DECA, which stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America, has been a club at Granada for almost 30 years. DECA is a co-curricular organization that aims to attract students interested in pursuing finance, marketing, business management, hospitality, and entrepreneurship. Its purpose is to help students build the necessary skills for these positions in order to reach college/career goals while making connections along the way.
DECA has benefited its members and positively contributed to the GHS community in many ways. Mrs. Wilson, the club’s advisor and chief enthusiast stated that “it is a super fun experience where students can meet others and bond over interests together,” and gave insight to how it helps students considerably grow their speaking, soft, and business skills through creating written reports and impromptu competitions at conferences. She also shared that members are able to compete to get recognition in the Tri-Valley, which can be very helpful for those wanting to gain exposure and experience within these fields. Students should consider joining if they are interested in pursuing said careers and practicing their people, writing, and speaking skills. It’s also a great way to create a community at Granada and make friends!
Unfortunately, the club had experienced a serious drop in membership since the pandemic and distance learning several years ago. However, in 2023, they revived their chapter to eight members, and even had the opportunity to go to NorCal and State. Last year, they grew their active participants once again to around 20, and this year they have about 100 members in their chapter, and are looking to attract even more for the coming years.
Luckily, Mrs. Wilson has many plans to revive DECA to its former glory and help its students reach their full potential. She explained how they have appeared at multiple events such as the Club Rush and the Hoco Carnival in September, the Freshman Expo in February, and plan to make an appearance at the 24 Hour Race Night Market coming in April. “We want to host more events to raise awareness and attraction,” stated Wilson, who also plans to get IB students into DECA because currently only ROP business students may join. Some major goals for next year include: Cafe Olé, getting over 25 students at NorCal, placing and qualifying for ICDC (international level conference), and making GHS DECA a large presence on campus.
Speaking of which, what is Cafe Olé? Well for those of you who don’t know, Cafe Olé is a student-run business by DECA on campus by the 100 hall and the lunch line where members can sell snacks throughout the day. Wilson claimed that they “are already working to bring it back by holding employee applications, obtaining the necessary nutrition and health permits, and creating a menu.” Cafe Olé teaches students how to effectively run a business, budgeting, marketing, and sales tactics, and is also just a fun way to help out on the GHS campus! It also pays them and provides funding for their account to send students to conferences, so make sure to keep an eye open for its return and some cash in your pocket!
Sheehan Krishna, president of DECA, stated in an interview that, “I’ve found that it’s an amazing way to make friends and learn new skills. I know so many actual mba and advanced business terms because of DECA and I improved my presentation skills so much through live competition,” adding that “as president, it is a lot of dedication because I’m not only in charge if my own completions, but I also look at other members to help them improve in any way I can, lead lunch meetings, and am constantly involved. But my other officers do an amazing job of keeping our chapter running smoothly.”
Krishna also expressed how their most recent event (SCDC or the California State Conference for DECA) went in anaheim from the end of February to the beginning of March. They had 13 competitors going for the 3-4 day trip where they competed in impromptu business case studies, created presentations and proposals which they pitched to judges, and participated in career development workshops. Sheehan listed the fun things the group got to do as well such as “visiting anaheim’s best tourist spots like restaurants and Downtown Disney!” Sadly the club did not produce any individual competitors or teams who qualified for the international level, however they did receive first place in the state for Largest Percentage Increase in Membership for their chapter, with a total of 58% growth. Additionally, Jesse Taylor, one of their alumni from the class of 2013, also won Alumni of the Year.
Sheehan Krishna concluded that “these experiences are so amazing for us because our chapter is growing, and so is our enthusiasm towards deca’s potential. I can’t wait to see where we go next year!” So, make sure to consider joining if you too want to gain experience in these fields and add something extra special and impressive to your college applications. Let’s help DECA continue to grow!
