A place to belong: DECA Regional Competition showcases students’ skills, teamwork, and dedication

     Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) students throughout the district recently met for a day of friendly competition at Grayson Technical Education Program in Grayson High School for the DECA Regional Competition. 

     DECA is a marketing club offered to middle and high school students that focuses on developing skills in marketing, hospitality, management, entrepreneurship, and finance. While the club is immersed in marketing classes, all students are encouraged to join, as it often meets outside the regular school day.

     Nikki Williams, South Gwinnett High School Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) DECA District Leader, says DECA helps students build and practice skills that can be difficult to develop.

     “We’ve seen students develop better experience with public speaking, engaging with audiences, and soft skills needed when entering the work force or pursuing post-secondary options,” Williams adds.

     During the competition, students worked individually or in teams to analyze a case study featuring realistic business scenarios. These scenarios covered topics such as marketing, finance, business law and ethics, and hospitality and tourism principles. These scenarios tested students’ skills in areas like analysis, team decision-making, personal decision-making, buying and merchandising, and more. After developing a solution, students presented their ideas to an industry professional serving as a judge, who evaluated their proposals based on originality. Scores determined whether students advanced to the next level of competition.

     Grayson High senior Kamryn and classmate Hadiatu, an 11th grader, partnered through their school’s DECA Club and presented together in the competition.

“We found [the competition] fun, and we work well together and flow off each other; we’re hoping to make it to state,” Kamryn shares.

     Ka-Teacha Bellamy, a Bay Creek Middle School marketing teacher and DECA Advisor, says DECA is a place where students can figure out where they belong. She hosts DECA club meetings before and after school to meet the scheduling and transportation needs of Bay Creek Middle families. Bellamy encourages all middle school students to join their school’s DECA program as early as possible.

Malachi, a Grayson High senior and first-time presenter at this DECA competition, says his first year in DECA has taught him a lot.

     “I feel like if I keep doing this, I will start building up my skills and learn different ways to communicate, [making] eye contact, and [exercising] leadership,” Malachi says.

     Bellamy adds that DECA teaches essential social, entrepreneurial, analytical, marketing, and management skills. She’s watched students who start DECA at the beginning of the year in August as shy and quiet, blossom by October and November, taking ownership as leaders on projects.

     “To see [middle school] students go into high school confident and competing, excited about scores and full of confidence, brings joy to my heart,” Bellamy explains. “I’ll never forget a [former] student who told me, ‘In DECA, I found the place where I belong.’”