Entrepreneurs at Mound Westonka High School have been recognized by DECA for their work running the White Hawks Express, a concession trailer where fans can purchase spirit wear and other swag at school sporting events. As part of the honor, the school-based enterprise was certified at the gold level for the 2023-24 school year, and MWHS seniors Hailey Lockwood and Chloe Rice will be recognized for their work running the trailer during DECA’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in April.

This was the first year Westonka DECA has competed in the school-based enterprise (SBE) category. Although MWHS does not currently operate a school store, helping to manage the White Hawks Express last fall gave Lockwood and Rice hands-on retail experience. To get the certification - which can be at bronze, silver or gold levels - the students submitted a 50-page paper to show how their work met marketing and retail business standards. The White Hawks Express was among 728 school-based enterprises to achieve gold level certification this year.

Gold-certified SBEs are eligible to bring up to two student managers to the 2024 SBE Academy, which is held each year in conjunction with ICDC. During the SBE Academy, students experience professional development sessions, network with other SBE managers, and compete in front of judges with a prepared oral presentation based on one of the 10 instructional areas covered in the chapter certification project. The competition topic for 2024 is Product/Service Management.

The 2024 ICDC will be held April 27-30 in Anaheim, California.