Jackson Conley Works Towards His Future Goals With the Help From DECA

​Jackson Conley reflects on his experiences in DECA, and his goals and accomplishments as he makes the most of his final year of high school.
by Quinn Fleming

For Jackson Conley, senior year has been about staying organized, making memories, and figuring out what comes next for him. Keeping up with school and coursework has been one of his biggest accomplishments this year. With his grades staying on track and his assignments being turned in on time, organization has helped him balance everything senior year brings. But not every memorable moment happens in a classroom. During weight training, Jackson and his friends were playing a little game of football, and it ended up turning into one of his favorite moments of the year so far. "We were all playing football," he said. "That was pretty fun, so that was definitely memorable right there."
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Jackson is involved in the DECA program at WGHS. It first started out with him just wanting to do something with his friends and go to Six Flags, but it turned into something more than that. Marketing is right up his alley, and he has developed new skills that can help him outside of school, like public speaking. "...I can speak really well. I host Bible studies, so whenever I do those, I can really, you know, interact with my peers." DECA has also changed his future plans. He originally wanted to do something in construction, but now his focus has shifted to possibly becoming a business owner and working directly with customers. Outside of DECA, Jackson describes himself as a "really nice person," and he loves to draw and considers himself a good artist.

As Jackson works toward his own personal goals, like getting more fit, he also hopes to encourage others. As underclassmen work their way up to senior year, Jackson says, "Don't let small decisions make big mistakes. So if you are feeling bad one day, just go to a friend or something and talk about it. You know, don't make a decision that's going to cost you the rest of high school. And really focus on your grades from the beginning. Be organized, listen in class—there's always going to be time to talk to your friends."

From improving his public speaking to exploring his future options, Jackson Conley continues to use his experiences to help him grow and work toward his goals.