DECA students at Champe prepared for an upcoming international event, ICDC, in late April. ICDC is important because it opened a lot of opportunities for competitors.
DECA is a student-leadership organization that focuses on business and marketing to aid students interested in finance. Students enrolled in a business marketing class are eligible to enroll and become a DECA member. To help students grow, DECA hosts competitions that simulate problems that occur in the business world.
“Competing at ICDC was a huge accomplishment for me,” senior Anna Winley said. “ It was a perfect balance of fun and education. It was honestly my favorite school trip of all time.”
At ICDC two Champe competitors, Vasudha and Durga, placed in the top twenty for student based interspire. Lots of students that competed were close to placing, but currently do not know their exact placement as ICDC results have been delayed. When students were not competing, they were visiting the parks in Orlando. As well as using the pool and playing games at the hotel.
“ICDC is the best of the best going against each other in real business scenarios,” DECA Sponsor Shannon Brown said, “doing role plays and really seeing who will make it in the business world.”
ICDC is an international competition that brought together over 20 thousand DECA members. To qualify for ICDC, students had to place between 1st and 8th in their category at the state leadership conference. At the state leadership conference, there were over 38 categories with around 100 people in each category. 34 Champe students qualified to compete at ICDC, and 41 Champe students participated in leadership training. Leadership training is for students who were not competing at ICDC, which helped them grow more in the business realm. Students that competed were judged by professionals who can give them jobs, scholarships, and other opportunities.
“We have students across all the categories that DECA has to offer,” DECA sponsor Patrick Lucas said. “Our students are spread from Finance, Hospitality, Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Business Administration.”
ICDC had various categories in which students competed in. Those categories spanned from tourism to personal financial responsibility. There were two different ways in which Champe students competed at ICDC: role playing and written projects. Students that did case studies were given their prompt day of the competition and had the day to prepare before going in front of the judges and roleplaying the prompt. While students who wrote had a year to prepare what they presented to the judges.
“Every morning they run through role plays and presentations,” Brown said. “Lots of presentation practice and doubling down to make sure they know what they need.”
Senior Annika Lourdes Villareal was one of the 34 Champe students who competed at ICDC. She has been a part of DECA for 3 years now and has previously competed at ICDC in her junior year. This year, Villareal competed in the Independent Business Plan event. The event was focused on the student proposing a business and explaining how they would do it.
“To prepare for ICDC I have reviewed and revised my paper to ICDC standards, since ICDC is more competitive than SLC was,” Villareal said. “The most difficult or stressful part when prepping is memorizing your presentation.”
The competitors first wrote how they would be carrying out their business, and then had 15 minutes to present in front of the judges which included any questions that the judges had for the competitor. To make sure that Villareal did her very best, she constantly revised and made sure that her work was of the best quality. As well as practicing her presentation various times to make any minor adjustments that were needed to improve her presentation.
“ICDC is so important to me because it is my final year in DECA,” Villareal said, “and it’s such a huge accomplishment to be attending and competing on the ‘big stage.”
This is a photo at ICDC of the competition winners. Taken when the winners were being announced. Showing just how serious and important this event is to DECA. (Anna Wiley)
This is a photo of ICDC’s setup. Taken at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Expressing how extravagant and serious this event is to DECA and its competitors. (Anna Wiley)
This is a photo of people in the lobby of the convention center. Taken during a busy hour of the competition. Exhibiting how many people showed up, dressed out, and participated in this event. Further showing its importance in the business world. (Anna Wiley)
