DECA Impact Report: The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation

THE J. WILLARD & ALICE S. MARRIOTT FOUNDATION HOSPITALITY CAREER AWARENESS PROJECT

2021 REPORT

2021 REPORT | 1

Dear J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Board and Staff, With the conclusion of a most unique school year, DECA Inc. appreciates your support and flexibility to allow us to provide meaningful virtual experiences for our members. Your contributions through the Virtual Business Challenge—Hotel, and more, allowed thousands of members to investigate career opportunities in the hospitality industry and compete in a real-world simulation. Amidst the challenges experienced in education during a pandemic, DECA members were able to continue their exploration of the numerous hospitality pathways accessible to them.

It is an honor to work with the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation as we strive to increase the awareness of the unique careers available throughout the hospitality industry. This report is presented to express our gratitude and demonstrate the impact of your support of DECA Inc. As the second year of this three-year grant concludes, the purpose of the grant remains constant. We aim to build awareness of, and engagement in, the hospitality industry as a dynamic, life-long career opportunity. Our plan to reach this goal includes: •

Providing and promoting instructional tools that engage high school members in the study of hospitality.

•

Providing teachers with training and resources that enhance the instruction of hospitality.

•

Removing barriers to access these tools and resources for at-risk members and those from underserved populations.

The instructional programs at most schools remained virtual throughout the academic year and required that members and teachers spend countless hours in front of a screen. Members seized the opportunity and were inspired to spend a total of 54,268 hours on hospitality instruction through the Virtual Business Challenge—Hotel curriculum. This represents an increase of nine percent over the previous year. Additionally, teachers from a record number of states were awarded curriculum grants with 33 schools from 25 states fortunate to be grant recipients.

As described in this report, the feedback from DECA members is very positive and the data shows that the resources and instructional tools are making an impact.

With schools preparing to open in the fall, we anticipate great interest in the resources available through the grant throughout the 2021-2022 school year.

We value our longstanding relationship with the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation as we embark on the final year of the grant. The year ahead is promising as members and teachers prepare for in-person learning and we continue to raise the awareness of, and interest in, hospitality careers.

FRANK PETERSON

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DECA INC.

2 | THE J. WILLARD & ALICE S. MARRIOTT FOUNDATION

DECA IN ACTION Through participation in the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Grant project, DECA members demonstrated how they took the project year to the #NextLevel. They accessed the hospitality lessons provided through Knowledge Matters, competed in the Virtual Business Challenge-Hotel, displayed their knowledge and skill in one of DECA’s 14 hospitality-related competitive events, and accessed virtual speakers both live and through on-demand videos. Through the use of these resources and with access to new opportunities, a greater awareness of breadth and depth of the hospitality industry was realized.

DECA HOSPITALITY EVENTS • Hospitality Services Team Decision Marking Event (HTDM) • Hospitality and Tourism Operations Research Event (HTOR) • Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling Event (HTPS)

152,000 DECA MEMBERS REACHED

Thank you so much for providing me such a wonderful learning opportunity to compete in DECA ICDC! Again, the most educational and fun experience. I look forward to competing again next year and hope to someday work in the luxury hospitality field in marketing, promotion, and sales.”

- DECA member, Wakeland High School, Texas and finalist in the DECA Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling Event

• Hotel and Lodging Management Series Event (HLM) • Principles of Hospitality and Tourism Event (PHT) • Quick Serve Restaurant Management Series Event (QSRM) • Restaurant and Food Service Management Series Event (RFSM) • Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making Event (STDM) • Sports and Entertainment Marketing Operations Research Event (SEOR) • Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series Event (SEM) • Travel and Tourism Team Decision Making Event (TTDM) • Virtual Business Challenge Hotel Management (VBCHM) • Virtual Business Challenge Restaurant (VBCRS) • Virtual Business Challenge Sports (VBCSP)

3 | THE J. WILLARD & ALICE S. MARRIOTT FOUNDATION

2021 REPORT | 3

Being able to do all of the lesson plans in the hotel simulation before the first round of the Virtual Business Challenge was a huge advantage because instead of spending the first couple of days trying to figure out the software and how everything works, I was able to get a head start on everyone in the state. I’ve also learned a lot about how hotel and lodging works that I didn’t previously understand.

- DECA member, Har-Ber High School, Arizona

In collaboration with DECA partner, National Research Center for College and University Admissions (NRCCUA), a subsidiary of American College Testing (ACT), an annual survey of DECA teachers and members is conducted. The results help DECA inform strategic plans to best prepare members for college and career.

THE TEACHER SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC YEAR REVEALED THAT OF THE RESPONDENTS

24% 35%

ARE TEACHING HOSPITALITY COURSES ARE TEACHING RELATED SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COURSES

4 | THE J. WILLARD & ALICE S. MARRIOTT FOUNDATION

THE STUDENT REPORTING SHOWED THAT:

10%

of the members are enrolled in hospitality courses

18%

of the members are enrolled in sports and entertainment courses

98%

gained skills to improve their personal and professional behavior

94%

attained 21st Century Skills: collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking

91%

reported that DECA connected school to the real world

92%

reported they are empowered to be effective leaders

91%

reported that DECA academically prepared them for college and a career

82%

said DECA helped them recognize the benefits and responsibilities of community service

2020 ROUND 1

QUALIFIERS FOR ICDC NORTH ATLANTIC REGION “I AM A STEGOSAURUS” The Woodlands School | ON “BIGVIOLINSMALLCELLO” Great Neck South High School | NY SOUTHERN REGION “FACE TO FACE” Berkner High School | TX “ASIAN BROADCASTING COMPANY” Lake Travis High School | TX CENTRAL REGION “HOTEL TRIPAGO” Tomah Senior High School | WI

THE SIMULATION

“GFC” Grand Forks Central High School | ND WESTERN REGION “SOUPY” Lynbrook High School | CA

VIRTUAL BUSINESS CHALLENGE—HOTEL

“COOPY BILLY” Oak Harbor High School | WA

Throughout the school year, the simulation was promoted through the DECA communication tools to all members. Two rounds of competition took place as follows: October 20-30, 2020, and January 19-29, 2021. The competition empowered members to make decisions related to managing a full-service hotel. Their decisions around room rates, customer service (front desk and social media), marketing, and operations (housekeeping, banquets and restaurant) all impacted the profitability of the hotel.

2021 ROUND 2

During each round of competition, members were rated on a balanced scorecard of profit, guest, and employee satisfaction. They received feedback through financial reports and an interface similar to TripAdvisor.

QUALIFIERS FOR ICDC NORTH ATLANTIC REGION “EQUITY AMORTIZATION” The Woodlands School | ON “TEAM AY, LUCY, WILLIAM” Great Neck South High School | NY SOUTHERN REGION “AMAN” Berkner High School | TX “EBITDA OVER EGIRLS” Lake Travis High School | TX CENTRAL REGION “BOOPER” Tomah Senior High School | WI “DOLPHINS” Grand Forks Central High School | ND WESTERN REGION “SOLO SQUAD” Lynbrook High School | CA “SPRITETACOS2” Oak Harbor High School | WA

Participation in the virtual competitions was slightly lower this year than in previous years. This is attributed to the uniqueness of the school year that found most members learning virtually for all classes for most of the school year. Motivation was often challenging without the benefit of in-person instruction, and many reported that ‘screen fatigue’ plagued members. Many teams of members still benefitted from the experience.

Following the completion of each round, winners of the round from each state/province were notified and recognized through DECA publications. The top two teams in each DECA region (Central, North Atlantic, Southern, and Western) qualified to compete at DECA’s Virtual International Career Development Conference in April, 2021. Sixteen teams from nine different states/provinces were eligible to compete and are listed below.

ROUND 1 Oct 22-30, 2020

ROUND 2 Jan 19-29, 2021

Number of members on teams

2,308

2,843

Number of teams

1,613

2,019

Sims started

2,653

1,361

Total hours using Sims

3,094

1,674

2021 REPORT | 5

WINNERS: FROM “NOOBIES” TO “FACE-TO-FACE” There was enthusiasm at many of the grant recipient schools and none more than Berkner High School in Texas. The team of Michael May and Nathan Hoang won Round 2 in Texas and qualified for ICDC competition in 2020 as the “Noobies.” With an abbreviated competition year due to the pandemic, the team was unable to compete at ICDC. Entering their junior year as team “Face-to-Face,” they continued to learn and prepare. Their hard work paid off as they qualified for ICDC competition in Round 1. They anxiously anticipated competition with the best of the best in April. “Face-to-Face” was well prepared and the team was recognized as second place international winners in the Virtual Business Challenge-Hotel event. Senior year and another opportunity to take top honors await them!

2021 RECIPIENTS DECA awarded 33 hotel curriculum grants to local DECA chapters from 25 states, all with members from underserved student populations. Dozens of applications from teachers nationwide were examined to determine the qualified recipients.

In addition to the curriculum, selected schools also received a Nepris license.

The curriculum takes members through ten lessons allowing them to experience the ultimate job rotation. Lessons include instruction on group sales, pricing and revenue management, housekeeping, social media, front desk operations and more.

Each lesson includes readings with key vocabulary words, quizzes to assess reading comprehension and math concepts, and simulated exercises. Algebra and other math concepts are reinforced as members strive to keep guests happy and the hotel profitable. Following their instruction in hospitality industry concepts, members progress to work collaboratively on applied learning projects managing all aspects of their simulated hotel.

Training sessions are scheduled in August 2021. Teachers will be introduced to the curriculum, simulation, and Nepris with a goal of creating a professional learning community to maximize the experience of all participants. Since the 2021-2022 academic year is scheduled to begin with in-person instruction and much less screen time, an increase in the use of the curriculum is anticipated.

Current active courses:

Number of members currently active in courses:

1,227 11,771

Persevering through countless hours during the hotel sim with my partner really helped me develop my discipline, as well as giving me a new perspective on how to approach problems and frustrations. Most importantly, I realized something that will benefit me in my future. Sometimes when you only look at the end goal, you find it hard to keep motivation throughout the early steps, especially when you hit a wall. So you have to take one step at a time and you’ll experience a wave of optimism/excitement that will boost you through the next step, and so on.

And aside from all that, I had an amazing experience participating in the VBC competition and I am very thankful to the Marriott Foundation, DECA, and Knowledge Matters for making that happen.

- Nathan Hoang, 2021-2022 DECA Vice-President of Marketing 2021-2022, Berkner High School, Texas While there was a slight decrease in the number of teams and the number of members on teams, those that participated were very engaged. There were increases in the number of courses completed and the amount of time spent in the courses. Virtual instruction may have led to these increases since simulations like this provide members with a connection to the real world with industry-validated lessons.

10% 9% 55%

INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CURRENT ACTIVE COURSES

INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN CURRENTLY ACTIVE COURSES OF ALL MEMBERS USING THE VIRTUAL BUSINESS CHALLENGE— HOTEL CURRICULUM ARE DECA MEMBERS

Assignments completed and/or active:

Estimated time spent on current active courses: (in hours)

67,775 54,268

These data represent a year-over-year increase in participation and resulted in greater member exposure to hospitality careers.

6 | THE J. WILLARD & ALICE S. MARRIOTT FOUNDATION

VIRTUAL BUSINESS CHALLENGE HOTEL MANAGEMENT

TWO ICDC QUALIFYING EVENTS CHALLENGE 1

October 19-29, 2021

CHALLENGE 2

January 18-28, 2022

A GLIMPSE OF 2021-2022 The strong support of DECA’s partners provides the foundation for DECA to continue to provide innovative programs that prepare the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs in hospitality, marketing, finance, and management. The DECA theme for 2021-2022 is ‘Maximize Your Momentum.’ Members will be encouraged to unleash their potential through accepting a leadership position, participating in a competitive event, or attending a conference. They can then watch their momentum build and have a competitive advantage as they launch into the real world.

DECA is honored to continue its relationship with the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation through the implementation of the final year of a multi-year grant to support the Virtual Business Challenge.

Members will be encouraged to maximize their momentum through registering for one of two rounds of virtual VBC-Hotel competition. They are scheduled as follows: •

Round 1, October 19-29, 2021

•

Round 2, January 18-28, 2022

As we enter the final year of the three-year grant, continued collaboration with the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation will allow exposure to the hospitality pathways for a greater number of members, and access to quality instructional experiences for more teachers and members. Through joint efforts between DECA and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation, potential opportunities for project growth and greater reach include: •

Creation of a hospitality specialization at the DECA collegiate conference

•

Expansion of a professional learning community for teachers to include training and sharing of best practices with curriculum integration

•

Alignment of DECA’s strategic plan with items of importance to the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation to increase awareness of the hospitality career pathway

We are so grateful to have received the Marriott Foundation Grant supporting our Berkner DECA Program! Not only has it given our students the opportunity to fully utilize the Knowledge Matters Virtual Business Challenge-Hotel curriculum and simulations, but it has given our members an opportunity to be a part of the history-making Berkner DECA’s Virtual Business Challenge-Hotel winners two years in a row!! Utilizing Nepris and Knowledge Matters gives us the resources to encourage all our members to explore business careers in the hospitality industry and beyond. I am so excited to share these moments with our members as they take advantage of our continually developing virtual-world. Thank you all for this support!”

- Katrina McGee, DECA Advisor, Berkner High School, Texas

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NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY: DECA inc. is committed to creating and maintaining a healthy and respectful environment for all of our emerging leaders and entrepreneurs. Our philosophy is to ensure all members, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status are treated equally and respectfully. Any behavior in the form of discrimination, harassment, or bullying will not be tolerated. It is the responsibility of all members to uphold and contribute to this climate.

8 | THE J. WILLARD & ALICE S. MARRIOTT FOUNDATION