Students compete at DECA Districts
On December 2, 2025, students from Liberty High School and over 7 other schools participated in DECA Districts. The event took place in Fountain Fort Carson High School at the Trojan Arena. Students participated in roleplays that modeled real-life situations in business. For instance, a student would play as a manager trying to pitch a business idea. A good roleplay requires staying in character, understanding what you’re being asked, and being able to bring in your business knowledge.
On Liberty High School’s Facebook page, a recent post congratulates the following five state finalists: Maddy Dahl, Caroline Floyd, Morgan Hoelting, Annya Winsor, and Cooper Hinkle. The post reads, “Cooper came in 2nd place in the state of Colorado and will represent Colorado and Liberty in Orlando at our International Conference & Competition in April!”
Students similar to senior Christian Suess and his partner were first-time competitors and also made state. Suess notes that they are preparing for state by practicing with parents and studying performance indicators. Suess states, “I was really proud of how we were able to bounce off of each other’s ideas.”
The pair displayed a strong blend of analytical thinking and charisma throughout the event. Suess explained, “We were given a problem of how to increase sales with a specific show, and we were able to spin it and create a really good presentation.”
Senior Nicolas Schahinian says that performing under pressure was when he and his partner did their best work. When asked what he was most proud of, Schahinian stated, “The creativity of making things up…” referring to coming up with ideas during roleplays.
Schahinian’s partner, senior Landon Evans, explained that you have no clue what your roleplay will be before you come to the competition. Evans says that prior to the competition, he knew his category was restaurant and food management, but nothing about what roleplay he would have to use. The senior also explained that you sit down and flip over a paper that tells you what your role play will be, and then you have ten minutes to brainstorm before presenting your ideas.
When asked what Evans was doing to prepare for state, Evans mentioned the 100-question tests that are taken at competitions and how he is taking practice tests to prepare. Evans stated that he was most proud of how quickly he could think and respond to the situation and other people in the roleplay. He also mentioned, “I made multiple like graphs and like I made a floor plan to show them my physical ideas. It helps get my creativity on paper to get in front of the judge, which I thought really helped.”
From the Colorado DECA website, their mission is, “ DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.”
DECA has a 75-year history, founded in 1949, with the High School Division now comprising 210,000 members across 5,000 schools. DECA is categorized into two separate student divisions. Both programs are designed to address the specific learning styles and focus on the interests of their members.
Liberty DECA was also proudly announced as the second-largest chapter in the state, an achievement that reflects their noted dedication, leadership, and hard work of our members.
