DECA is a club at AHS dedicated to helping students learn about business and leadership.
They had an Area conference on January 6 at Lake Stevens High School. This is where members from different schools within the area competed and were ranked, qualifying individuals to go to the State Career Development Conference (STATE).
“The competitions are very fun because they are multiple day-long trips – and you’re hanging out with the best people you know and you’re all – achieving one main goal of doing good in your competitions,” says Kamila Estrada (‘24). “I wish I did it sooner.”
Currently, DECA has 14 members that qualified for and went to state. None of whom will go on to compete at internationals.
Hannah Lawrence, (‘24), Entrepreneur team decision #2
Kamila Estrada, (‘24), Entrepreneur team decision #2
Ella Shaffer, (‘26), Entrepreneur #1
Andrea Bejarano Carmona, (‘24), Travel and Tourism Team #2
Jayden Gonzales, (‘24), Travel and Tourism Team #2
Deleini Brackin, (‘26), Restaurant and Food Service Management #1
Adrian Carballo Beltran, (‘25), Restaurant and Food Service Management #2
Ellison O’Brien Bowen, (‘26), Business Services Marketing
Maia Lopez, (‘25), Food Marketing #1
Maxim Caldwell, (‘27), Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team #1
Haylie Angel, (‘24), Senior Academy
Kathy Azpiri, (‘24), Impact Idea
Lily Pedevilla-Belford, (‘25), Impact Idea
Erandi Juarez Soriano, (‘25), Impact Idea.
The conference for State was in Bellevue from February 29-March 2.
Before they attend the conference they take a 100 multiple choice question test that’s about the different aspects of business based on what category of business they choose to learn. The categories range from entrepreneurship, hospitality and tourism, finance, marketing and more.
While at state they have to perform two different role play scenarios in front of a judge either in a team or on their own.
The role plays are random mock situations, Kamila Estrada (24’) said. “Me and my partner are in entrepreneurship, so usually it has to do with something like owning a business, but for the most part,- it’s very random. We [have] had stuff that has dealt with restaurants to pet stores and just random situations like that.” Estrada says that it can be “any makeup situation where you figure out a problem, come up with a solution and then present it to a judge”.
AHS’s DECA competitors went to club meetings every Wednesday after school to prepare for their role plays and practice for their tests.
To prepare for their role plays “We’d bring in alumni that have been in DECA” said Andrea Bejarano Carmona (24’). “And they pretend to be our judges and we just do our role play with them and they tell us things that we can work on”.
“There’s a DECA plus website where they give you tips on how to do the best during presentations and how to maximize your time when you’re with your partner,” Estrada says.
At the meetings they also learn how to give “a unique explanation” for answers to questions they could be asked, said Max Caldwell (27’).
They completed their 100-question tests on January 26th.
For determining the placing at State it’s whoever gets the highest score on both their role plays and tests combined.
Bejarano Carmona’s favorite part of DECA is “the different sports days we go to. We recently went to a Silvertips’ game and then like every spring and May we go to a Mariners game where they talk about their aspects in business.”
Caldwell’s favorite part “is just the people that go there. – There’s a lot of amazing people. Mrs. Matter is a great leader for this.”
While their competition season may be over DECA still has tons of fun events coming up.
“[T]hey learned a lot and grew as students,” Ms. Rust-Matter (DECA Adviser) said.
