22 The Great Neck News, Friday, June 26, 2015
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school n e w s
South High students attend conference B y Ha y d e n E d e l s o n On April 25, 40 Great Neck South High School students, a record-breaking number, boarded a plane to Orlando, Florida, for the International Career Development Conference. There is certainly something quite noteworthy about a cohort of individuals who can become so close over the course of Distributive Education Clubs of America competitions throughout the year, helping each other grow intellectually, personally and socially. There is something to be said about the experiences that the club generates for its members—about the camaraderie, the friendships and the memories that are made. DECA is more than just a club; it is a community that, much like our very own school district, builds networks, creates experiences, and taps into the poten-
tial of its students. Every year, ICDC is the culminating event for this community. ICDC is a massive conference with over 20,000 students in attendance from all across the country and globe. Each student represents his/ her respective state or high school with impressive apparel, souvenirs, and pride. Each student represents him/herself with admirable accomplishment and competitive spirit. DECA is a formal meeting ground for each student to share his/her pride and spirit with others. It is one of the very few high school events during which students can truly feel like adults. At ICDC, they step outside of their comfort zones, provide for themselves, and assume the roles of adults both in and out of competition. It is a convention for students to gain knowledge, worldliness, and wisdom. But it must not be understated that
ICDC is also a competition. Students spent weeks—sometimes months—in preparation. On the international stage, ICDC is the largest and most rewarding of DECA’s competitions. During this convention, each student competes against 300 of the very best in his or her event from across the globe. Each student is tested to think critically and creatively, to apply his/her theoretical knowledge to simulated real-world scenarios, and to take responsibility by assuming the role of a corporate executive. At the end of the primary round of competition, 20 students—chosen from 300 or more—are sent on to the next round. After a second round of competition, the top 10, chosen from the group of 20, are commended and awarded for their accomplishments in an on-stage ceremony. This year, South High experienced its most successful year in ICDC competition.
William Ren and Kevin Ho received First Place in the DECA Hotel Management Virtual Business Challenge and $6,000 from Marriott. Ajay Dheeraj, Aram Baghdassarian, and Lynn Hlaing finished in Fourth Place in the DECA Personal Finance Virtual Business Challenge. Harris Monoson and Robbin Jang received recognition for Top Ten Overall Performance in their respective events. Ryan Savell, Denise Young, Ji Eun (Janet) Kim, and Azim Keshwani impressively made it to the second round of competition and were recognized for finishing within the Top Twenty. Rachel Brenner, Denise Young, and Ji Eun (Janet) Kim were honored for their outstanding role-plays, receiving awards for Top Ten Role-Play. And finally, Ryan Savell, Hamsavardhaan (Hamsa) Pillai, Robbin Jang, and Azim Keshwani were awarded for their diligent studying and received awards for Top Ten Test Score.
comm u n it y n e w s
5-9 Grace Avenue Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos joined the Great Neck community at the ground breaking of 5-9 Grace Avenue, a mixed-use property in Great Neck Plaza being developed by Hooshang Nematzadeh. Pictured from left: Great Neck Chamber of Commerce Secretary Elliot Rosenblatt, Ted Kashi of Great Neck, Great Neck Plaza Trustee Lawrence Katz, Town of North Hempstead Coucilwoman Lee Seaman, Comptroller George Maragos, Great Neck Chamber of Commerce President and developer Hooshang Nematzadeh, Simon Yacodi, Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender, Great Neck Plaza Deputy Mayor Ted Rosen, Great Neck Plaza Trustee Pamela Marksheid, Village of Great Neck Mayor Ralph Kreitzman, Abdi Yaghodi and Great Neck Plaza Trustee Gerry Schneiderman.
Steve Markowitz honored Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judi Bosworth, Councilwoman Lee Seeman and Councilwoman Anna Kaplan presented a proclamation to Steve Markowitz, who was honored by the Great Neck Lions Club with the George Carr Humanitarian Award on Monday, June 1 at Pearl East Restaurant. Bosworth, who is a past recipient of the award, congratulated Markowitz and thanked him for his service to the Great Neck community, which includes serving as chairman of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center. Markowitz also served as the past president and is a lifetime Trustee of Temple Israel of Great Neck, is a member of the executive committee for the Gold Coast Arts Center, and is also a member of the Board of the Great Neck Student Aid Fund. Pictured from left: Kaplan, Seeman, Markowitz, Markowitz, Bosworth, President of the Great Neck Lions Club Fern Weiss and Monsignor Brendan Riordan.