Sean Lewis, DECA advisor and marketing teacher at Hillgrove High School in Georgia, has built a thriving chapter by blending classroom instruction with real-world business experiences. His innovative approach empowers students to see marketing and DECA not just as school activities, but as a launching pad for future careers.
Mr. Lewis is well known for cultivating impactful business partnerships that connect his students directly with industry leaders. Through networking at career expos, chamber of commerce meetings, and business association events, he has forged relationships with organizations such as the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons/United (AMB Sports and Entertainment), the National Guard, a local start-up cyber security firm, restaurants, studios and more.
“When they realize that DECA members are primed to be future (local) executives, they are more than thrilled to allow my members to engage in private competitions and internship opportunities,” Mr. Lewis explained.
These partnerships give students opportunities to pitch marketing solutions in “Shark Tank”-style competitions. In these competitions, students are given a real business problem to solve or events to market, and they come up with various solutions to the particular situation. Mr. Lewis then selects the top three group presentations to travel to the business and pitch their ideas.
Some of the business problems Mr. Lewis's students have been asked to solve include:
Atlanta Braves - How can the Braves organization generate revenue on non-game days? They are looking to develop a self-produced event that would be open to the public and generate revenue via ticket sales, and/or sponsorships.
National Guard - Create a marketing plan that increases brand awareness and enrollment of recent high school graduates for the National Guard.
Atlanta Falcons - Improve fan engagement and user experience for Atlanta Falcons or Atlanta United fans.
Graphics Packaging International - Make the public aware of the fact that our company understands the importance of recycling and sustainability.
Mr. Lewis uses his previous experience working in the marketing industry to ensure that students use industry-standard vocabulary and design techniques when completing their pitches.
“The executives are always impressed with the professionalism accompanying our presentations,” Mr. Lewis shared. “For example, they enjoy that we attach a needs assessment and feasibility analysis to our suggestions. Since our suggestions are based on market research and we have shown the viability of our recommendations, buy-in is much easier.”
The outcomes have been remarkable. Students have earned cash prizes (as much as $2,000), scholarships and even seen their marketing ideas implemented by professional organizations. Many have also left with personal contacts from a handful of these business executives to serve them as they pursue future careers.
Mr. Lewis’s best practices for building partnerships include always giving companies multiple options for engaging with students and not being afraid to network boldly. His own success story includes pitching DECA opportunities to companies at a career expo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“I paid to attend the expo and stood in line with all of the other job applicants. When it was my turn to discuss my resume, I explained that I was actually a teacher looking for a way to work with their organization,” Mr. Lewis shared. “I also told them about my marketing class and the opportunity for them to improve their PR through community outreach. This worked very well!”
Mr. Lewis also engages his students in his potential partnership outreach by sharing every email [from potential business partners] with his class so they can try to figure out the barriers that need to be overcome.
“I want them to know that these are real-world projects and real communication (and concerns) are being addressed. We often have a contest to see who can come up with the most persuasive response to a client’s email.”
By integrating DECA into every aspect of his teaching and cultivating experiences that extend far beyond the classroom, Sean Lewis is preparing Hillgrove High School DECA members for real-world success as leaders, marketers and entrepreneurs.
Thank you to Halie Bissell for nominating Mr. Lewis. You can submit an online nomination form here if you know of a DECA advisor who should be recognized for his or her innovative best practice. We can’t wait to see who the next “DECA Advisor of the Week” will be!
