What does it take to turn nerves into confidence? For Ensign College students stepping into last week’s DECA state competition, the answer was 60 minutes, a case study, and a whole lot of courage.
DECA challenges students in marketing, finance, hospitality, entrepreneurship, and management, pushing them to think fast, solve problems, present boldly, and discover new strengths.
With only 60 minutes to analyze a case study and 15 minutes to pitch their solutions to a panel of judges, students develop problem-solving skills in a fast-paced environment. Other events gave students months to craft detailed proposals, combining creativity, strategy, and real-world business skills.
Thirty-four Ensign students represented the school at Weber State University, where teams from 6 Utah schools competed to qualify for the national competition next spring. Ensign took home 27 awards, with four first-place wins in the following events:
- Financial Statement Analysis: Tomoka Inoue, Glorie Bouet, and Kevin Fuentes
- Entrepreneurship—Growing Your Business: Camille Farnsworth
- Entrepreneurship Operations: Easton Sainsbury
- Corporate Finance: Kevin Fuentes.
For many participants, the true victory wasn’t just the medals; it was the confidence and skills they gained along the way.
“Building a whole campaign from scratch—budget and all—was a challenge but also a great learning experience. I found that marketing could be an interesting career path for me,” said Angela Rodriguez, who got third place in the Advertising Campaign event.
Another first-time participant, Tomoka Inoue, shared, “I learned that my tendency to get nervous could be a challenge, but one that could be managed through preparation, teamwork, and clear communication.”
Now that students are qualified to attend nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, they will continue refining their presentations and strategies, ready to face the next level of challenges. DECA at Ensign College isn’t just about winning; it’s about learning, growing, and walking away with skills and confidence that students can carry far beyond the competition floor.
If you’re interested in stepping into growth, DECA offers a space to learn, practice, and discover new strengths. Stop by the 6th-floor office to sign up or learn more.
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Ensign College Winners, 1st through 3rd Place
Financial Statement Analysis
First place, team of Tomoka Inoue, Gloire Bouet, and Kevin Fuentes
Second place, team of Rischa De Leon and Brigette Yucuma
Entrepreneurship: Growing Your Business
First Place, Camille Farnsworth
Third Place, Abigail Marshall
Entrepreneurship Starting a Business
Second Place, Sam Hernandez
Entrepreneurship Operations
First Place, Easton Sainsbury
Second Place, Aqeel Emmanuel
Third place, Sam Hernandez
Corporate Finance
First Place, Kevin Fuentes
Professional Sales
Third Place, Brianni Koubembas
Advertising Campaign
Third Place, team of Medalith Guzman, Angela Rodriguez, and Laryssa Chaves
Business Ethics
Second Place, team of Diane Passey and Kristin Passey
B2B Marketing
Second Place, Team of Diane Passey and Kristin Passey
Third Place, Team of Angel Granados and Camille Farnsworth
International Marketing
Second Place, team of Eduardo Rua Teran, and Julieta Ramirez
Marketing Communication
Second Place, team of Medalith Guzman and Kesi Matu
Sports Marketing
Third Place, team of Josh Sommer and Easton Sainsbury
Event Planning
Second Place, team of Hailey Rupp and Abigail Marshall
Third Place, team of Medalith Guzman and Kesi Matu
Financial Accounting
Second Place, Kevin Fuentes
Fashion Merchandising
Third Place, Miguel Flores Catalan
Sales Management and Leadership
Second Place, Aqeel Emmanuel
Restaurant and Food Service
Second Place, Joshua Sommer
Third Place, Hunter Monson
Human Resource Management
Second Place, Carter Leski
Third Place, Hunter Monson
Retail Management
Second Place, Sam Hernandez
Third Place, Diego Scarpa