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Herriman DECA sophomores win international competition with solar-prison proposal
Summary
Three Herriman sophomores won first place at the 2026 DECA International Career Development Conference for a project proposing solar conversion at a state prison; their instructor said the state vetted the submission and required a disclaimer because it looked like a real proposal.
Ricky Stewart, the DECA instructor for Herriman Hyde High School, presented three sophomores — Olivia Hanson, Ayla Homer and Jess Smiley — who placed first at the 2026 DECA International Career Development Conference for a project proposing conversion of a state prison’s power to solar. Stewart described how the students conducted site visits, cleared background checks, interviewed staff, and worked with state solar specialists during their research.
Stewart said the state took the students’ paper seriously enough to require an hourlong conference call and a presentation disclaimer so the project would be treated as a student exercise rather than a formal state proposal. "They won 1st in, the international competition, which is unbelievably difficult to do," Stewart told the council. Mayor and council members congratulated the students and noted that two of the students would help the city with fundraising and marketing planning for a proposed sports complex next year.
The presentation emphasized the students’ research and mentorship process and recognized Governor Cox’s social post praising the team. Council members praised the students’ work and asked staff to coordinate future collaboration where appropriate.
