(‘25)

This past April, Indian Hills sent 24 students, from varying grade levels to the in-person DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) located in Orlando, FL. 2023 marks the return of DECA Nation- als for the second time since the pandemic, the energy and spirits from every state and country was incredible. Indian Hills DECA members joined nearly 17,500 other high schoolers from around the world in the fierce competition to take home the coveted DECA awards, known as DECA glass. This year’s membership theme was to “Get the Edge!”, which emphasizes DECA members’ opportunities to always strive for the best and success in all areas of their lives— from DECA, school, and within their community.

In Orlando, Indian Hills competed in team decision-making events, and individual events, as well as attended leadership workshops. Competitive events are composed of a 60 question exam and a roleplay where students are given case studies about business issues, and then, must present solutions to the complications to real business professionals who judge and score based on the quality of their presentation and solution. The final score consists of the judging score and an exam score based on the area of business the event is focused on (i.e Marketing, Hospitality and Tourism, Finance, etc). In addition to competing in various competitive events, some students attended the Emerging Leader Series workshops where they listened to guest speakers, to attain 21st Century Skills in the areas of collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity.

DECA ICDC was a great success for Indian Hills with qualifiers having the opportunity to represent NJ DECA. Students competed, visited popular Orlando parks, and built networks while making connections with people from all over the world. Senior Tara Flynn, who competed in the Community Giving Project Event, stated, “ICDC was a lot of fun for my friends and I. Not only did we get to do some cool things like visit Disney, but we were also able to learn amazing life skills. Many people went to leadership academies where they learned about business in the real world while others completed in front of judges. DECA definitely teaches a lot of life skills such as public speaking and preparing for professional situations and interviews. I had a lot of fun and think everyone should join DECA if they have the chance.”

Sophomore Nationals Qualifier and Vice President of Membership, Luke Festa, said, “It was a trip of a lifetime and really taught me a lot about the professional world. The parks were great and so was hanging out with my friends at the pool. I can’t wait for next year’s trip to Anaheim, California.” Sophomore Brady Dransfield added, “ICDC was an unbelievable experience. Seeing the number of competitors there for Deca was eye-opening. It made me realize just how vast Deca really is and how it can fit for anyone.”

Senior and 2023 NJ DECA State Officer, Ryan LaDuca, reiterated, “The International Career Development Conference is the culmination of the hard work and prepa- ration we all put into DECA. Over the past four years, I’ve seen the amazing progress our chapter has made and how our members have grown into prepared individuals molded by the DECA curriculum and culture. I’m sad that my time in DECA has come to a close but I’m thankful for all the opportunities and lessons I’ve learned… I strongly encourage everyone to take the leap they’re scared of because it is worth it in the end!”