DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) is a career and technical student organization that prepares high school students for careers in marketing, finance, entrepreneurship and more business career paths. Its purpose is to help students develop leadership skills, business skills, and professional experience through various programs and competitions.
DECA’s competitive Events, simulate real-world business scenarios. Students can compete in areas like Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Marketing, individually, in partners, or in teams of three. Competitions are structured into different levels: Districts, states, and internationals (International Career Development Conference or ICDC) Because Triton is in district III, our district conference takes place at Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Danvers. After the competition is finished being scored, results are posted to Mass DECA’s youtube channel where you see who advances to the state competition. People who qualify then take the trip down to Boston for the Massachusetts Career Development Conference to compete for a chance to make it to ICDC in Orlando.
Jackson: This is my first year in DECA and I wanted to join because I’m planning on going to college as a business major, and want a career in business later in life as well. It also looks good on a college application and I have a bunch of friends who have been doing it for awhile. I partnered up with Tihan Khan and Nate Montenez this year and we chose to do the IBP (International Business Plan). Just last week we went to districts and that alone gave me some confidence and public speaking skills.
Tim: This is my second year doing DECA. I first joined last year because I wanted another extra-curricular activity, but came back this year because I really enjoyed the experience. Last year I placed fourth in districts in Sports and Entertainment Operations Research, with my partners Aiden Moriarity and Joe Grimaldi, and this year I was able to make it back to states with another fourth place in Financial Services Team Decision Making with my partner Grimaldi.
Triton business teacher and DECA advisor Mr. Torres encourages all students to participate in the club and thinks that many students at Triton are more than capable at making it to States or even ICDC.
“I thought districts went very well, I thought we could have done better than we did, especially when it came to first place.” said Torres. “I think when you get the true DECA experience, it’s not just at districts or school. It’s when you learn about networking and all types of fascists and business. you go to the next step and really understand what that is about, the scholarships that you could earn, the money you could win, about the networking you can do, and most of all, about the friendships that you’ll make over the period of time that you’re there, you can’t trade it for anything else.”
We think DECA is a great fit for students who are interested in business, entrepreneurship, or marketing, especially if they enjoy teamwork, problem-solving under pressure, public speaking, or presenting. It’s an excellent opportunity for those who want to build leadership skills and gain confidence in public speaking, whether they’re planning to study business in college or work in the business field later in life. However, DECA does require a significant time commitment, with hours spent preparing for competitions, attending events, and fundraising. For students who are already busy with sports or other extracurriculars, it might feel overwhelming, but plenty of people, like Aiden Moriarty and Jonny Doherty, are able to successfully balance both. The long-term benefits of DECA make it worth considering as members can build their resumes for college applications, network with professionals in the business world, and even earn scholarships or awards through competitions.
