Orono seniors Eloise Hrusovsky, Pete Makarov and Tori Palm have decided that their DECA project will extend far beyond the borders of the competitive DECA circuit and Orono’s education system.

Keith Jurek, Orono’s DECA adviser and marketing teacher, approached the second-year marketing students about the Troncones School project.

“We were the first ones to jump on that idea,” senior Tori Palm said. The trio thought that this would be a “manageable project that we could dive into,” Palm said.

The Troncones School is a K-12 school located in a small village in the southwest coastal region of Mexico.

The Mexican education system only pays for students to attend school from kindergarten to eighth grade. If any student wants a higher education, his or her family must provide those funds, including transportation.

These three students will create and execute several community projects throughout the year. All proceeds and donations will go straight to the Troncones school to assist in all aspects.

Troncones has already created quite a buzz around the school. At the homecoming football game, the DECA students hosted a “miracle minute.” The goal was to encourage the audience at the game to donate money for one minute during the halftime show.

The group also sold the popular Mexican soda, Jarritos, during lunch one week. Students could send these drinks to friends or themselves for only one dollar.

Outside organizations have also contributed. The trio and 20 other students woke up at 5 am Sunday morning Oct. 6 to work for the Twin Cities Marathon on behalf of Target. The fundraiser raised $2,500.

The Orono community has also expressed their support for the project.

The group wants to continue to increase their proceeds so they will continue to host social and educational events. One event that will take place shortly, is the competitive chance for all students to donate school supplies and beat their fellow spartan hours. That’s not nearly the end for these students though.

If you want to stay updated with everything Troncones, follow their Twitter account, @Troncones14, or like their Facebook page, the Troncones Project. If you have questions about how you can help the Troncones Project directly, e-mail the group at [email protected].

The group hopes to have a significant impact on the local and surrounding communities in Mexico.

“It is always good for our community to see directly how we impact other people,” senior Eloise Hrusovsky said.

“Personally, we want to make an affect on the community and go to nationals,” senior Pete Makarov said.