Building Confidence

Through a Co-Curricular Program

BY KEVIN CHOROWIEC AND ADAM MAINGOT, HTS STAFF AND DECA CO-ADVISORS

The variety of co-curricular programming at HTS provides our students with the opportunity to express themselves in ways that are meaningful to them. We know from experience that through co-curriculars, students learn how to manage their time, master new skills and develop their confidence in an enjoyable and supportive setting.

In his bestselling book Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell states that “success follows a predictable course. It is not the brightest who succeed,” but those lucky enough to “have been given opportunities – and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them.” Joining a club at HTS is just that opportunity for our students.

Among the many clubs at HTS is DECA, a club offered around the world to high school and post-secondary students which offers practical business knowledge and experience through conferences and competitions. What started at HTS in 2016–2017 with students Christian ’18 and Anthony ’19 Argyropoulos and teacher Mr. Patrick James (now retired) has already grown to a club of over 60 students. Students have participated in regional and provincial competitions and, for the first time this past school year, an international competition. DECA’s mandate is to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in the fields of marketing, finance, hospitality, management, law and other business areas. The organization arms students with practical business knowledge and experience, as members have the opportunity to attend leadership conferences, compete in events and participate in community activities. Competitions involve real-life business scenarios in which members submit written components and participate in interactive presentations to judges.

For Miranda Shen ’19, participating in DECA meant identifying an area of growth and learning how to better her skills. Even after being eliminated in the provincial competition in her first year and the regional competition in her second year, she remained undeterred. Miranda showed dedication and tenacity, never missing a club meeting even when she did not qualify to continue in the competition. Determined to make her last year in DECA her best, she and Tony Cao, now in Grade 12, presented an integrated marketing campaign for Burt’s Bees that advanced them to the regional and then the provincial competition, followed by qualifying to attend the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Orlando, Florida, where they represented HTS last spring. Miranda and Tony placed in the top two in Canada and the top 10 in the world, and Miranda received awards in the Top Exam and Top Overall categories. Miranda’s story is just one great example of what students can learn from the experiences provided in our cocurricular clubs program, including perseverance, organization, being a team player and having a positive mindset.

For Mr. Adam Maingot, being new to HTS last year and becoming a co-advisor for DECA was a natural fit. He had advised a DECA chapter at his previous school and looked forward to working more closely with the HTS students. What Adam has learned is that it truly takes motivated and hardworking student leaders to run a successful co-curricular club, and he is proud of their efforts and contributions to offering valuable experiences to one another.

Participation in any co-curricular club helps focus students on developing their skills and learning a set of values that will guide them in their lives. Students learn more than a great chess move or how to program an application – they learn transferable skills that can be applied to any of their future endeavours. DECA is one of the many opportunities that provide HTS students with a chance to push their limits, learn new skills, build confidence and expand their capabilities.