Students highlight DECA wins, fundraisers and MLK assemblies at Norton School Committee meeting

Administrators used the Jan. 22 School Committee meeting to highlight recent student activities, including DECA competition results, school fundraisers and assemblies marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Benson Chen, introduced as the department president for the student spotlight segment, reported a strong DECA showing: the chapter brought about 70 students to the district competition (roughly 18 more than the previous year) and achieved a high rate of qualifiers and recognitions. Chen said the chapter accounted for “29% of the people who qualified” from the local district and earned a number of first-place awards and recognitions across role plays and exams.

Administrators also described a booster fundraiser running from Jan. 10 with campus activities culminating in a big all-day event on Jan. 21. The fundraiser will support yearbooks, student assemblies, campus activities and a book vending machine; staff said past fundraiser incentives have included performances and novelty events and that the group aims to raise about $20,000 for special programming.

Schools reported additional items: an elementary assembly on Martin Luther King Jr. that included era-appropriate music, poems written and read by students and a slideshow for families to view; the middle school drama program is holding auditions for its production of Annie and the boys basketball team started the season undefeated at 11–0, the presenter said.

Ending: Committee members praised students and advisors for their effort and results; no formal committee action was required.