Students compete in car dealerships’ annual tree-decorating contest

By Dylan Scott

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010 | 11:45 a.m.

The smell of pine wafted through the showrooms at Valley Automall in Henderson on Wednesday afternoon as Clark County high school students adorned evergreens at the mall’s annual tree decorating contest.

For the 13th year, groups from area high schools competed for $6,000 in prize money intended for school organizations impacted by budget cuts. Students started their work at 1 p.m., toiling through most of the afternoon.

Last year’s winner, DECA from Desert Oasis High School, decorated their tree with American flags and pins from the country’s landmarks, working with a “Proud to be an American” theme, said group President Kassy Alvarado.

With some people feeling hopeless during the recession, the group wanted to remind people of “hope and the American dream,” she said.

The club’s members handcrafted most of their ornaments, which took several months of preparation, after-school hours and coming in on weekends, Alvarado said. Dealerships donate money to each organization for their decorations, but Desert Oasis wanted to give the money back, she said.

Now that their vision was being realized, Alvarado said, “it’s a relief.”

“The day is stressful,” she said. “But you have to get excited to see it all coming together.”

Over at Findlay Volkswagen, the student council from the Northwest Career and Technical Academy created a tree with a little social commentary. An image of Santa Claus with a cell phone at his ear offers a friendly reminder: “Don’t text and fly.”

Cody Lind, the council’s president, said they wanted to use a little humor to send a meaningful message to the dealership’s customers. Students who weren’t able to come on Wednesday made their own contributions: Some studying engineering produced the Santa sculpture.

“Being involved with the community is awesome, and this is a great time of year,” Lind said.

Other students stuck to some tried-and-true themes, such as school spirit.

At the top of the Desert Pines High School girls’ basketball team’s tree at Findlay Honda, a rather ferocious-looking bear’s head bore the words “Pride” on his scarf. Players then draped blue and gold sash over the pine’s branches.

Keke Broyles, a senior guard and forward, said the team hoped the decorating would be “a bonding experience” and allow them to give back to their school.

First place at Valley Automall’s competition takes $3,000, with $2,000 for second and $1,000 for third.

Tina Faulks, advisor to DECA at Desert Oasis, said the group’s win last year funded a trip for students to the International Career Development Conference in Louisville, Ky.

Tricia Pineda, president of Las Vegas High School’s National Honor Society, said if their tree — which took on a classic Christmas look with ball ornaments and snowflakes — walked away with the win, they planned to organize a field trip at the end of the year.

The contest has its intangible benefits, Faulks added.

“It helps kids hone their leadership skills, prepares them to learn how to work together,” she said.

The winners were, first place, Sierra Vista High girls’ basketball team at the Lincoln-Mercury dealership; second place, Las Vegas High National Honor Society, Mercedes-Benz; third place, Foothill High varsity dance team, BMW.