LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - After weeks of hard work, Lima Senior DECA students put their entrepreneurship skills to the test Friday night.
Inside the high school, students participated in Lima Senior’s fifth annual DECA Marketplace, where they sold products they designed and developed. The project required students to create a business idea and pitch it to local community “sharks” for funding. From there, the young entrepreneurs branded, labeled, promoted and produced their products before offering them for sale. All of the students’ dedication is preparing them for the District 3 Career Development Conference next month at the University of Findlay.
"There are a couple groups that their specific individual products they've made, a project about, and then, there is a group that the overall marketplace is kind of their big project, and they'll go present how this is done, their objectives and their findings and how their sales came out tonight, and they'll go compete against kids all over the State of Ohio," says Chrissy Hood, Finance & Business Teacher and DECA Advisor, Lima Senior High School.
Through the hands-on experiences, Lima Senior DECA students say they are gaining valuable preparation for the real business world.
"DECA is very hands-on, like not any other class, like Financial Lit, is going to throw you in front of a judge and make you talk personally to them. You're not ever going to have the opportunity to travel like we do or make products like we do. This is the kind of material you just can't learn in a regular classroom," says Jayla Cook, Lima Senior High School DECA Student.
Lima Senior DECA is also working on the annual Joy Project basketball game against Shawnee in January.
