With over 60 members, the DECA team returned this year with a new bond that is evident among the members. The team met at the beginning of the year to show new members what being part of DECA means and were surprised with dozens of new members.

“This year’s turnout for our chapter was really special. We were so excited about how many students we recruited for DECA,” Genevieve Gaertner, senior Vice President of Marketing, said.

The team worked to prepare for their first competition in January through meeting twice a week and practice for their respective sections of the competition – including marketing, finance, hospitality, management, entrepreneurship, or personal financial literacy. The team members focus on interview and test-taking skills to prepare for their competition.

The first competition is the district competition that took place at Kettle Moraine High School on Jan. 6. “The vibes are always high on that first Saturday in January when we go, so the early wake-up time is worth it,” Esti Dinets, senior Vice President of Finance, said.

Competing for DECA allows the students to learn valuable life lessons that can be translated into their professional lives as they age. The various clusters of the competitions allows the students to find sections they are interested in and put their passion into.

“I enjoy the opportunity to practice my presentation skills and test my business knowledge. Being VP of Marketing gives me a creative outlet and it has been so fun collaborating with the other board members,” Gaertner said.

The competition consists of cluster exams, role-plays in the various categories and ends with an awards ceremony. The team supports each other and focuses on uplifting their teammates.

“My favorite memory is getting to watch my fellow DECA members medal and place,” Dinets said.

However, the team members focus on the bonding that also occurs during their competitions. Following the competitions, the team gets food together and spends more time getting to know each other. This allows for the deep bonds among the members of the chapter to form.

“Once we wrap up, we all get some lunch – pizza, juice, breadsticks, and my personal favorite, the cookies! We then all get together for a friendly game of B.S. and/or roam around Kettle Moraine High School,” Dinets said.

Throughout the season, the team built each other up to ensure their best results and cheered each other on every step of the way.

“Everyone truly put their best foot forward in both the DECA attire and the DECA attitude,” Dinets said.