The school’s Distributive Education Clubs of America club competed at the annual State Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California from Feb. 27 to March 3. The club finished with high scores overall compared to past years.
DECA members have been hard at work to prepare for states, meeting bi-weekly at lunch to go over study materials and assist with competition preparation.
“I prepared personally by taking practice exams at least once a week leading up to SCDC,” Vice President Jack Norman (11) said. “I also do practice role-plays online and flip through vocabulary cards. I hosted study sessions for my members to help them do the same.”
SCDC took place over three nights at the Anaheim Convention Center. While there, the DECA club endured a multitude of different avenues. Norman explained what happens during the competition.
“Each competitor starts by taking an exam in their cluster category: marketing, finance, hospitality and tourism or business management and administration,” Norman said.
The next day, competitors contested live with a judge.
“At the live competitions, each member is given a scenario, ten minutes to prepare to speak to the judge, and ten minutes to convey their ideas to the judge,” Norman said. “On the last day, those who have prepared written presentations present those to a judge. Conventions are also filled with large ceremonies, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities.”
The school finished with two qualifiers: Gordon Zhang (11) who qualified for his cluster category, and Hanshika Kamjula (12), who qualified for her written presentation. Three students were named finalists: Benjamin Goldburg (10) in Automotive Service and Marketing, Norman in Apparel and Accessories Marketing and Shir Haim (10) in Accounting Applications. They also finished with two medalists in the top 10 — Rhea Banwar (11) in Principles of Business Management and Administration and Zhang in Human Resources Management.
According to Norman, DECA has not only been a great help to those invested in the business pathway, but also for those who are interested and eager to enhance their skill sets of “confidence, public speaking and knowledge of the business world.”
“This experience allowed me to really understand the importance of not only public speaking, but confidence,” Banwar said. “I did not really know much about business, or the club in general, but DECA at our school really helped me excel specifically in the role play, which I was already so nervous about.”
The club brings together motivated students, striving to learn more academically and in fields surrounding business.
“I think it’s so useful for any student, even if you’re not planning on being a business major or even going into business,” Teresa Barnes, trip chaperone and future DECA advisor, said. “From what I saw, it’s just practicing how to be professional.”
