Students from all over the world came to Orlando, Fla. to the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) April 27 to 29 to compete in business and marketing events for a chance to be honored for their abilities.
Of the three competitors from Eastern Carver County Schools at the DECA ICDC tournament, senior Vivianne Kersten advanced to the final round of competition for her professional selling event. She was recognized at the preliminary award ceremony for becoming an ICDC finalist, meaning she placed among the top 20 competitors in her event, surpassing thousands of participants globally.
The achievement of becoming an ICDC finalist comes with the title of DECA Diamond. DECA Diamonds are elite competitors who have accomplished the honor of advancement at the highest level of DECA competition. DECA Diamond status is among the highest honors achievable within the DECA world – second only to the title of Glass Winner, reserved for students who place top 3 in the world.
For her accomplishment, Kersten will be memorialized with a plaque placed outside of the auditorium in Chanhassen High School. She will be the first addition to the DECA Diamond wall since 2022 when then senior Kaylie Heno achieved both the title of DECA Diamond and Glass Winner by placing second at the ICDC tournament.
Prior to attending the DECA ICDC competition Kersten took home first place at state in both her professional selling event and hotel and lodging management individual series roleplay. Per ICDC guidelines, competitors are only allowed to advance to the international competition in one event. Vivianne chose to advance with her professional selling event where she took on the role of a sales representative for a sustainable outsourcing company and creatively decided to craft a sales pitch for biodegradable key cards.
“In terms of competition, I had never felt more surrounded by intelligence and competence. This made my advance to the final 20 such an honor,” Kersten said. “Being able to compete at this high of a level, and place in the top 10 percent of that group, in something so fun and interesting to me was such a confidence boost.”
A trip to Orlando wouldn’t be complete without a trip to some theme parks.
“Loving my event so much made me excited to compete in Orlando, but my advisor Mrs. Campbell made me ecstatic to travel because of her extensive knowledge on the area – specifically Disney World. All of the time we spent at Disney World and Universal Studios made this one of my favorite trips I have ever taken,” Kersten said. “All the food, rides, and sun were the fruits of my labor in DECA in years previous, and it felt great.”
In the fall Kersten will be attending the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Her efforts and talents show promise for a bright future and a successful career in the business world. Congratulations Vivianne for your incredible achievement.
