Two Durango High School DECA members won second place in Creative Marketing Project at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) DECA conference held in Nashville, Tennessee April 23 to 26, 2016 for their project about a new healthy grab-and-go lunch option at Durango High School, the Demon Deli. Mason Stetler and Jared Webster, the winning duo, wrote a 30-page marketing plan on the Demon Deli and presented their plan to Nashville business leaders.

The two seniors worked closely with Durango 9-R’s Nutritional Services Department to design the Demon Deli, shape its menu, and implement key marketing strategies designed to build student interest and increase sales of the business. “I was so pleased to see our work on the Demon Deli recognized by the judges as a way to revolutionize the way students view food offerings at their respective high schools. We think The Demon Deli will serve as a model that can be scaled to a national level and can address the rise in obesity among our youth,” commented Webster. “At the end of the day, its not all about revenue and monetization, its about developing healthy eating habits among our young people to avert a growing crisis in this country,” added Stetler.

They competed against nearly 200 teams from around the USA and several countries. The Demon Deli plans its grand opening tomorrow, Tuesday, September 20, 2015, at 12:15 at Durango High School, and will feature breakfast items, lunch items and coffee from Durango Joe’s,

April 26, 2016: Mason Stetler (left) and Jared Webster celebrate their 2nd Place finish in Creative Marketing Project at DECA’s International Career Development Conference held in Nashville, Tenn. Community business members, parents and students wanting to become involved with DECA are invited to contact advisor Dave Dillman at 970-259- 1630, ext 2247, or via email at [email protected]