Each year, dedicated high school students from across the country and the world travel to the United States to compete in various business-related competitions and events. This all happens at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC), which will be held in Orlando, Florida in April of this year.
With a membership of hundreds of students, Woodgrove’s DECA chapter will certainly not be missing out at this year’s international competition. The chapter is sending six of its members down to Orlando to compete in a variety of subjects, including marketing and entrepreneurship. Among those students is freshman Bella Hagenston, who will be competing at ICDC for the first time in the Principles of Marketing (PMK) category. Though her involvement in DECA has brought her to the highest level of competition, Hagenston’s intentions in joining DECA were initially very simple. “I found out through my business teacher and decided to join just for fun,” Hagenston explained.
ICDC is the final chapter for DECA members who have successfully made it through their District and State level competitions. Participants first qualify by completing assessments that take into consideration their understanding of business practices aligning with their particular category, and then they present in front of judges at an in-person competition. Each category has their own competition requirements. In Principles of Marketing, the competition is based around a roleplay event. “PMK is a broad variety of business related topics, so you never really know what you’ll get for your roleplay,” Hagenston shared. Similarly, the Principles of Entrepreneurship category, in which freshman Charlie Del Grande competes, opts for a roleplay-based model as well. “They combine your test score with your score that you get when they give you a prompt,” Del Grande noted. Each category uses their own checkpoints, called performance indicators, to judge the competitors.
Each competitor is preparing for April in the way they deem the most beneficial. For Hagenston, that means perfecting every aspect of her performance so she is well prepared in Orlando. “I will be preparing for ICDC by not just doing sample roleplays, but I also will be practicing the aspect of fluent speech—no stutters, flow into different topics,” Hagenston declared, “as well as body mannerisms like eye contact.” Conversely, Del Grande is trusting in his confidence in and knowledge of the entrepreneurship category to carry him into ICDC. “I’m probably going to review some of the questions on the DECA plus website, but that’s really it, there’s not a lot you can do,” Del Grande said.
The competition requires a lot of planning, and not just for students. As the DECA sponsor, Ms. Kristie Keller is responsible for the finer details of the trip and making sure everything is in line come April. “It’s a lot like being a travel agent,” Keller noted. “We have to get registration done, book hotels, book flights…it’s a lot.” Not only is the group planning for a successful few days at the competition, but there is a lot planned during the students’ free time to ensure that they get the complete Orlando experience. The biggest attractions include trips to Universal Studios and Walt Disney World, two of the most popular theme parks in the area. “They have a DECA night at Universal. They close the whole park and the only people that are there are the DECA kids,” Keeler explained. The closing of the entire park for DECA members is a representation of just how grand the competition is, bringing in over 25,000 students from all 50 states, US territories, and foreign countries.
Woodgrove students themselves are just as excited for the festivities involved in the competition. There is a lot of general excitement about being able to learn about a new city and having fun, even outside the magic of Disney World. “I am definitely looking forward to exploring Orlando,” Hagenston stated.
Beyond the rollercoasters and attractions, visiting Orlando means a whole new level of commitment to DECA and the greater field of business for those who qualified for ICDC. “Having my own company is something that would be fun to have,” Del Grande said of his plans to pursue business after high school. The club has also brought new certainty to those previously unsure of their career path. “Being in DECA and competing in competitions has given me more confidence with speaking with adults and preparing myself to have future business conversations,” Hagenston declared. “No matter the career someone chooses, if they are in DECA, it will help benefit every aspect of their future career.”