick Chestnut in business Services Marketing; Phil Aram in food marketing; Leslie LaMontagne in marketing management; Adam Seubert in quick-serve restaurant management; Ashley Flock in restaurant and food service management; and from Coeur d’Alene High School, Hayden Andrel in retail merchandising. Team event winners were Trevor McEvers and Kent Elliot in financial analysis management; Amber Mallet and Liz Kang in hospitality services management; Tyler Rawson and Nikki Yates in Internet marketing management; Ridge Fuentes and Zane Hobart in sports and entertainment marketing management; and Taylor Brown and Erin Woodlief in travel and tourism marketing management. Following the competition, students participated in a Quiz Bowl. Each school was represented by a team of students that attempted to outplay their competing team by answering a series of marketing questions. Quiz Bowl team winners were Cody Arrasmith, Phil Aram, Kyle Hoffman and Bryce Gillespie of Lewiston. Contact: Cheryl Dudley, College of Education, (208) 885-0119 office or (208) 596-5391 cell, cdudley@uidaho.edu # # # About the University of Idaho Founded in 1889, the University of Idaho is the state’s flagship higher-education institution and its principal graduate education and research university, bringing insight and innovation to the state, the nation and the world. University researchers attract nearly $100 million in research grants and contracts each year; the University of Idaho is the only institution in the state to earn the prestigious Carnegie Foundation ranking for high research activity. The university’s student population includes first-generation college students and ethnically diverse scholars. Offering more than 150 degree options in 10 colleges, the university combines the strengths of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu. CD-1/4/08-EDU
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.