Ask Mr. Celia what the best after-school program at Triton High School is and he will answer with no hesitation – DECA.

DECA is an entrepreneurship competition program for high schoolers that not many know about. After the program’s success last year, Mr. Celia and the rest of DECA are looking to recruit even more prospective businessmen and women.

The Voice spoke with Mr. Celia and many DECA members to get more information on this unique opportunity and experience.

The leader of DECA is business and history teacher Joe Celia, who has been working at Triton for three years now. When asked why more students should join DECA, he said: “I think that it gives them real-world experience in the business world. It helps you with communication skills, it helps you with interview skills, it helps you build leadership skills. I think it’s invaluable.”

Last year, about fifteen of Mr. Celia’s students qualified for the state conference in Boston. This conference spans three days and requires qualifiers to spend two nights in the Boston Copley Hotel, which is the highlight of DECA for many participants. Qualifiers are able to make friends and memories while also being educated by high-profile guest speakers and also finding time to compete in their events.

Celia says that one of his goals is to get as many students to qualify for that conference as possible and he hopes to get that number up this year.

Still not convinced to join DECA yet? Listen to some student’s first-hand opinions and comments on their DECA experiences last year.

DECA is led by chapter presidents Owen Heffernan and Rachel Lees, as elected last year. Heffernan placed “fourth out of seventeen” in his Hospitality and Tourism Role-Play with partner Liam Gay-Killeen. Co-president Lees placed the highest out of all DECA participants last year with help from partner Sofia DeSimone as they placed first in the Buying and Merchandising Role-Play. These four qualifiers, among a number of others, were able to experience the state conference in Boston, “an experience they will never forget” said DeSimone. Heffernan encourages his peers to join DECA “because it’s easy and there is no experience necessary. It is just a lot of fun and you meet a lot of good people, and Mr. C. is a great teacher. He’ll do what needs to be done to get you to states.”

Two-time state qualifier in the “Principles of Marketing” category Colin Ganzenmuller said “my favorite part of DECA was getting that opportunity to get a feel for what it means to get a job interview and get a taste of the real world and how it’d be to have an office job.” DECA gives students a real-life experience that will prepare them for the professional business world.

Although many participants claim that Boston is the best part of DECA, those who do not qualify still consider the regionals experience, held at Endicott College, a rewarding one. A student who did not have as successful of an experience as his peers was Cameron Willey. Although he was not able to qualify for the state conference with partner Chalee Welch, he told The Voice that he is “determined to go to Boston next year…with new partner John D’Eufemia”.

If you are looking into a degree or profession in any realm of the business world or just looking to have some fun, DECA is the extracurricular activity for you. “If you want to gain some life experience and look good doing it,” President Lees said, “then definitely talk to Mr. C. about joining DECA.”

If you are interested in joining DECA, see Owen Heffernan, Rachel Lees, or Mr. Celia in room H105.