DECA Program Receives 2016 ‘Get Involved’ Award at 20th Annual Cornucopia Luncheon

The high school program was recognized by the Volunteer Center of Lubbock alongside 12 other organizations in the community.

deca-luncheon-3The DECA program at Frenship High School received a “Get Involved” award from the Volunteer Center of Lubbock Wednesday (Nov. 2) at the 20th Annual Cornucopia Luncheon. The student marketing association was recognized alongside 12 other organizations in the community.

The award is designed to recognize outstanding volunteers that make the Lubbock community strong and vibrant as they help others to improve the world around them.

During the 2015-16 school year, DECA was actively involved in helping with Lubbock’s Buckner Children and Family Services (BCFS) by helping with seven different events throughout the year, including a Thanksgiving meal, breakfast with Santa, a Fall into Service day, and many others. The students in the DECA program were able to interact families involved with BCFS as well as foster children.

Amy Baker, Frenship High School’s career and technical education coordinator and 2015-16 DECA sponsor, said she is very proud of the students who volunteered with BCFS last year and their genuine efforts to serve others.

“What started as a small, simple project evolved into something that had a true impact on many lives,” she said. “It was an honor watching our kids give their time and talents outside of school to make a difference.”

The 2015-16 DECA chapter president Robert Buelna and current DECA chapter president Jan Wilson accepted the award on behalf of the program at Frenship. Last year, Buelna and Wilson presented their work with BCFS at the international DECA competition, which earned the chapter a ranking in the top 20 on the world level of the organization.

“It is an honor to receive this ‘Get Involved’ award on behalf of the chapter,” said Buelna, now a freshman at Texas Tech University. “Honestly, the true reward was working with the kids at Buckner Children and Family Services. We are just so grateful for the opportunity we had to spend time with the children and volunteer our services to the organization.”

deca-luncheon-4Wilson, a senior at Frenship High School, said the award is more so deserved for the kids at BCFS.

“I don’t feel like we deserve this award,” she said. “It’s the kids who are the real winners because they changed and impacted our lives more than we ever could have for them. They are so special and it was an honor to work with Buckner Children and Family Services.”

DECA is an organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the world with more than 80,000 students involved with the program. Frenship’s chapter has received recognitions in the past for its performance, including winning state in 2015 at the Texas Career Development Conference in Dallas.

“I will never forget watching those students becoming immersed in giving,” said Baker. “I think we were all changed last year and we see the world a little differently now. We appreciate what we have and the value of teamwork. We have confidence in knowing that one person can change someone else’s life.”

For more information about Frenship’s DECA program, visit its website.