Leah Drewnowski, left, and Dani Ritzel celebrate their wins at the New Jersey State Career Development Conference. (Courtesy of Ocean City School District)
Ocean City High School is celebrating a student achievement that is almost a decade in the making.
Seniors Leah Drewnowski and Dani Ritzel advanced to the DECA International Career Development Conference after a standout team performance at the state level.
Their achievement marks the first time in nine years that an Ocean City DECA team has qualified to compete on the international stage, according to a news release.
Drewnowski and Ritzel will join 15,000 top-performing DECA students at the international business conference in Atlanta from April 25–28.
Maureen Merighi, OCHS business teacher and DECA adviser, has worked closely with both students throughout the year to prepare them for competition.
“I have been impressed by their commitment to DECA, as well as the focus and growth they have demonstrated,” Merighi said. “Both Leah and Dani have shown strong leadership within the chapter by mentoring fellow members and sharing valuable tools and resources available through DECA.”
Drewnowski and Ritzel make a particularly dynamic team.
“I have had experience in DECA because I have been part of the chapter for three years,” Drewnowski said. “It’s Dani’s first year. Her fresh perspective and creativity, combined with my experience, make us strong competitors.”
Throughout Drewnowski’s time in DECA, she has competed in a variety of events, including Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making as a sophomore and an Integrated Marketing Campaign–Product as a junior. This year, she also served as vice president of Ocean City DECA.
Ritzel quickly distinguished herself this year through her strong performance in Business Law and Ethics at the district level.
To qualify for the state conference, Drewnowski and Ritzel developed a 20-slide pitch deck on the creation of an Atlantic City music festival designed to boost tourism and generate revenue.
The pair spent months refining their concept and developing innovative marketing strategies. Judges praised the team’s written presentation and pitch deck for its clarity, creativity and professionalism.
Drewnowski and Ritzel also completed a 100-question exam assessing their understanding of key performance indicators as part of the evaluation process.
The team stood out among 70 teams participating in the competitive Integrated Marketing Campaign–Event.
They reached the finalist round by placing in the top 11, then survived another elimination round to secure sixth place and earn the honor of representing Ocean City DECA at the international level.
“We look forward to competing against the best,” said Ritzel. “We also are excited to attend leadership workshops and learn new business strategies that could help us in our careers.”
Drewnowski and Ritzel expressed gratitude to their business teacher, as well as OCHS Principal Dr. Wendy O’Neal and the entire Ocean City High School community for their support all year.
“Their achievement reflects not only their hard work but also the strength of the DECA program and its commitment to developing emerging leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality and management,” O’Neal said.
