In that photo are Brittany Dawson, Tyson Kimball and Sumeet Chadha – who with Maggie Oliver form a quartet of West Seattle High School students headed next week to Anaheim, where they’re competing in the Internationals put on by the marketing-student association DECA, with students from all 50 states and various other countries. They’re hoping you’ll cheer them on – and they’re hoping for a little more: They need one last fundraising push to cover the costs of competing and traveling. Here’s a letter from Sumeet:

West Seattle High School is heading to DECA Internationals! This year, four West Seattle students will have the opportunity to compete with students from around the world in the field of business marketing, advertising, and financing! Sumeet Chadha and Tyson Kimball have placed 5th in the State of Washington for “Advertising Campaign.”

DECA gives students hands-on experiences in the fields of marketing, business and entrepreneurship, DECA enhances the classroom experience by providing conferences and competitions that mold high school students into character-driven leaders. Washington DECA currently has over 10,400 members in 144 chapters around the state. DECA is the only student organization operating in 50 states, attracting students for life long careers in marketing, management, and merchandising.

This year, Sumeet Chadha, Tyson Kimball, Brittany Dawson, and Maggie Oliver together will participate in competitions, seminars, and meet with field professionals for summer internships. “This once in a lifetime opportunity will help these students not only mold their resumes, but also provide them lifelong networking opportunities,” aays Michelle Sloan, advisor for DECA at West Seattle.

West Seattle High School started this year with an enormous budget deficit, the Marketing Department being no exception. With the cost per student at about $700 to attend Internationals, estimated total costs are around $2,800. Students have currently raised about half of the costs with fundraising events around West Seattle. We are now looking for the support of local businesses and individuals.

We understand that this is a tough time for many businesses and individuals. Any amount would be greatly appreciated. This is the first time in 10 years that any students in the district have gone to internationals. We also understand that this is short notice however, donations is our last resort for money.

We have attached a donation slip for your convenience. You are always welcome to email or call us with questions or comments. We look forward to working with you. We cannot wait to represent our community at Internationals!

Sincerely,
Sumeet Chadha
(Marketing Student at West Seattle)

To print out the form Sumeet mentioned, just go here.