Nebraska Governor, Dave Heineman, has declared Novemer 25th-December 1st “Phoenix Academy Week – Rise Read Succeed” at the request of Bellevue West DECA. During this week Bellevue West DECA members will be collecting book donations for the Phoenix Academy library. Donations can be dropped off at Bellevue West High School or Phoenix Academy.
DECA is a non-profit International Association of marketing students that for 60 years has prepared emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. This year Phoenix Academy has had the pleasure of working with three students from Bellevue West High School. The team including seniors Rachel Williamson, Rebecca Walter and junior Nolan Bald, selected Phoenix Academy for their Public Relations Project. The project involves selecting a theme, planning and organizing a public relations project involving the DECA chapter, writing a thirty page paper, and giving a fifteen minute oral presentation at the state competition. Their mission is to expand the Phoenix Academy library and awareness of the school.
Rise Read Succeed is the theme the students created for the Phoenix Academy. Since the start of the project at the beginning of the school year they have been helping to raise awareness of the Phoenix Academy throughout the metro area. They created and handed out mini business cards during DECA Days. They have helped us with numerous events here at school – working in the classroom, assisting with marketing, helping with t-shirt and sweatshirt sales, volunteering at our Ponca Hills Family Fun Day, and helping with Parent/Teacher Conferences and Parent Night. Currently they are designing a billboard for Phoenix Academy that will raise awareness in the Bellevue area. On December 15th they will be hosting a “DECA Drop & Shop” at Bellevue West HIgh School – 1501 Thurston Ave, Bellevue, NE. Parents can drop their children off for the afternoon and go Christmas shopping. The cost is $15 for the first child and $10 each for siblings. Sign up – check in – and pay at the door. The children will be well taken care of, will receive a snack, play games including basketball, make ornaments and…. Santa will be there! Again the money raised will be used for books for Phoenix Academy.
Any questions regarding this project can be directed to risereadsucceed@yahoo.com. The Bellevue West DECA chapter members have raised over $100,000 for various charities worldwide. Past projects have included building two water wells in Africa, developing promotional strategies for local businesses, and breaking the world record for the largest hand painting to raise awareness for “Kids Against Hunger”. For more information on DECA visit www.nedeca.org.