Whiz Kids: Haddonfield Student Leads NJ Club

Nominator's Name: Mike Wilson, principal of Haddonfield Memorial High School

Whiz Kid's Name: Samantha Gardner

Age: 17

Grade: 11

School: Haddonfield Memorial High School

Accomplishment: Sam was elected President of New Jersey DECA (njdeca.org and deca.org). NJ DECA has 7,000 student members in 100 New Jersey schools. DECA is an international organization that teaches students about marketing, finance, hospitality, and management, using real world applications. DECA has 185,000 high school students and 15,000 college students. As president of the HMHS DECA Chapter, Sam and the other officers have expanded the chapter from 10 students to 32 students over the past two years. 

Sam is also very active in the World Affairs Council and Model United Nations at HMHS. She has won several Best Delegate and Outstanding Delegate Awards, including at the Model UN (WEMUN) in Beijing, China last summer.

Key to Awesomeness (what made him/her successful?): Sam has excellent leadership and communication skills. She loves business and has an entrepreneurial spirit.