Weekly practices, year long studying, and nervous students describe how DECA competitors feel as they prepare for their district competition Thursday, January
22.

Students have been staying after school every Wednesday to study and practice so they can do their best and try to make it to state. Many students feel both nervous and excited and are using their free time to prepare for district.

Senior Camila Elizondo. shared that she is excited to finally compete after months of practice. She explained that staying after school and taking practice tests has helped her improve and feel more confident, and hopes to make it state.

“I’ve been waiting to compete,” Elizondo said. “Every Wednesday l I stay after school for at least an hour, and my practice tests have been improving little by little throughout the year. I really hope I qualify for state to get a chance to compete at a state level and do well.”

DECA has given these students a chance to learn about business and build up important skills for the future. Many students enjoy the club because it helps them grow and prepare for life after high school, while they are still having fun and learning.

Elizondo also shared that DECA has helped her improve her leadership and business skills.

“This club has helped me develop my leadership and business skills a lot,” Elizondo said. “I am glad I joined this club in high school because I have an expectation of what to see in the real world after graduating high school.”

Senior Kaylie Heyse explained that her event is a project and that her and her group members have been working on this throughout the year.

“I’m nervous because my event is a project, and I want everything to go as planned,” Heyse said. “My group members and I have been practicing our speech for the past two months so we feel more prepared and have been working on this project for the past year.”

Heyse also shared that last year her group and her did not qualify to the international level last year when they competed and she hopes to reach that goal this year.

“Last year my group members and I did not qualify to an international level, we were only able to compete at the state level, and I hope this year is different and we have a chance to get recognized or compete at that international level,” Heyse said.