Congratulations to Mahtomedi teacher Annie Dahl, who recently won the Outstanding DECA Advisor award. The Outstanding Service Award recognizes education professionals who have made significant contributions to further the mission of DECA.
“It’s meaningful to be recognized, but the most rewarding part of DECA is seeing all my students succeed and advance in DECA, which is what makes me most proud.” This quote from Ms. Dahl speaks to her commitment to her students and her desire for the light to shine on their overall success. Class of 2025 student Aida Thiam credits Ms. Dahl for her and Audrey Carlson’s advancement to the DECA international competition finals, “We felt so prepared and confident walking into that competition. She believed in us even when we doubted ourselves and spent so much time coaching us, giving feedback, and making sure we were ready for anything."
Annie Dahl has been an educator for 21 years and has been a teacher at Mahtomedi High School (MHS) for the last six years. Mrs. Dahl teaches Intro to Business, Entrepreneurship, DECA, and Yearbook. She has a strong background in business, having owned her own successful business, Sawdust Savvy. She has accumulated many years of experience, which has given her a unique perspective when teaching and coaching students on business skills.
DECA is a class and club offered at MHS and has been a significant part of Ms. Dahl’s impact on our community. Mrs. Dahl advises the DECA club and teaches the year-long course. Although DECA has only been active at Mahtomedi for the last two years, we've had many students advance to the State competition, which speaks to her strong program. In DECA, you learn high-level marketing and business skills through large-scale projects that foster hands-on learning. An example of this is MAHT STOP, an all-year-round snack cart for students to buy snacks and drinks operated by students in DECA. These projects also teach students to think creatively and to confidently advocate and present their ideas.
All of the different projects and competitions are preparing our students for success now and in the future, not just in the business field. Ms. Dahl shared, “Whether students are going into a career or college, the skills like expressing ideas with confidence and charisma, problem-solving, are all skills that will translate towards success in any area in their future.” Aida, who will attend Yale next school year, studying Neuroscience in pursuit of attending medical school, shared this when I asked her what skills she would take away from DECA: “DECA exposed me to the business field and taught me communication, organization, and preparation.”
Written by Ila Erenz, Class of 2026 student at Mahtomedi High School and Mahtomedi Public Schools Communications Intern