SAN ANGELO, Texas - Mayor Dwain Morrison stood on the steps of City Hall, ready to clear his throat ...

1. Marketing Organization has their day
SAN ANGELO, Texas - Mayor Dwain Morrison stood on the steps of City Hall, ready to clear his
throat and address a row of high school students before a thud, then a long scratching, stole
everyone's attention.
A parking lot fender bender brought a few snickers until the group, in their blazers, khakis and
stylish riding boots, quickly regained focus and moved on toward the mayor's declaration: Nov. "It
really taught me to consider everyone's feelings, everyone's beliefs and their thinking process
because it's all so different."
. He didn't see himself rising to the ranks of a state office, but reaching that level gave him a new
confidence, he said.
He learned that there are great people willing to help if you get your head on straight and move
forward, Herrington said.
This summer he hit Washington, D.C., for a conference full of college prep workshops, speaker
training, social media correspondence and competition. Herrington made some great connections,
he said, though meeting people from Germany, Canada, and China refreshed his perspective,
something for which he is grateful.
"Really, you're so close-minded because we're in our own little world out here in West Texas,"
Herrington said. The organization includes 200,000 members in 3,500 American schools with a few
programs overseas.
Students who role-play are given between 10 and 30 minutes, depending on the competition, to
prepare a pitch for a marketing or advertising campaign as a CEO, advertising sales manager or the
like.
The competitions harness their interview skills and thinking abilities on the fly, said Renee Socha, a
Central teacher and their DECA adviser.
"It's a quick, think-on-your-feet kind of thing, but that's how it is with anyone in business," Socha
said.
Written topics can involve developing an entire promotional plan, coming up with a product and
pitching it to judges. Recently they painted pumpkins, which they delivered to local nursing homes,
and the groups are working on a large-scale shoe donation project with Dallas-based nonprofit
Buckner International.
Herrington enjoyed a sports marketing course at Central so much that he elected to join DECA. The
competition is similar to the show "Shark Tank," where inventors present their ideas before deep-pocketed
investors, said Jeff Herrington, a senior at CHS and vice president of DECA's statewide
campaigns.

2. Central's DECA squad is developing a car service that would deliver food from any restaurant for a
flat monthly fee.
"It's real-world application no matter what they compete on," said Jennifer Urbanek, a teacher at
Lake View and their DECA adviser.
The group places community service in the forefront, Herrington said. 24 is hereby known as DECA
Day in San Angelo.
DECA, an organization for marketing students with extensions at Lake View and Central High
Schools, was honored Monday afternoon with Morrison's proclamation, a testimony to their
community service and leadership efforts.
There is no acronym behind DECA, though the group was once recognized as the Distributive
Education Clubs of America, similar to how FFA represented Future Farmers of America ... Students
must be enrolled in a career and technology course -- from marketing to automotive services, even
accounting -- to join, and there are about 40 members at Lake View and 35 at Central.
DECA competition includes role-playing and written presentations at local, state and national levels.
and when Prince went by a symbol.
Through competition and community engagement, the organization seeks to prepare students for
careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management