Gloria Jones, DECA Advisor at Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School, was recently awarded a $1,000 professional scholarship from the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Jones has been a marketing teacher for Plainview and the DECA Advisor, a national youth organization dedicated to future leaders in marketing, for 29 years. Through classroom learning, students acquire successful business techniques in classes such as marketing, advertising and sports marketing.

Through DECA, students also compete on the local, state and national level. "Students take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it to a real-life situation," said Jones.

Plainview's DECA program is the largest in New York State with most of the students competing. "We are very proud of our accomplishments," said Jones.

Not only is Jones involved with DECA, but she also teaches many marketing classes. "We are very proud of our business department," said Jones. "We now offer a variety of Internet classes and an internship program as well. We are constantly growing."

Jones' biggest challenge is the vast cross-section of students that she teaches each year. "For 29 years, I have had to adjust," she said. "That is what happens when you teach an elective."

Part of the scholarship application involved Jones writing a series of essays and obtaining letters of recommendation from Oyster Bay Town Councilman Leonard Symons and high school principal Arthur Jonas. Jones outlined her interests and explained how she is going to use the money.

The $1,000 that Jones received will be given back to the Plainview students. According to Jones, at senior awards night, she will issue the money as a scholarship to deserving DECA students.

DECA is involved in many aspects of community and school life and most recently held a lift-a-thon to raise money for Juvenile Diabetes. Plainview's DECA students alone raised $8,000.

Jones plans on continuing with the entrepreneur program in the middle and elementary schools next year. "The job is never the same old, same old, because things are always changing - kids and marketing itself," said Jones. "It is really very exciting and I don't want to ever retire."