From March 4th to March 6th, BCA students from the Academy of Business and Finance traveled to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to compete at the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) State Career Development Conference. Over the course of the conference, students put their skills to the test, competing in roleplaying and written events. With the event topics ranging from Food
Marketing to Business Law and Ethics, students faced the top competitors from New Jersey and made amazing memories along the way. Ultimately, all students in attendance can admit that the thrill of the conference came from competing in front of judges, waiting for finalist announcements, running back to the rooms just in time for curfew after a late night ice cream run, and more! Now, let’s take a closer look at what went down over the course of these three amazing days!
Students departed BCA at approximately 10:00 AM, and began their two and a half hour journey to Atlantic City. On the ride there, there was a mix of excitement and last minute preparations. Some students took advantage of the long ride to rest up before their event, but others talked with their friends and played games to pass the time.
Max Deninzon, a sophomore in ABF, competed with his partners, Elad Shav and Jason Goodman, for their prepared event. “We practiced for our binder on the bus because we were going to present that day, so we went through what we were planning to say. I felt slightly nervous because I wanted to improve from last year, but I was determined to achieve my goals!”
Upon arrival, some students headed straight to their prepared events, while others just relaxed around the resort. It was many students’ first time at DECA States, but one student described the day perfectly. “Presenting was an exciting experience, but we didn’t prepare at all. However, we gained a lot of insight on the competition, and were able to bond due to the long delay for the event.”
At around 8 pm on the first day, finalist lists started to come out for the individuals who presented. At DECA States, there are usually two rounds for every event: the preliminary and semi-finalist rounds. Everyone competes for the preliminary round, but only a select few move on to become semi-finalists (usually 10-12). The semi-finalists then compete one last time, and their results are presented on the last day during the Grand Awards Ceremony.
The next day was jam packed with events starting at 8:00 am sharp and ending at 8:00 pm, and then the mini awards ceremony to congratulate participants. The day included students competing for their preliminary roleplays, semifinalist roleplays, and semifinalist prepared events.
Everyone has their own story from the first time they ever compete at DECA, as it can be a little nerve wracking. Sophomore Cristiano Santiago, competed for the first time in the Principles of Finance Roleplay event. “Competing for the first time felt scary at first, but became natural over time. I saw how welcoming my judge was, and it was a great experience overall!”
After a long day of competitions on the second day of the conference, many students found out they qualified for their personal event. “Finding out I qualified for my event was the best feeling ever, especially since I worked so hard,” said one junior.
Aside from the competitive aspect of the trip, there were many things that the students did to occupy themselves. The hotel had an arcade in the lobby, which was nice to hang around while waiting for food. Since students could not leave the hotel, they had to make the most of their time, which included trying new foods from the restaurants the hotel had to offer.
“I was in line to get mac and cheese at this small restaurant because we got out of our events late, and almost missed our curfew,” said one sophomore. “Clearly we prioritized getting our mac and cheese over curfew, but made it back in time anyway.”
After a good night’s rest, BCA students were eager to hear their outcomes at the Grand Award Ceremony, as they would be able to attend DECA’s International Career Development Conference (ICDC).
Nainika Mandayam, a sophomore competing in the Independent Business Plan prepared event, got the opportunity to walk on stage with her partners and hear her group’s name get called to go to ICDC!
“I think it was interesting because when you were up there, you find this weird combination of hope being taken away, but you still have faith you are going to make it! Each time they announce the numbers it gets harder to hear your name get called, but once it does, it’s the best feeling of relief!”
Max Deninzon walked the stage twice, once for his roleplay and another time for his prepared event, and shared some insight into what he was feeling. “It felt cool on stage, because I remembered being there before. I was also really scared because that single moment would determine what would happen. I was elated when I placed, but I didn’t want to be too happy as it was just the next step in the process.”
Overall, many students found the DECA experience to be one they will never forget. Staying at a hotel with some of your closest friends and competing in an area you feel passionate about is bound to make memories that will last a lifetime. Once again, BCA was victorious at Atlantic City this year, and we cannot wait to see what is in store for ICDC in Florida!
