Three members of Irvington High School’s DECA Club – Matthew Jacoby, Luke Mitchell and Simon Silverman – had an outstanding performance at the 2024 DECA International Career Development Conference, held in Anaheim, California, from April 27-30. They were among a select group of students to earn a spot in the conference, which brought together 23,090 of the top DECA competitors and emerging leaders.
“Attending this year’s ICDC has been an amazing accomplishment and is hopefully one of many more to come,” DECA adviser Douglas Cipolla said. “Irvington DECA is well on its way to leaving its mark on the world, and it’s only a matter of time before that hard work and dedication can bring our chapter home DECA Glass.”
DECA is an internationally recognized organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high school and colleges around the globe.
Mitchell, a junior, competed in Automotive Marketing Services and Silverman, a sophomore, competed in Principles of Finance. Matthew Jacoby, a junior, was awarded a spot in DECA’s Emerging Leaders Academy, where he collaborated with dozens of chapter leaders from all parts of the DECA community.
“This opportunity allowed him to gain invaluable insight into how not only to improve our chapter in the future but continue his own journey as a leader and young business professional,” Cipolla said. “Both Luke and Matthew were also selected to serve as voting delegates for New York State, attending campaign-related events before helping elect the new National High School Division President and the new North Atlantic Region Vice President for the 2024-2025 academic year.”
Silverman said he enjoyed competing and networking with fellow DECA elites and gaining ideas about improving the Irvington chapter for the next school year. Mitchell said the conference allowed him and his classmates to be immersed in a world that showed them different career opportunities. Jacoby expressed it was an invaluable experience that helped him reshape his thinking and foster connections with people in leadership roles.
