Chapter Buzz

Pinnacle DECA | Arizona

Pinnacle DECA members participated in a virtual Fall Leadership Experience over two days in November. The first day offered intermediate level workshops on communication and organization, while the second day offered advanced workshops for returning members and an introductory course for new members. Each day closed with interactive virtual games and a social event.

Alma DECA | Arkansas

After months of pop-up shops, appointment-only shopping and callin ordering, Alma DECA’s school-based enterprise was able to open to the public. With health and safety protocols in place, the chapter has now been able to serve their community in-person. They are also launching an e-commerce site soon!

Alma DECA | Arkansas

STEM School Highlands Ranch DECA | Colorado

Gitanjali Rao has been selected from a field of more than 5,000 nominees as TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year! The Vice President of Highlands Ranch DECA, she has used technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying. We can’t wait to see what innovation she takes on next!

Southington DECA | Connecticut

Southington DECA just launched their SBE online! Led by President of Store Operations, AJ Colwick, chapter members worked together with their business communications class to transform their in-person, food-based store into a virtual retail operation. They have worked hard to navigate all this year’s challenges as they work toward gold certification.

Somerset Academy DECA | Florida

Somerset Academy DECA collected over 2,000 books during their African Library Project Book Drive in October. Chapter members held a drive-through drop off and had over 300 individuals donate. The books will be distributed to two schools in Uganda to build libraries and develop literacy programs.

Somerset Academy DECA | Florida

Morrow DECA | Georgia

Morrow DECA members volunteered at Books for Africa, a nonprofit organization that strives to end the book famine in Africa. The officer team was happy to find a safe activity that allowed them to make an impact.

Morrow DECA | Georgia

Niles North DECA | Illinois

Niles North DECA members Malav Patel and Steven Reed have created a chemical-free machine that uses UV light to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The entrepreneurial duo was featured on the Chicago WGN News in December and is beginning to secure sales to local schools. The idea and the business began as a class project during Spring 2020 with the assistance of advisor, Mr. Nick Pahl.

Niles West DECA | Illinois

Niles West DECA hosted a drive-thru meet and greet for their 63 new members. New members received Niles West DECA merchandise, candy and a dose of DECA excitement! The officer team looks forward to finding more creative ways to keep members engaged while learning remotely.

Niles West DECA | Illinois

Hopedale DECA | Massachusetts

Hopedale DECA members hosted a successful virtual Financial Literacy Fair in December. Led by seniors Natalia Lee, John McDonough and Tyler Small, members learned useful money management skills and interacted with community members as they traveled through different booths on financial decision-making . Students left the fair with a better understanding of financial literacy and how every choice can impact one’s quality of life.

Hopedale DECA | Massachusetts

Blue Springs DECA | Missouri

Blue Springs DECA has opened a brand new SBE complete with apparel, merchandise, food and a new latte machine. The Cat’s Corner students are now learning how to plan menu items and latte recipes, take coffee orders and become baristas. Teachers and in-person students are loving this new addition to help jumpstart their mornings. The chapter is appreciative of their amazing administration for giving them autonomy to learn real-world skills!

Blue Springs DECA | Missouri

Saline County Career Center DECA | Missouri

In November, the Saline County Career Center DECA chapter received a special visit from Marshall Mayor Julie Schwetz who presented them with a DECA Month proclamation. Members also had the opportunity to highlight their next level projects and activities.

Saline County Career Center DECA | Missouri

Lincoln East DECA | Nebraska

Lincoln East DECA members joined together in-person and via Zoom to make tie blankets for the children at St. Elizabeth Hospital. The chapter was able to complete six tie blankets to help spread some warmth this holiday season.

Lincoln East DECA | Nebraska

NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies DECA | New York

One of DECA’s newest chapters, the NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies has been hard at work to make their first year a success. The chapter hosted a guest speaker, George Schenek, an Ad Sales Research Analyst from Hulu, to give members insights into the marketing industry. They learned a lot about Hulu’s marketing efforts and the many statistics they collect and analyze to assess how to best appeal to consumers. The event was open to the entire school and helped the chapter gain a considerable number of new members. The Lab School is off to an impressive start and can’t wait to see what comes next in DECA!

NYC Lab School for Collaborative Studies DECA | New York

Triangle Math and Science Academy DECA | North Carolina

Triangle Math and Science Academy DECA recently started the first middle school chapter in North Carolina. Middle school students have already started to engage with the high school chapter, participate in community service and compete. Four students even placed on their association’s leaderboard for the Virtual Business Challenge!

Triangle Math and Science Academy DECA | North Carolina

Klamath Union DECA | Oregon

Klamath Union DECA teamed up with Jackson County Parks to help restore a section of wetland destroyed by a devastating fire. Members helped pick up debris, spread new grass seed and scatter straw to prevent water damage to the area. Throughout this project, members collected 20 bags of trash, planted 25 pounds of grass seed and distributed 60 bales of straw across a one mile stretch of riverbed wetland.

Klamath Union DECA | Oregon

State College Area DECA | Pennsylvania

Throughout October, State College Area DECA hosted its second annual DECA Dash—this time virtually! Modeled after the Color Run; the chapter provided nearly 80 participants with a packet that included a t-shirt, promotional items from local businesses, color powder and a prize if they received one for signing up. Prizes were donated by over 20 local businesses who helped support the DECA Dash. The chapter really stepped up and raised over $3,550 for their state charity, Kisses for Kyle.

State College Area DECA | Pennsylvania

Vandegrift DECA | Texas

Vandegrift DECA’s officer team organized and led a role-play workshop for all six schools in the Leander Independent School District. When Vandegrift’s advisor, Kari Michalek, was asked by several chapter advisors for guidance on competing in role-play events, she immediately went to her career development team and asked if they’d be willing to host a workshop. They embraced the request and held an interactive Zoom webinar to share their three-tiered approach for role-play events. The event was appreciated and wellreceived by all attendees.

Blacksburg DECA | Virginia

Blacksburg DECA has a tradition of serving “DECA donuts” from Carol Lee Donuts after chapter meetings. Not being able to meet in-person, they had to get creative to keep the tradition alive. On Halloween, the chapter’s officers held a “DECA Donut Dropoff” and delivered sweet treats to nearly forty new members.

Clarkston DECA | Washington

Clarkston DECA hosted a “BEE Kind” Campaign to promote choosing kindness. The chapter purchased 80 yellow BEE masks that students and teachers wore for the week in November. The campaign involved BEE Kind stickers on all drinks sold through the chapter’s SBE, posters and morning announcements. Students also posted random acts of kindness on social media such as paying it forward and buying someone’s drink, vacuuming cars, delivering Thanksgiving meals and many more. Clarkston DECA continues to repost any random act of kindness because choosing to BEE Kind never should end!

Appleton East DECA | Wisconsin

Appleton East DECA took part in Wisconsin’s annual Trick-or-Can service project. Adapting for COVID-19, members dropped off cans directly at their local food pantry. In total, they collected over 1,000 pounds of canned food for local families in need.

Appleton East DECA | Wisconsin

Indian Trail DECA | Wisconsin

Indian Trail DECA also took part in Trick-or-Can during Halloween. The chapter collected over 1,600 cans and broke their previous record! The items were donated to a local food pantry. Members were excited to serve their community and look forward to more service projects throughout the year!

Indian Trail DECA | Wisconsin

McFarland DECA | Wisconsin

McFarland DECA brought their community together through “Spot the Spartan.” This community-wide challenge provided a fun, engaging and socially-distant opportunity for families to leave their houses! During October, businesses and organizations in McFarland purchased and displayed a decorated wooden spartan head at their desired location. Community members had two weeks to spot them all by purchasing a “passport” including a map of locations. With over 30 spartan heads and more than 85 passports sold, they raised over $1,000 for the McFarland Food Pantry.

Sun Prairie DECA | Wisconsin

In October, Sun Prairie DECA members worked with their Downtown Business Improvement District to organize and operate a contactless drive-thru event for local businesses to offer their signature products and services. Members helped take payment, run products to cars and direct traffic. The event was extremely successful, serving around 180 cars and generating nearly $10,000 in sales. In the end, over $2,000 was donated to their local food pantry, the Sunshine Place.

Sun Prairie DECA | Wisconsin

Wausau West DECA | Wisconsin

Wausau West DECA held their annual Trick-or-Can event to collect nonperishable food items for the Wausau Women’s Community Shelter. Members delivered bags and promotional flyers to homes in the community a week before the event. On Halloween, members then collected the donations and received 4,500 nonperishable food items.