DECA Nationals

DECA+Members+at+State.

Sara Consdorf

DECA Members at State.

Business is only a fraction of what DECA Nationals represents to the DECA community.  This organization, while structured around students future careers in business, celebrates the achievements of so many entrepreneurs and idealists through a rewarding competition in Anaheim, California.  This year, Geneva DECA has 8 young and talented students, a record-breaking number for Geneva, representing our high school amongst students in every state and other countries.  These students know that going to Nationals is a reward but performing well on behalf of their school is what truly matters.

DECA is a nationwide business club and organization where students demonstrate their business knowledge through interview simulations and economic tests.  This prepares students for their potential future careers in business and gives them an advantage in the business-world after college.

In order to get to this point, students needed to advance through Sectionals and State, both competitions being effortless compared to Nationals held on April 26th until April 30th, both are still difficult in their own right.  By defeating all the other chapters, or schools, in Illinois, students are truly proving their readiness in the business field.  DECA Nationals is viewed by many members as a reward, rather than a competition.  They get to meet many other like-minded people in a fruitful environment with a lot of freedom and downtime.  

The students going to Anaheim for Geneva are Maggie Ammon, Matt Sweet, Cam Zak, Dan O’Connell, Caroline Lahey, Lauren Burgess, Tulsi Patel, and Carter Berens.  They are all accompanied by the chapter adviser Mrs. Dunlap and her husband.  


Throughout their time they will attend DECA workshops, Universal Studios, and, of course, their competition by presenting to a judge and taking tests.  This mix of work and reward gives these students the impression that they have accomplished a lot up to this point, and the work is almost done.  This is the finale they have been working up to and studying for all year long, and the dedication that the finalists have really shines through their mandatory DECA blazers.  

The students go in with a mindset that it will be incredibly difficult to get a trophy, or as they call it, DECA Glass.  With this mentality they are grateful to achieve any level of success and commit themselves to having an overall joyous experience.