The Jones college culinary department placed second overall in a DECA competition hosted in Biloxi on February 20-21.
The Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is an organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.
This year marks the third year that Jones students have participated in the conference. In their first year, they placed in the top two, resulting in the next competition route, which is an international conference.
This past weekend, Jones competed against three other colleges with 62 competitors. Chef instructor and advisor Kalee McBride prepares her students every year for the upcoming conference.
While teaching students to cook, McBride also grants them the opportunity to participate in DECA to help expand their work force skills in the real world.
“I knew when I came to Jones in 2020 that I wanted to have a DECA chapter. I believe in it,” said McBride. “I have seen first-hand the doors that it can open for students. It gives them the confidence to go out and chase their dreams.”
McBride has been involved with DECA since 2015, but when she started teaching at Jones, she presented the opportunity to her students. The competition’s events were case studies, individual events and prepared business presentations.
The rankings were announced on Friday at 4 p.m., resulting in Jones ranking second overall and receiving top four placements in all events.
Twelve Jones students competed this year and most were placed. They competed in various categories including a campaign election title.
Jeteric Ellis and Yolanda James placed first in the Business Ethics Category, Angela Martinez placed second in Human Resource Management, Kaitlyn Huddleston and Donna Cameron placed second in event planning, Reynaldo Vera and Journee Moffett placed third in Event planning, Ashley Rivera placed third in Restaurant and Food Service Management, and Ashton Ross placed fourth in Professional Sales.
The DECA 2025-26 President and Vice President were also elected at the conference. They were Kefarious Ducksworth for Vice President and Angela Martinez for President, both Jones College students.
Third-year student at Jones, Donna Cameron, participated in the Event planning category along with her friend Kaitlyn Huddleston and won second place. This is the second conference she has competed in since she has been at Jones.
The event-planning category felt like a real-life scenario for me. I can see myself using these skills later in my career as a chef,” said Cameron.
The students’ final conference this year is the International Career Development Conference hosted in San Francisco, California. McBride and the students will compete again in April with the hopes of coming home with a win.
by Jacarious Roberts
