On Saturday, January 13th, the Utica High DECA Team hopes to dominate in round 1 of the DECA Regionals.

DECA is a co-curricular program that combines with marketing classes to prep students for the business world.

The mentor for the group, marketing teacher, and school store manager Dana Boyce, has lead the previous Utica DECA teams to victory in the past. She hopes to encourage DECA kids to do their best and continue into the next round.

Students compete in different events and categories. Some being finance, hospitality and tourism, business management and administration, entrepreneurship and marketing.

“I like seeing kids become the best they can be before they compete,” Boyce said. “kids put so much into their work and we always do really well.”

Some of the DECA competitors advanced into round 2 in Detroit.

“It was super exciting finding out I made it to round 2,” sophomore Ryan Fromm said. “I have to be more creative in order to get to the next round.”

Even if some competitors did not reach round 2, the experience was still good and memories were made.

“Overall, I had a good experience,” sophomore Cameron Smale said. “I was nervous but it was fun.”

DECA Regionals was a day full of wins and losses but, at the end of it, Utica’s team pulled through and claimed victories in a variety of subjects.