DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) has members from high schools across the 50 states participating at the district, state, and international levels. The advisers for Rock Ridge are marketing teachers Michael Canfield, Sandra Tucker, Cristin Miller, and Christopher Berger. There are over 200 Rock Ridge members participating in DECA that competed in DLC (District Leadership Conference), with half going to the State Leadership Conference(SLC). SLC, from Feb. 27 to March 2,  which gives competitors an opportunity to showcase their hard work and qualify for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) a month later. 

There are two different major events that the students can choose from: role-playing and written events. For the role-play events, the number of categories competed in is determined by students who placed in the top four of the regional or district-level competition on Dec. 14. Thirty students made it to SLC for the role-playing events. As for the written events, they have to be reviewed by advisers multiple times, then they may take an exam that has to do with how well they do in SLC. High scores have the chance of getting a medal for their efforts. 

The advisers share the responsibility of managing student projects, organizing the trip, getting a bus, booking a hotel, making sure all students submit their payments on time, and coming up with a plan for the time that they spend away. Canfield’s main role is to make sure they have all the correct information they need, including emergency contacts, making sure that all of the competitors know when and where to go, and finally to make sure they are as prepared as possible by doing multiple practice sessions. “I feel good about the time that we have spent with the students preparing for the role-plays at the district level, and I think they were also smart for taking advantage of all of the practices and coaching we provided for them,” Canfield said. “I feel really optimistic about the role-play students, but the written events are about to get a lot of feedback once they get reviewed and they will be fixed.”

The advisors also believe in more than just succeeding in the competition. “I would say the great thing about role-plays is while we are obviously preparing them to have a good role-play competition, the real takeaway is beyond the competition,” Canfield said. “It’s skills that they’re going to take into college and in the real world.”

Leading the students is a very difficult feat for most, but senior Lilia Jones, the president of the Rock Ridge chapter of DECA, does it with determination and class. Her role is to organize leadership teams, events, meetings, and competitions. Although it is challenging, she feels it has made her a better person who is more organized and prepared for life. “I think that DECA is a waiting process where if you stick with it, usually you will get better while also having a fun experience,” Jones said. “I feel I have learned a lot from the whole club in general and I really enjoy being in it.” She also competes in written events and this year she is doing Project Management Community Giving (PMCG). She and her partner, Ruth Gemechu, partnered with a local domestic abuse and sexual assault organization, event, doing a donation drive for them. As they complete their project, they will compile their information into a 20-page paper covering the organization and donation drive. 

Senior Eshaal Bhullar is a project manager of DECA. This is her third year competing in written events, and this year, she is partaking in School Based Enterprise (SBE) with her partner senior Aanya Patnaik. They are working on the school store, and are writing about the students working there. They cover consumers, sales, events, and more. Each year, they work on a specific section, and this year, it is market planning (focusing on demographics, psychographics, and consumers). She feels she has a solid chance of making it to ICDC because of the strength of their project. “I made countless good memories through DECA and I know I will continue to,” Bhullar said. Bhullar and Patnaik are excited to see their hard work pay off and represent their school at the next level.

With dedication and hard work, the Rock Ridge DECA members are prepared to take on SLC. Through strict preparation, practicing role-plays, and finalizing written events, they aim for nothing but success in the competition. The leadership provided by the advisors and student leaders has created a supportive environment within the club.