Goshen High showcases new business pathway and DECA students’ competition projects
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Summary
Goshen High School staff and students presented a new business pathway, including Business Foundations, Marketing Principles and CCP-level courses; students described DECA projects, state qualifiers and a school store fundraising plan for competition travel.
Goshen Local’s Board of Education heard a presentation Monday evening from Goshen High School about a newly established business pathway that will let students progress from introductory business classes to college-credit (CCP) coursework while still on campus.
The pathway, introduced by the high school teacher identified in the meeting as Mister Johnson, begins with Business Foundations and Marketing Principles and will lead to yearlong CCP options in Management Principles and Strategic Entrepreneurship. “We’ve set it up now to where any of the students who take either of those classes…could take the next step into marketing,” Johnson said, describing the sequence that can earn students both high school and college credit.
Two seniors, identified in the transcript as Zaria and Nick, described how DECA involvement changed their plans and prepared them for competitions and careers. “Best thing that has ever happened,” Zaria said of the program, adding that DECA gave her speaking experience and industry contacts she expects to use when she studies business analytics in college. The teacher said 41 students attended district-level events in the program’s first semester and 15 qualified for state competitions.
Students also presented a DECA project called the “Mental Edge Invitational,” an outdoor volleyball event aimed at supporting female athletes’ mental health; the student team outlined event logistics, merchandising and pricing for hoodies and hats. The team said some merchandise prices would be $45–$50 for hoodies and that proceeds from a revived online school store (hosted on Shopify) would be used to help more students afford travel to state and national competitions.
The presentation included practical next steps: staff said state qualifying competitions will take the team to Columbus (with nationals in Atlanta if they advance) and that funds from the school store will be directed back to DECA when the venture becomes sustainable. The superintendent and board members praised the students’ presentations and encouraged community support for DECA fundraising.
The board invited the student presenters to remain for the business meeting but proceeded with regular agenda items afterward. The district’s next steps include continued development of CCP classes and outreach to local businesses to support work-based learning and student internships.
