La Follette DECA Students Earn State Honors, Advance to International Competition

MADISON, Wis.—Students from the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Robert M. La Follette High School DECA chapter earned top honors at the State Career Development Conference in Lake Geneva, competing against more than 1,600 students from across Wisconsin.

La Follette brought nine students to the conference: sophomores Pax Cornelius, Malina Xiong and Claire Mills; juniors Dylan Larson, Allison Torres and Maya Ronquillo; and seniors Will Storck, Scout Braun and Logan Sande.

As a chapter, La Follette was recognized as a Diamond Chapter and received the Excellence in Community Service award for its work supporting initiatives including Trick-or-Can, Color a Smile, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and other charitable efforts.

Individually, students earned multiple competitive honors:

Dylan Larson was named an exam medalist in Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service and earned exam medalist, roleplay medalist and finalist distinctions in Sports and Entertainment Marketing.
Will Storck earned exam medalist honors in Apparel and Accessories Marketing.
Scout Braun, Logan Sande and Will Storck were named finalists in the Entrepreneurship Start-Up Business Plan event.

Several students qualified to represent La Follette High School at the DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta this April:

Dylan Larson and Pax Cornelius in Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service
Logan Sande, Scout Braun and Will Storck in Entrepreneurship Start-Up Business Plan
Dylan Larson in Sports and Entertainment Marketing
Will Storck in Apparel and Accessories Marketing

In addition, sophomores Claire Mills and Malina Xiong were selected to participate in the Leadership Academy program.

Kurtis Nelsen, La Follette marketing and business education teacher and DECA advisor, said the students’ preparation and teamwork were evident throughout the competition.

“Our students committed themselves to months of preparation, balancing coursework, practices and community initiatives,” Nelsen said. “They represented La Follette with professionalism, confidence and a strong understanding of business concepts. Watching them grow through this process has been incredibly rewarding.”

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Through competitive events, leadership development and community engagement, students apply classroom learning in real-world business scenarios and gain skills valued by colleges and employers.

“Career and technical student organizations are a powerful extension of our CTE pathways,” said Mary Jankovich, executive director of college, career and community readiness. “They give students opportunities to apply what they learn in authentic settings, compete at a high level and grow as leaders. La Follette’s continued success highlights the strength of our business and marketing programs across the district.”

DECA is one of several career and technical student organizations available to MMSD students as part of the district’s broader Career and Technical Education programming. These organizations extend learning beyond the classroom, providing hands-on, career-connected experiences that strengthen leadership, collaboration and problem-solving skills.

For more information about the clubs available to La Follette students, please visit the school’s website.

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About the Madison Metropolitan School District

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.