DECA is a student business organization at Elk Grove High School. DECA has been around since about 1946 and it originally stood for Distributive Education Clubs of America but has grown into a business organization over the years.

DECA tries to improve students’ knowledge of marketing management entrepreneurship. The club also gives opportunities to interact with guest speakers and to participate in field trips.

The biggest part of DECA is for students to showcase their skills through the competitive event structure. There are as many as 40 events throughout the school year but a total of four competitive opportunities for students to take part in. One of the four opportunities is the District 214 competition in November.

Competition consists of one economic business test and two role plays where students present a business type case study or situation. The students have 10 minutes to prepare for the presentation and then they meet a judge. Students show their knowledge of that case study through the role play.

After the local competition, the students have an opportunity to participate in the North-Suburban DECA competition which is followed by the state career development conference. If the students make it past the state competition, they head to the national DECA competition which is held in Atlanta, Georgia this year.

Last year four out of the six students that competed qualified to the national competition. Joey Weber represented the state of Illinois at the national competition last year as a junior. “Great students and great competition,” coach Chad Froeschle said.

DECA is not only about being a leader in the marketing management entrepreneurship field, but it can help build important life skills like communication, public speaking and human relationship skills. “DECA can definitely help you out in the future,” says Froeschle.