DECA is a Career and Technical Student Organization that focuses on marketing. But it’s so much more than that– DECA is a community of students passionate about marketing and business.

According to the organization’s national website, DECA’s mission is to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.  In order to fulfill this mission, local chapters participate in various activities throughout the year. One of those traditions is DECA night, when everyone in DECA gets together to eat food, socialize and work on projects as groups. Because DECA is a club and a class, there are many learning opportunities and different activities for members. These activities can range from working in groups to roleplaying business ideas, all the way to bringing family dishes and advertising them to each other. DECA isn’t just for socializing; it also helps with learning how to run and work within marketing and business. DECA runs the school lunch program, the Early Eagle coffee shop, and Eagle Concessions. All of these student-run businesses provide students with real-world experience.  Freshman Sophia Martinez said, “DECA allows students to express themselves and work with others who think alike.”

DECA hosts many events throughout the school year. There have already been two events, a roleplay activity where students try to solve the problems of fictional businesses while pleasing the customers and workers. Not only did it teach the students how to be quick on their feet, it also taught them how real-life situations that can easily happen in the world of business and how to deal with those issues, “Marketing is a big part of making money for businesses.” says freshman Henry Bay. The 2nd event was a potluck of traditional family foods, and how they could be promoted to sell in real life. People brought all sorts of ethnic food, from South American to Asian. Freshman, Henry Bae, highly recommended joining DECA.”I would definitely recommend joining DECA, It’s actually really fun here and you learn a lot.”