DECA is a club associated with the Dakota Marketing program that allows for competition amongst young leaders regarding finance, business, hospitality and marketing. 

 At competitions, you are provided a prompt with a problem depending on your events that are divided into finance, business, hospitality and marketing. You are advised to create a creative solution to the problem and present it to the judge in a role-play format; for example, your role play would be a bank clerk and your judge would be an angry customer. From there you think quickly and come up with solutions for the problem. 

 Your role-play counts for 2/3 of your total score, the other 1/3 being a test including questions related to your cluster (finance, marketing, business, or hospitality). There is a district, state, and national competition. To advance to the next level, you need to have a top three score in the group you are placed in (usually around 15 people).
 

To join Dakotas DECA program, you must be a part of the Marketing program during the school year. This could be marketing, entrepreneurship, or business. Currently, Dakota’s DECA chapter has over 45 members. The hosts of the club are Mrs. Atienza and Mrs. Seneker, the two marketing teachers here at Dakota. Our chapter is led by four student officers: Andrea Robles, Bridget McEvoy, Jovana Peroska, and Jordan Li. However, last year, one of our members, El Auria Atienza, ran and was elected state officer, a prestigious title with important responsibilities in representing Michigan as a whole in DECA. DECA capitalizes on building young leaders and through officers, DECA members have opportunities to lead a team to success. Dakotas DECA program meets every other Wednesday morning to practice for the competitive competitions. It also gives the senior students a chance to earn a cord for graduation.
 

DECA is sectored into four categories: finance, business, marketing, and hospitality. However, there is a extremely large range of events you can choose from. These can range from automotive marketing to sports marketing, or even quick serve restaurant managements. Your test is generalized into one of the four sectors; however, your role-play is specific to the event that you choose. The members can decide to compete alone, or with a partner.
 

Jordan Li, who is one of Dakotas DECA leaders says that his “favorite part about DECA is that it truly is a fun club. That is what separates DECA from other clubs here at Dakota. Every conference (competition) is a blast, we have plenty of time to network and build relationships outside of the real competition aspect. Everyone in the club has fun together, from when we ride scooters around and shop around Detroit, to mosh pits at the state officer elections. This year’s nationals is in Orlando, Florida! I really hope I can make it to Disney World. Don’t forget about the free donuts at every meeting”. Jordan Li is a big help when it comes to Dakotas DECA program. He helps lead the meetings and give the new people a better understanding of what DECA is all about. Jordan has been in Dakotas DECA program for 2 years and has made it to states in Detroit, this year he hopes to make it to Nationals. 

If you are interested in Dakotas DECA program next year, you can email Mrs. Atienza at @[email protected] or Mrs. Seneker at @[email protected] . It is a wonderful club to be apart of with many great experiences and opportunities.