Building Better Schools: DECA students win big at national competition

MAUMEE, Ohio (WTVG) - Maumee High School students are raising awareness about pediatric cancer and winning national awards for their efforts.

The Maumee-Penta DECA students made their mark on an international stage earning first place in the Social Impact Leader of Tomorrow challenge. The students competed in Orlando against schools across the country and Canada.

Their project, Paws for Peds, raised $5,500 for the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation and for the students, it was personal.

“When I was five, my little brother, Jackson, was diagnosed with stage three Burkitt lymphoma,” said Evelynn Schneider, a Maumee High School student. “So being able to fundraise for something that really means a lot to me was one of the big things I wanted to do my entire life so to being able to do that through something I really love like DECA was awesome.”

The first time DECA teacher, Robyn Bruderly now has her first top 10 finisher.

“It was just surreal to be called in that top 10,” said senior Courtney Crawford.

Overall, the students placed eighth out of 180 teams in the Community Giving Project.

“It was crazy that we made top 10, even top 20,” said senior Avery Lewis. “It was insane and Mrs. Bruderly texted us before that she never had top 10 students go up on the stage so that made us a little nervous but that’s what made it so emotional because we knew we made her very proud and we were her first.”

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