Following an extremely successful season York’s DECA program looks ahead for another competitive year. DECA club provides students the opportunity to compete in business, something other business-focus clubs at York seem to lack. While preparing for their first tournaments in January, the team looks back on last year’s achievements.

York sent five graduates including Vincent Gilboy, Adam Marti, Landon DeMichele, Lucas Kubychek and Connor Hess to Orlando, Fla., last year to compete in nationals. Besides nationals, DECA participates in sectional and state competitions held in Rosemont. These competitions provide competitors with a collaborative environment in which they can grow their business skills while having fun.

“When you go to competitions you really form a community with the people that are in your event,” co-president Averie Backhaus said.

The DECA community is tight-knit and extremely hard-working. Although official competitions don’t begin until 2024, the DECA club competed with students from Willowbrook in a mock tournament on Wednesday, Dec. 13 to begin preparing. Here students completed a business test as well as a roleplay and were judged accordingly. DECA members spend the fall and winter months studying for the events they will compete in next year.

“Everyone has fun because you’re all in the same boat,” Backhaus said. “You all studied and prepared for the same thing. It’s competitive, but it’s friendly too.”

Traditionally, York has only competed in the test and roleplay sections of DECA competitions. However, this year the team expanded their participation by also competing in online events. To prepare for this students have worked on projects and formulated business plans over the last few months to compete with.

“There are many different categories,” Backhaus said. “I am really excited because we are competing in all of the events this year.”

The DECA program at York is a great club alternative for students to grow their business skills and be competitive simultaneously. DECA’s success stems further than just placement at nationals. York participants leave having business experience that they can use in college and future careers.

“DECA has helped me be more involved in business and grow in professional settings,” Backhaus said. “It’s given me more skills in [the business] area.”