Submitted Photo Ava Jacobson, Abby Hager and Brekkyn Thompson stand on stage at DECA’s annual International Career Development Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in April. Photo taken by Opal Hackel, Rugby High School DECA member.

Eight of 10 Rugby High School DECA members earned DECA’s highest honors at the organization’s annual International Career Development Conference (ICDC), held April 25-28 in Atlanta, Georgia.

DECA’s #DECAICDC showcases the top student performers from nearly all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Puerto Rico and Germany, while also highlighting innovative business partnerships that help prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for an ever‒evolving global economy.

This year’s conference was attended by more than 26,000 students and advisors, making it the largest ICDC in DECA history.

A record 10 Rugby DECA members qualified for international competition. Rugby students competed against 150-250 top-performing DECA members worldwide in their individual events. Eight RHS members earned the prestigious International Award of Excellence, which is presented to competitors who finish in the top 30 percent of their competitive event.

RHS DECA members who earned international recognition include:

Carter Teigen (gr. 12) Entrepreneurship, Nathan Childress (gr. 11) Food Marketing, Abby Hager (gr. 11), Ava Jacobson (gr. 11), Brekkyn Thompson (gr. 11) Start-up Business Plan, Madeline Hurly (gr. 11) Independent Business Plan, Beth Schmaltz (gr. 11) Independent Business Plan, Ivy Schell (gr. 9) Restaurant & Food Service Management.

Other Rugby DECA members who competed at ICDC included Amber Houim (gr. 12) in Quick Serve Restaurant Management and Opal Hackel (gr. 10) in Restaurant & Food Service Management.

“I’m extremely proud of my students and all they accomplished at the International Conference in Atlanta. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past three years working with these kids — they are incredibly bright, hard‒working, respectful and determined to succeed. Watching their growth has been so rewarding. I feel so fortunate for the opportunity to come back to Rugby and get to work with these kids, and I’m so excited to see where they take DECA in the years ahead.” said Craig Erickson, RHS DECA Advisor.

During the school year, more than 250,000 of DECA’s 315,000 high school student members participate in the organization’s competitive events program. These competitions simulate real-world business scenarios and test students’ academic knowledge, critical thinking and professional skills. The top state place winners advance to the international event, where they showcase their talents during the final round of competition at ICDC.

“Attending ICDC for the first time was amazing. Competing at the international level, exploring Atlanta, and networking with students from California to New Jersey was a unique experience that I’ll never forget.” Carter Teigen, senior, RHS DECA Chapter President

At Rugby, DECA members focus on leadership development, community engagement, academic and occupational competition and social awareness. The RHS DECA chapter was established in fall 2023 with the launch of the school’s Marketing Education Program. Since its inception, RHS DECA has tripled its membership and is now the seventh-largest DECA chapter in North Dakota. North Dakota currently has more than 1,000 DECA members representing 27 high schools statewide.

The 2025-26 RHS DECA officer team includes President Carter Teigen and Vice Presidents Abby Hager, Avery Harmel, Beth Schmaltz, Opal Hackel and Sidney Peterson. Craig Erickson serves as marketing instructor and RHS DECA adviser.