The Hillcat Corner, the school-based enterprise at Hillsboro-Deering High School was among 246 school-based enterprises achieving Gold Certification for the 2020-21 school year and will be recognized during DECA’s Virtual International Career Development Conference this April 19 through 23.
A school-based enterprise (SBE) is an entrepreneurial operation in a school setting that provides goods and services to meet the needs of the market. SBEs are managed and operated by students as hands-on learning laboratories that integrate National Curriculum Standards in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. DECA advisors have utilized this effective educational tool for over four decades to provide their students with realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction, enhance 21st-century skill development, and prepare students for college and careers.
The DECA members who contributed to the certification were Kaylea Davison, Alexis McClure, Serenedy Kelley, and Hannah Edwards with the assistance of their DECA chapter advisor, Marc Payeur. The SBE at Hillsboro-Deering High School has operated for 21 years and is to be commended for this achievement.
DECA’s School-based Enterprise Certification Program provides recognition for outstanding achievement by school-based enterprises and to motivate SBEs to strive for excellence and growth. SBEs can be certified at three levels: bronze, silver or gold. In order to apply for the certification, SBEs must submit extensive documentation that explains how the SBE demonstrates the practice of various marketing and retail standards.