Sponsor: Aimee Nance

Room 227

Email: anance@greeleyschools.org

Phone: 970-348-5117

Website:  CLICK HERE

D.E.C.A. =  Distributive Education Clubs of America

DECA is a marketing organization which provides both High School and College students an opportunity to learn more about and/or go into Marketing or Business majors in college!

How do you compete in DECA?

Standard role-play-and-test-only events involve the students receiving a written description of a real-life business problem they have to try to solve.  It outlines who they are supposed to be, who their judge is supposed to be, and the real life business problem that exists within their specifically chosen area of marketing.  They are scored by their judge on how feasible (can it work?) their plans are, how well they perform in a professional manner, and how professionally they are dressed.  This kind of training and competition helps prepare kids for job interviews by building self-confidence, and providing them with constructive directions they can go in while answering adult-directed questioning.

The other part of standard DECA competitions is the 100-question, multiple-choice form bubble sheet test.  These tests are based primarily on basic and marketing area specific terminology and kids can prepare themselves with test preparation materials the teacher can give them on a flashdrive for study at home.  This part of their training helps them build a much stronger business level vocabulary, and provides them with even more boosts of self-confidence when they feel like they KNOW what they're talking about! The scores from their role-play and test are added together, and compared with the same totals of other students competing in the same marketing areas. 

Depending on the number of participants in each event, a specific number of winners are awarded, and invited to compete at the next level.  High School DECA has competitions at the District (local), State, and National levels.

Students can also compete with written manuals on many different topics including community service projects, marketing experience or internships, the student store, or our DECA chapter as a whole. If students complete a written manual, they skip the district competition and go directly to the state competition!

Where do kids get the opportunity to go when competing for Greeley Central High School DECA?

Districts are hosted by the University of Northern Colorado in November. Our State competition is hosted by the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs for 3 days and 2 nights and takes place at the end of February.  If members win at Districts and again at State Competition, they are invited to compete at Nationals. This final competition for the current school year will be hosted in TBA in late April (see DECA sponsor for actual dates and locations).  This usually requires a 4-day, 3-night trip, which the kids enjoy thoroughly!

What are written manuals? 

Students may also compete through what are known as "written manuals."  Manuals are double-spaced written marketing-based research projects, and vary in length from 5 to 30 pages. Kids can pool their resources on most of these written projects, and have from 1 to 3 people help with each one of them.  They are judged on the overall quality of their written product, as well as how well they perform their demonstration of it in competition. 

Written manuals bypass District level competition, and go straight to State.  That means that there are no competitions at the District level for manuals.  When the kids win at State, they are invited to compete with those SAME manuals at the Nationals level.

Written manuals completed for competing at State and possibly Nationals must be turned in to the teacher by Thanksgiving Break every year.  The teacher will help grade them, and get them back to kids for proper feedback purposes.  Those students wishing to submit their manuals to State will have their manuals graded by Language Arts experts at Greeley Central High School that the teacher will recruit each year. 

Does the teacher help students complete winning written manuals? 

The teacher has all the information necessary to help kids get projects like these started, and provides a tremendous amount of assistance to help complete them.  It's highly recommended that they (A) choose their partners wisely, and (B) get with the teacher early in the semester to get the information they need, and (C) set your project goals early in the semester.  As noted above, the teacher will also recruit at least one Languare Arts expert from Greeley Central High School to help with grading the manuals that will be entered for State competition.

Besides coming away from their DECA competition experiences with a greater sense of self-confidence, our more proactive students gain an enhanced edge over others their age when competing for entry level jobs.  Those who do very well in competition also give themselves a chance to win scholarship money as well.  Just being involved in constructive school organization like DECA helps improve their chances of winning general scholarships and grants, by adding to their application for such awards!

Finally, if they choose to be leaders within their local DECA Chapters, they gain even more invaluable management skills that are easily transferable to their professional lives.  At Greeley Central High School, we have openings every year for the following positions:

• President
• Vice President
• School Store Manager
• Assistant School Store Manager
• Web Site Manager
• Assistant Web Site Manager
• Secretary
• Training Manager
• Assistant Training Manager
• Promotions Manager
• Assistant Promotions Manager

The "Assistant" managers are selected by those holding the primary post above them.  All Chapter officers MUST be actively training to compete for Greeley Central High School DECA as well.  All other non-Assistant Chapter officer positions are elected posts, whereby those Chapter members who attend our election meeting in September vote on every position.  Candidates for elected posts give brief speeches to their Chapter, explaining who they are, and why they might make a great candidate for the position they're seeking.

Please feel free to contact the DECA sponsor if you want or need any more information about DECA, how to join, train, win, and have a lot of FUN!!

How much does it cost to join DECA?

Annual DECA dues are $35.00 per member (please check with the DECA advisor for up to date due amounts) and cover their membership at the local, state and national level and typically will cover district fees.  These dues are due typically by October 1st of each school year.  There are separate fees for State (most likely $300.00 per student this year, including 2 lunches, 2 nights in a 4-star hotel, trip fee, and one all-you-can-eat breakfast on the last day), and Nationals (anywhere from $200.00 to $250.00 per student, which includes roundtrip airfare, 3 nights in a 4-star hotel, and a minimum of 2 lunches and a dinner).  Kids can see the teacher early during the school year to start fundraising for a potential State and/or Nationals trip.

"Marketing is EVERYONE'S business!"