DECA Direct | January–February 2015 by DECA Inc.

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

EDUCATIONAL TOURISM DECA TAKES YOU PLACES! CELEBRATE CTE MONTH ADVOCATE FOR DECA

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Learn more and apply at www.babson.edu/summerstudy

EDITORIAL

Publisher Paul A. Wardinski Editor Christopher Young Managing Editor Janelle Scudder Editorial Committee Jeff Collins, Sandra Tucker Advertising Cindy Allen Art Direction and Design Chuck Beatty

THE MAGAZINE JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

President Zack Schaja North Atlantic Region Vice President Juan Sanchez Central Region Vice President Robert Mitchals Southern Region Vice President Amar Hodzic Western Region Vice President Kyle Kuo

COLLEGIATE DECA EXECUTIVE OFFICERS President Johnnie Hubbard III Vice President Jared Broad Vice President Daryll Morgan Vice President Holly Norris Vice President Matthew Witzgall

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Everett Vaughan President-elect Jacklyn Schiller Secretary Lynore Levenhagen Treasurer Mary Peres Members Marsha Bock, Pamela O’Brien, Kevin Reisenauer, Oleg Shvets NAB Chair Kenneth DiSaia Ex-Officio Members Tammie Brewer, Wayne Kutzer, Paul A. Wardinski

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE DECA Direct Magazine 1908 Association Drive Reston, Virginia 20191-1594 communications@deca.org

SUBSCRIPTIONS & CHANGE OF ADDRESS

DECA Direct Circulation 1908 Association Drive Reston, Virginia 20191-1594

DECA Direct (ISSN 1080-0476) is published four times each year—September/October, November/December, January/February and March/April. Copyright ©2015 by the Distributive Education Clubs of America, Inc., 1908 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191-1594. All rights reserved. Annual non-member subscription rate is $5.00. Periodicals postage paid at Herndon, Virginia and additional mailing offices. $1.00 of membership fee goes toward subscription to DECA Direct, a publication of DECA, (USPS 566-200), Volume 3, Number 3. Postmaster—Send form 3579 for change of address to: DECA Direct, 1908 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191-1594.

TAKE YOUR COMPETITIVE EVENT SKILLS TO ICDC

4 FOOLPROOF WAYS TO FUNDRAISE FOR ICDC

#IAMDECA & GET MORE DECA DIRECT ONLINE

CHAPTER BUZZ

FEATURES

SHOW CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION SOME LOVE, TOO! Forget the candy and flowers this February. Check out eight great ways to show CTE some love, as well as promote your DECA chapter.

HOW YOUR DECA SKILLS CAN HELP YOU GET HIRED CTE Month is a great time to showcase the invaluable skills you’ve gained through DECA, and how they will help you become the ideal candidate for your dream job.

NOT YOUR ORDINARY TRIP The growing popularity of educational tourism is turning ordinary vacations and travel experiences into incredible, once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunities.

DECA TAKES YOU PLACES! DECA will host conferences in exciting cities across the United States during 2015! Check out some educational highlights that are not to be missed.

#IAMDECA ADVOCACY VIDEO CHALLENGE DECA is challenging its members to create a video that showcases how Career and Technical Education has impacted their lives. Will you be our grand prize winner?

ADVOCACY RESOURCES FOR ALL CAREER AND TECHNICAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

13 16

Advocating for DECA and Career and Technical Education can be intimidating, but not anymore thanks to these new customized state CTSO profiles!

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA direct

Your chapter is eligible for scholarships and monetary awards when you sell any Otis products in your School Based Enterprise!

Serve irresistible cookies with the Otis fresh-baked cookie program, which includes the loan of a compact oven. Earn up to 50% profit on every transaction Sell pre-portioned cookie dough with the Otis cookie dough tub fundraising program. â&#x201E;˘

Our Delicious Essentials cookie dough and thaw and serve muffins meets the newest USDA school nutrition requirements.

To make even more money for your chapter with an Otis cookie dough tub fundraiser, visit otisfundraisingideas.com.

For more information on building your DECA program with Otis, call us or visit our website. Call 1-888-ASK-OTIS and let us help you find an Otis Spunkmeyer distributor in your area. ÂŠ 2013 ARYZTA LLC. Otis Spunkmeyer is a registered trademark of ARYZTA LLC. DECA is a registered trademark of DECA Inc. All other registered trademarks are owned by ARYZTA, LLC.

spunkmeyer.com

facebook.com/otisspunkmeyer

twitter.com/otis_spunkmeyer

CHAT

@decazack

TIMELINE JANUARY 2015 12

Virtual Business Challenge Round 2 begins

School-based Enterprise certification documentation due Student scholarship applications due (submitted directly online)

DECA Emerging Leader Honor Award applications postmark deadline

FEBRUARY 2015 1–28

areer and Technical Education C Month

4–8

Sports and Entertainment Marketing Conference, Orlando, Fla.

Virtual Business Challenge Round 2 ends #IamDECA Advocacy Video submission deadline

TAKE YOUR COMPETITIVE EVENT SKILLS TO ICDC ZACK SCHAJA | DECA EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT

Think about it, out of the over 200,000 DECA members, only about 16,000 qualify to attend DECA’s International Career Development Conference. So how do you get there, and how do you win? From what I’ve seen in my five years of being a DECA member, it’s not necessarily the smartest members who qualify for #DECAICDC, but it’s always the hardest workers. DECA competition is not designed to test how well you can memorize numbers or facts. What makes DECA’s competitions so great is that they take the materials you’ve learned in the classroom and test your ability to apply them in real business situations. Whether it’s perfecting your presentation, practicing role-plays, or dominating as many practice tests as you can possibly find, hard work pays off when it comes to ICDC. Try some of these tips to prepare the smart way for competition: • Practice cluster exams are available on the official DECA Compete app. Download it today for Apple and Android! • Reach out to local businesses and see if they would be willing to judge your presentation. Members of the business community judge all the time, so hearing their feedback can be very beneficial. • Try acting as a judge during a friend’s presentation! When you see and hear a presentation from a judge’s perspective, it will help you perfect your own. Remember that although competition is great, there are other ways to attend the International Career Development Conference in April. Check out www.deca.org for information on the many other ways you can join me in Orlando, Fla., this spring! JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

7–15

Online voting for DECA ICDC T–shirt Design Contest

Piper Jaffray Taking Stock with Teens Spring Survey begins

MARCH 2015 1

Association Administrator of the Year Award recipients due Association Chapter Advisor of the Year Award recipients due I CDC competitors’ final membership eligibility

Advocacy Campaign due Advisor scholarship applications postmark deadline

Executive Officer Candidate applications due

I CDC registration and hotel rooming list/deposit due from chartered associations

APRIL 2015 7

iper Jaffray Taking Stock with P Teens Spring Survey ends

25–28

DECA International Career Development Conference, Orlando, Fla.

DECA direct

IT’S YOUR

FUTURE

IN THE MAKING

MAKE IT A SUCCESS AT JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY! Scholarships up to full tuition $20 million in DECA scholarships awarded last year More than 1,000 DECA student recipients Announcing the addition of three new majors at our Denver Campus Beverage Industry Operations and Retail Management Psychology • Applied • Counseling • Organizational Urban Studies For more information visit www.jwu.edu/NSO

Johnson & Wales University admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin, among other categories. 1405508 10/14

CHAT

@DECAcated12

TIMELINE JANUARY 2015 16

Corporate and Applegate Student Scholarship applications due (submitted directly online)

FEBRUARY 2015 1–28

Career and Technical Education Month

IamDECA Advocacy Video # submission deadline

7–15

Online voting for Collegiate DECA ICDC T–shirt Design Contest

I AM DECA Membership Campaign Goal—membership increase

4 FOOLPROOF WAYS TO FUNDRAISE FOR ICDC JOHNNIE HUBBARD III | COLLEGIATE DECA EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT When should you start fundraising for the Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference? The correct answer is you should always be fundraising for ICDC! If your chapter hasn’t had much success raising money for your conference trip, the New Year is a perfect time to start. Here are four quick tips for you and your chapter to raise some cash and have a blast at the same time.

TIP 1: NETWORK WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES By networking with local businesses, you’ll give your chapter vital exposure to important members of your community. If these business owners recognize your need for funding and see the importance of this conference, they may be able to help you out!

TIP 2: HOST A DECA NIGHT AT YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SPOT Hosting a DECA Night not only gives your members a chance to bond, but also spreads your efforts out into the community! Some local restaurants will donate 15-20% of a patron’s receipt to your organization, but you can also reach out to frozen yogurt shops, apparel stores and more!

TIP 3: CREATE PARTNERSHIP LETTERS

Collegiate DECA membership submission and dues deadline for International CDC event competitors. (Students may still join after this date and participate in other ICDC activities). There is no deadline for advisors, alumni and professional members to join.

I ntent to Run for Executive Office Form due Collegiate DECA Academic Honor Award applications due

MARCH 2015 1

Association Administrator of the Year Award and Association Chapter Advisor of the Year Award recipients due

Advisor Scholarship Applications postmark deadline

eadership Passport Award L submission deadline (chapter and individual) Community Service Award submission deadline Chapter Leadership Award submission deadline Advocacy Campaign submission deadline

Partnership letters are an informal alternative to sponsorship letters. Presenting your request as a “partnership” is more appealing to businesses and they will see it as a win/win situation.

TIP 4: CREATE A DECA JUG

A DECA jug can be your best friend! Bring a DECA jug to every meeting and ask members to donate the spare change in their pockets. By each member donating just a few cents here and there, you’ll be amazed at how much it can all add up to by the end of the year!

If you have other fundraising tips for Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference, share them with Collegiate DECA on Twitter @CollegiateDECA! JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

ICDC Registration (to DECA Inc.) and Housing (to Hotel) due Executive Officer Candidate applications due Recipients of student, advisor and chapter recognition programs posted online at www. collegiatedeca.org. (Check lists to verify your submissions.)

DECA direct

TRENDING

@decainc or @collegiatedeca

#IamDECA

|1| Elmwood Park DECA @ephsdeca #DECAMonth final selfie of the month! Our very own members dressed for success #IamDECA

GET MORE

ONLINE

10 COLLEGIATE DECA DEADLINES TO KEEP IN MIND http://bit.ly/ collegiate10

|2| Shauna Garrett @shaunie_bear Best and favorite #IamDECA selfie this month! When keynote speaker Kene I. during #GEW at my Fall Leadership Conference. Global Entrepreneurship Week was a blast. #DECAMonth #CollegiateDECA

DEMYSTIFYING THE FINANCIAL AID PROCESS http://bit.ly/ financialaidmyths

JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES FOR TEENS http://bit.ly/ teenjobtips |6| Tathiana Serrano @tathiana_serrano #DECAPowerTrip #DECABestfriends #SaturdaySelfie #IamDECA

|7| Steven Hairston @0scuba_steve1 Amazing leaders and members from all around the world at our workshop! #DECAPowerTrip #IamDECA

|3| Pinnacle DECA

|8| Austin Burkett

@pinnacleDECA We had a blast doing #DECAMonth and hope to do it again! #Day30 #IamDECA @arizonadeca

@austin_burkett PA DECA is here! #DECAMonth #DECAPowerTrip #IamDECA

|4| Erika Rosario

|9| Sebastian Damiani

@erika_rosario Day 25: Selfie with a new DECA member! #DECA #DECAMonth #IamDECA

@sebastian_529 Had a chance to meet this mantastic bro who taught me how to live and prosper #IamDECA #WRLC2014

|5| California DECA

|10| Thomas

@californiadeca In honor of the #DECAMonth Selfie Challenge, Team 64 is throwing it back to the first team selfie! #IamDECA

@tommyboysch #CRLC14 #DECA #IamDECA

Share your pictures with DECA and Collegiate DECA on Instagram by following @decainc and using #IamDECA. 6

DECA direct

ADVOCACY MONTH: THE PERKINS ACT http://bit.ly/ cteperkinsact

JANUARYâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;FEBRUARY 2015

5 SUREFIRE WAYS TO WARM UP FOR YOUR ROLE-PLAY http://bit.ly/ roleplaywarmup

Competition preparation materials available exclusively through DECA Images

BRAF | $29.95

BRAB | $29.95

DSCFC | $29.95

Competition Preparation Guide OVERVIEW

INDUSTRY TRENDS • In the next decade, businesses will see a significant change in the workforce as the “Baby Boomer” generation retires. Knowledge management will be key in assisting managers with saving important experiential data as this turnover occurs. • There is a growing demand in the workforce to create an environment that supports telecommuting and/or policies that support a better work/life balance. • Social media has had a significant impact across all areas of business operations. Companies are challenged to stay educated in this area and use social media to effectively recruit employees, sustain corporate branding and engage with customers. • In a business environment that sees employees seeking out jobs that meet their needs and wants across multiple platforms, businesses are implementing new programs that retain and reward exceptional employees. • To connect with a younger generation of employees, companies are developing new recruiting programs including: internships, apprencticeships, college recruiting programs, sponsoring competitions, service trips, and interaction with executives. • Today, employees want to feel valued and that their work has an impact. Businesses can engage in internal branding by using techniques like highlighting positive work examples across the business. This helps motivate the entire workforce to support company goals.

The performance indicators are your guide to a focused presentation! Apply them to the situation because they are always based on a real life situation. Use industry knowledge that you have researched before competition to supplement what you know about your performance indicators. This helps demonstrate your proficiency! Be natural and comfortable in your role in the situation. Nonverbal communication can be just as important as verbal communication. If you smile and are confident it demonstrates your professionalism. Speak clearly so that the judge can understand what you are sharing with him/her. You have time to talk about your performance indicators within the situation—don’t rush and take the chance a judge didn’t hear you talking about something. At the end of any role play situation, you are always told what the judge is looking for in an outcome—make sure you address this! How are you unique? What are you bringing to this presentation that no other competitor will show this judge? Be memorable in a professional way. Show your ability to be creative—don’t just have a “Plan A”; exceed expectations by having options for your judge to select from if the situation calls for it. Take time to make sure your judge is following your thoughts. You can ask him/her questions to make sure they have understood what you have shared. The judge will ask you prepared questions. If you need a minute to consider the questions before answering, say so in a professional manner. This reflects your respect of his/her position and your desire to share an informed answer.

RESOURCES American Management Association

MARKETING

Competition Preparation Guide

OVERVIEW

PRESENTATION TIPS

The Finance cluster reflects a focus in performing tasks to report, obtain, save, protect, and grow the financial assets of businesses and individuals. These responsibilities can include recording, classifying, summarizing, analyzing and communicating a business’s financial information, accepting deposits, lending funds and extending credit, managing policy and strategy for capital structure, budgeting, acquisition and merger, financial modeling and planning, funding, dividends and taxation and offering products that reduce the risk of financial loss through insurance.

INDUSTRY TRENDS • Despite many challenges recently in the financial industry, there is a growing spirit of entrepreneurship in this area. • Technology continues to have an impact on the financial services industry by creating automated financial tools providing consumers convenience to access their accounts. Innovation in this area will continue to develop customer loyalty. • The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (CARD Act) has had a significant impact on how financial services businesses operate. The cost of financial data has increased which presents a challenge to effectively use budgets. This also makes it more expensive to start and operate a business in this industry. • The rise of crowdfunding has made it easier to access capital, as Kickstarter has proven recently. Financial services businesses should watch this trend to learn how to engage consumers with similar innovation. • The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (CARD Act) has encouraged consumers to require transparency in their financial partners. Businesses need to respond to this trend and use technology to secure sensitive information, provide data as requested and demonstrate a competitive advantage. • Technology continues to have an impact on the financial services industry by creating new payment and credit options. The development of Bitcoin is the beginning of trends in virtual currency.

RESOURCES American Finance Association

International Association of Business and Management Professionals

Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association

Society for Human Resource Management

The Financial Services Roundtable

National Association for Business Economics

The Clearinghouse Association

BRAM | $29.95

DSCBR | $29.95

HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM

Competition Preparation Guide PRESENTATION TIPS

The Business Management Administration cluster reflects a focus in performing administrative and managerial processes vital to the success and ongoing existence of a business organization. These responsibilities can include information and communication management, data processing and collection, project tracking, connecting with IT, activities related to the planning, organizing, directing, and evaluating the business organization through the use of financial, human, and material resources, and the processes needed to plan, organize, coordinate and control the production of goods or services.

DSVFC | $29.95

FINANCE

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

BRAH | $29.95

Competition Preparation Guide

OVERVIEW

PRESENTATION TIPS

The Hospitality and Tourism cluster reflects a focus in performing tasks that encompass the management, marketing and operations of restaurants and other foodservices, lodging, attractions, recreation events and travel related services. These responsibilities include maintaining operations and promoting guest services in eating and drinking establishments, operation of lodging facilities and the care of guests who use these facilities, either through direct guest contact or the provision of background services that enhance the guest experience, activities related to the development, research, packaging promotion and delivery of a traveler’s experiences, and the development of customer service skills. Technical skills are locationspecific and training is handled on the job.

INDUSTRY TRENDS • The growth seen in the Millennial and Generation Y markets will affect hospitality business. These generations are looking for “experiences” as much as a great product/service and are willing to pay for these special opportunities. • There is a growing trend in gourmet experiences for the “foodie” market. They want to learn techniques but also experience this trend for reasonable prices in restaurants and food service in lodging properties. • Social media will continue to have a significant impact on the hospitality cluster due to consumer’s need to quickly share experiences—both positive and negative. Businesses should be prepared for this engagement with employees who are trained to leverage positive experiences as a marketing advantage and to turn negative experiences into an opportunity to demonstrate excellent customer service. • Restaurant businesses are seeing a trend in consumers searching out locally sourced meats, seafood and produce. This is an opportunity to develop menu items as a new product but it will also support local small businesses which is a positive development for local economies. • There is a growing trend for restaurants to provide menu items that are sensitive to special dietary needs including food allergies and gluten-free requests. • Sports management is increasingly looking at how to use mobile technology to enhance a consumers experience while viewing a sports event. A majority of fans bring a mobile device to a sport experience and use it during that time. Teams are being innovative on how to engage at this level: ordering food to be delivered, updates on bathroom lines and discounts on merchandise.

RESOURCES American Hotel and Lodging Association National Recreation and Park Association International Association for Amusement Parks and Attractions

OVERVIEW

PRESENTATION TIPS

The Marketing cluster reflects a focus in performing tasks that create, communicate, and deliver value to customers and manage customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders. These responsibilities include developing activities that inform, remind, and/or persuade a target market of ideas, experiences, goods/services, and/or images, tasks that encourage strategic decision-making using marketing knowledge, utilizing qualitative and quantitative research methods to determine information needs, designing data collection processes collecting data, analyzing results and presenting data, using effective product planning, product selection, buying, licensing and inventory control processes, and developing in-depth knowledge about target customers to understand customer needs, business, competitors, and products.

INDUSTRY TRENDS • While social media might look like a simple marketing technique, the key is to use it to engage consumers to drive purchases. Social media should focus on creating a personal connection with a brand. • There will continue to be a trend in making marketing campaigns “mobile friendly” as consumers use this technology more than traditional outlets. • Marketers need to ensure that a brand’s content can be seen and used quickly as consumers will be more likely to share their message. • Marketers have access to a tremendous amount of data regarding their products and consumers. The challenge now is to use this data in real time rather than conducting analysis of what has already happened. This allows marketers to make changes to products and marketing quickly and respond to changes in the market. • Brands need to continue to use technology to tell their story to consumers. This is known as content marketing and there has been a significant investment in building this area. • Simple mobile apps will continue to be used by consumers. A marketing campaign should include messages through apps like Instagram, WeChat, Snapchat and WhatsApp.

How are you unique? What are you bringing to this presentation that no other competitor will show this judge? Be memorable in a professional way. Show your ability to be creative—don’t just have a “Plan A”; exceed expectations by having options for your judge to select from if the situation calls for it. Take time to make sure your judge is following your thoughts. You can ask him/her questions to make sure they have understood what you have shared. The judge will ask you prepared questions. If you need a minute to consider the questions before answering, say so in a professional manner. This reflects your respect of his/her position and your desire to share an informed answer.

RESOURCES American Marketing Association Internet Marketing Association International Social Media Association American Association of Advertising Agencies

Sports Marketing Association

Business Marketing Association

CPGB | $5.95

CPGF | $5.95

CPGH | $5.95

CPGM | $5.95

Give us a call at 703.860.5006 or find us on the web at www.deca.org.

Does your chapter have an amazing #CTEMonth activity or event planned? Be sure to share a photo with @decainc on Instagram!

SHOW CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION MONTH SOME LOVE, TOO! Valentine’s Day is not the only thing you’ll be celebrating this February, because February is Career and Technical Education Month! CTE Month is a time to celebrate all of the successes and achievements of students who participate in CTE and Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs), like DECA. To get the party started, here are a few ways to show some #CTEMonth love: 1. Meet with your city’s mayor and get him or her to sign an official proclamation declaring February as CTE Month! While you’re meeting with the mayor, take a moment to share your DECA story and how CTE has helped your education and career goals. 2. Speak at a school board meeting and share the successes your CTE department has had, as well as what your DECA chapter has accomplished! Don’t forget to invite the other CTSOs to join you as well. 3. Send letters to your state legislators and governor highlighting the importance of CTE Month, as well as what CTE means to you! 4. Work with your local Chamber of Commerce to advocate for CTE Month. You could ask to place flyers in their establishments or for them to recognize your school’s program in-store or via social media! KYLE KUO 5. If you don’t already, use CTE Month to get together with the other WESTERN REGION Career and Technical Student Organizations on campus! You can share VICE PRESIDENT ideas on promoting CTE Month and learn more about each other’s @DECAVPKYLE organizations. 6. Promote CTE on your campus! Many students have not realized the opportunities waiting for them in Career and Technical Education. You can both spread the word as well as recruit! 7. Get the official CTE Month cover photo to display on your personal Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as on your chapter’s accounts. Go to facebook.com/decainc to download. 8. Use and share the hashtag #CTEMonth to follow what other programs are doing to promote CTE in February. By sharing your CTE Month celebrations and telling your DECA story, you’ll be able to reach a much larger audience. Don’t forget that this is also the month to complete DECA’s Advocacy Campaign! Not only is CTE Month a great chance to share your DECA accomplishments halfway through the year, but it’s also a time to look back at all of the amazing things the program has done for you. Be sure to share your DECA story whenever possible! I know that February is the time of year you get flowers and chocolates for that special someone, but don’t forget that it’s time to show Career and Technical Education some love too! JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA direct

A CLASSROOM PROJECT FROM

PostNet is one of DECA’s most important business partners and has served on the National Advisory Board since 2012. Together, PostNet and DECA are working to: • Develop the next generation’s workforce in business services and franchise entrepreneurship. • Demonstrate the importance of community engagement. • Promote PostNet’s brand, products and services as dynamic opportunities that support classroom teaching, student achievement and overall college and career readiness. A key element in DECA and PostNet’s partnership strategy is PostNet’s sponsorship of DECA’s Business Services Operations Research Event. DECA and PostNet have developed this classroom project/lesson plan to help you teach the knowledge and skills needed by management personnel. PostNet owners are also available in your community and online to support you with in-class presentations and community-based activities. This is a tremendous resource that supports DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program.

Steve Greenbaum, PostNet CEO and star of “Undercover Boss,” served as keynote speaker at DECA’s 2013 ICDC.

For more information and to download the classroom project/lesson plan, visit www.deca.org.

Twitter: What employability skills have you gained through DECA? Tell @DECAInc now using #BecauseofDECA and #CTEMonth!

HOW YOUR DECA SKILLS WILL HELP YOU GET HIRED Whether you are a freshman in high school or a senior in college, the experience you have in DECA can help in your future career, no matter what job you are pursuing. CTE Month is a terrific time to recognize the skills that Career and Technical Student Organization members receive. Here’s a look at just a few of the reasons why your time in a CTSO will pay off big time down the road. GROUP DYNAMICS Most companies want employees that will work well with others. Interviewers will often ask about previous experience working in groups. Good news for you, because DECA is all about teamwork and supporting each other. Discuss a fundraising event or a recruitment event that you participated in. Talk about how you and your team established a goal, made a plan, and executed it. This not only shows that you work well in a team, but that you have planning skills, too.

COMPETITIVE EVENTS DECA’s competitive events do an incredible job of preparing members for real life job interviews. First, they teach members the importance of making a strong first impression, and the necessary components needed to do so, like dressing appropriately, being prepared and making eye contact. Occasionally in an interview you will be asked a “zinger” question, which is designed to throw you off your game. Lucky for you, DECA’s competitive events are designed to make you think critically and analyze everything. Beyond the “zinger,” you may also be given a hypothetical scenario to answer. This scenario means you must give an answer to something that you may have never experienced before, to a JARED BROAD person who sees it every day! Have no fear though, because your COLLEGIATE DECA VICE PRESIDENT @BROADJARED DECA competitive events experiences have prepared you to handle this situation like a true professional.

EXPOSURE TO MULTIPLE TYPES OF BUSINESS INFORMATION DECA is also a great way to gain exposure to different types of industries and careers. Many chapters will have guest speakers who discuss their jobs with members. At DECA conferences, members are introduced to a wide variety of industry professionals, whether they are keynote speakers, workshop leaders or exhibitors. This exposure will help when you are discussing certain topics with the interviewer. Gaining a wide knowledge base on a variety of topics in the business world will make you a strong candidate for positions in most companies. Just remember that when it comes to job interviews, you should stay calm, cool and collected. Nervousness might be inescapable for some people, but your CTSO experience has prepared you for this very moment and you’re going to rock it! If you’re still a few years away from your first interview, just remember that DECA offers a variety of ways to help you when the time comes. Absorb as much as you can from your DECA experience and remember that at the end of the day, you are DECA! JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA direct

NOT YOUR ORDINARY

TRIP

JANELLE SCUDDER MANAGING EDITOR

DECA membership is incredibly awesome, not only because of the scholarships, competitive event experiences and the lifelong memories, but also for the amazing travel opportunities. Countless DECA members around the world have taken their first plane rides to attend a DECA conference and traveled to new destinations with their DECA chapters. An important element of any DECA trip, however, includes an educational component, so members return home with tangible learning lessons they can apply to their lives, whether now in school or in their future careers. Educational tourism can go by many names, such as self-actualization experiences or career enhancement, but all these activities share the same basic principles: that travel can be for learning and not just fun and is open to people of all ages. Educational tourism can take the form of many experiences, such as school trips, study abroad, alternative spring break and even educational cruises. Educational tourism may not immediately sound like your dream vacation, but the truth is educational tourism is a quickly expanding sector of the tourism industry. With so many companies and organizations working globally now, it is important for students entering the workforce to have some cultural intelligence (CQ) in their back pocket for an added résumé boost. Whether you travel the world and learn about other cultures, or take a trip in your own backyard that is more focused on learning than just relaxing, choosing educational tourism is an exceptional way to give yourself the right step towards a successful future. You can likely think back to many of your own DECA chapter’s trips and pinpoint an “educational tourism” activity that took place. Whether you toured a museum, went behind-the-scenes at an organization or company, or met with a business professional for a workshop, you had your own educational experience that you can apply to a number of academic or career instances. So whether you discover a new career, enhance your professional résumé or go behind-the-scenes at a worldrenowned resort or theme park, just make sure you take a break from the pool and roller coasters on your next vacation and include an educational tourism activity. Your brain—and your résumé—will thank you later. DECA will host conferences in the cities on the following pages during 2015! Check out some of the educational highlights that are not to miss, whether they are part of the official conference program or contribute to things to do on your own time. These cities are full of vibrant educational opportunities.

? QUICK QUESTIONS What are some benefits of incorporating educational tourism activities into your next DECA trip? Pick one of the cities mentioned on the following pages and create a list of the top educational tourism activities you’d like to participate in while visiting that city and why. 12

DECA direct

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA TAKES YOU PLACES!

Are you ready to expand your knowledge on your next DECA trip? Tweet @DECAInc which city you can’t wait to visit and which educational tourism activity you want to participate in!

ORLANDO

visitorlando.com

Two of DECA’s corporate partners, Universal Studios and Disney’s Youth Education Series (YES), offer countless opportunities for educational tourism in various parts of the United States, including Orlando. For example, Universal Studios’ Youth Program offers Firsthand Learning Programs in a variety of areas applicable to DECA members. You can discover effective marketing and sales strategies for the Universal Studios resort and theme park, get an inside look at the culinary arts industry, and even learn the ins and outs of career preparation from the Universal Studios recruiters so you’ll know everything about preparing a SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT résumé, social networking and professional etiquette. MARKETING CONFERENCE Disney’s Youth Education Series (YES) is another prime example February 4–8, 2015 of combining an exciting travel opportunity with educational tourCOLLEGIATE DECA ism. While visiting many of Disney’s wonderful parks, high school INTERNATIONAL CAREER and college students can take part in various academic and career DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE enhancing programs. A few of these include: April 18–21, 2015 • Learning how to create your own personal brand for a successful professional future DECA INTERNATIONAL CAREER • Discovering the fundamentals of teamwork DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE • Gaining insight on global citizenship April 25–28, 2015 • Creating a leadership legacy and leadership strategies In addition, SeaWorld artfully combines education and entertainment in a way that connects people to the sea and sea life like nowhere else. Central Florida is also home to many sports teams, such as the Orlando Magic, and venues that host a myriad of tournaments and events.

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA direct

EMERGING LEADER SUMMIT July 12–14, 2015

D.C.

washington.org

• Washington, D.C. is the epicenter of politics with the White House, United States Capitol and Embassy Row. • The Smithsonian Institution consists of 15 separate museums ranging from topics such as air and space to natural history and the National Zoo in Washington, DC. • A variety of special interest tours and museums include the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, International Spy Museum and Newseum. • You can also take a tour of the numerous monuments to put history into perspective.

CENTRAL REGION LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE November 20-22, 2015

KANSAS CITY

visitkc.com

• Kansas City is home to major companies like AMC, Cerner, Hallmark, H&R Block, Sprint and more! • The College Basketball Experience at the Sprint Center is a high-energy, highly-interactive venue where fans can immerse themselves in the game of college basketball. • Sports and entertainment marketing thrives in KC with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Sporting KC, Power and Light District. • The Kansas City Startup Village is an entrepreneur-led community helping to grow and support Kansas City entrepreneurs and the start-up ecosystem.

ULTIMATE DECA POWER TRIP November 20-22, 2015

AUSTIN

austintexas.org/deca

• South By Southwest, an educational experience in itself in the areas of interactive, film and music, attracted over 375,000 attendees during 13 days of conferences in 2014. • Whole Foods Market was founded in Austin, Texas, when four local businesspeople decided the natural foods industry was ready for a supermarket format. • Circuit of The Americas is home to Formula 1, MotoGP, X Games, Austin360 Amphitheater, RedFest and more. • Explore the history of the Lone Star State with a self-guided tour at the Texas State Capitol. 14

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JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

COLLEGIATE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY November, 2015 NEW YORK EXPERIENCE December, 2015

I AM A COMPETITOR

I AM A LEADER

I AM A NETWORKER NEW YORK CITY

nycgo.com

• New York City’s Financial District is home to Wall Street, a variety of museums and the 9/11 Memorial. • New York City is also home to many sports venues including Madison Square Garden, CitiField, MetLife Stadium, Yankee Stadium and more. • Entertainment marketing is full-speed in NYC, with Broadway shows and performances at Radio City Music Hall. • If fashion merchandising is your forte, you won’t want to miss the various shopping districts like Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, SoHo, 34th Street and others. • Advertising abounds in NYC, lining the streets of Times Square while being created in places like Madison Avenue.

INTERNATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE COLLEGIATE DECA | APRIL 18–21 DECA | APRIL 25–28 ORLANDO, FLORIDA www.deca.org

Remember to share your #IamDECA Advocacy Video on Instagram once it’s completed and tag @decainc!

#IAMDECA ADVOCACY VIDEO CHALLENGE Since February is Advocacy Month and Career and Technical Education Month, DECA has a unique challenge for DECA members who represent the DECA Diamond with pride. We want you to create an #IamDECA advocacy video sharing why DECA and Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) have played such an important part in your high school and/ or college career.

Have you become a better leader? Did you get into the college of your dreams? Did you earn a scholarship or discover a new career path? Any and all of these things are what we want to see in your creative, short video. Good luck and get your cameras ready! 16

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CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS 1. You (1 person per entry) will film a short video (under 90 seconds) that tells your #IamDECA story. Show creativity when documenting your school, chapter and story. 2. Submit your video to DECA at this link: http://bit.ly/iamdecaadvocacyvideo. 3. Share your video on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube! While the number of likes, retweets, favorites or views does not count towards the contest results, you worked hard on your video and it is an excellent promotional tool for your DECA chapter! Sharing it with your classmates, chapter members and others on social media is a great way to bring more awareness to CTSOs and DECA. DECA will share its favorite #IamDECA Advocacy videos during the month of February, and at the end of the month, DECA will announce the top three videos. The creator of each of the top three videos will receive a $25 DECA Images gift card. This is YOUR chance to share your #IamDECA story with all of DECA and the CTSO community! Share your voice and show DECA why CTSOs are so vital to a student’s academic and professional success.

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES 1. In order to be a contestant, you must submit your YouTube video to the official contest entry form, found at http://bit.ly/iamdecaadvocacyvideo. 2. Your YouTube video and/or channel cannot be private. If we cannot view your video, than we cannot judge your entry. 3. Videos submitted after the entry deadline will not be eligible to win, but DECA may still share them on social media for Advocacy Month. The deadline to submit your #IamDECA Advocacy Video is Friday, February 6, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. EST. The top three videos will be announced on Tuesday, February 24, 2015.

DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 6, 2015! JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA direct

ADVOCACY RESO ALL CAREER AND STUDENT ORGAN

Robert Mitchals, DECA Central Region Vice President, and Kyle Kuo, DECA Western Region Vice President, speak with a staff member for Missouri Congressman, Billy Long.

DECA direct

JANUARYâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;FEBRUARY 2015

Tell @DECAInc what you think about the new State CTSO Profiles and how your chapter is going to use them during #CTEMonth.

OURCES FOR D TECHNICAL NIZATIONS

Advocating for Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) can be a tall order for DECA members. Arranging meetings with congressional aids and staff members, sitting down with congressmen and women themselves, and keeping your cool while explaining all there is to say about CTSOs, DECA and why funding is so critical— it’s a lot to take on! JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA direct

BENEFITS OF CTE

IMPACT OF CTE

DECA direct

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

That’s why this past year, DECA, Business Professionals of America, Future Business Leaders of America, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, Future Educators of America, HOSA, National FFA Association, SkillsUSA and the Technology Student Association, teamed up to create a resource for all CTSO members to use that produces a more cohesive and unified advocacy effort. These CTSOs worked tirelessly to create State CTSO Profiles, to help members advocate smarter in their respective states. These State CTSO Profiles can be found at STATE AND www.ctsos.org/advocate/state-ctso-reports/. DISTRICT Each profile contains a one-page flier (left) for MEMBERSHIP the entire state and pages for each congressional INFORMATION district in that state. All the profiles and documents contain the same message, but different membership numbers depending on whether it’s listing a state membership or membership for a specific congressional district. These State CTSO Profiles will give CTSO members the exact statistics they need during their advocacy meetings. Presenting these polished and professional fliers will take your advocacy efforts up a notch and will not only benefit your own CTSO, but all student organizations. Successful advocacy for CTSOs is important for CTE as a whole. The more awareness and funding individual members can bring to their own organizations means more attention is brought to DECA high school and collegiate executive officers all CTSO programs too. head to Capitol Hill for a day of advocacy. Row 1: We’re all in this togeth- Johnnie Hubbard III, Kyle Kuo, Zack Schaja; Row 2: er and this February, also Amar Hodzic, Juan Sanchez, Robert Mitchals known as #CTEMonth, DECA encourages you to share the State CTSO Profile resources with all the CTSOs in your school and community. This is an exGOVERNMENT ceptional way to not only celebrate the success of CONNECTION DECA, but to bring all CTSOs together to fight for TO CTE more funding and to keep our organizations going strong for years to come. For more information on the State CTSO Profiles, please visit www. ctsos.org.

? QUICK QUESTIONS Brainstorm three event ideas to bring other CTSO officers and/ or members in your school together to celebrate CTE Month and share the resources offered in this article.

> Ranked in top 5% of undergraduate business programs in country by Bloomberg BusinessWeek > Rated in the top tier of business colleges by The Princeton Review

Business

> Accounting program is ranked #1 in Ohio and entrepreneurship program is ranked #51 in country > Faculty are Master Teachers, Fulbright Scholars, and highlycited authors

> Students are placing at the top in national and international competitions

> Graduates earn average starting salary of $49,000 > Alumni lead Fortune 500 companies and organizations around the world

Learn more and apply today! bgsu.edu/business 419-372-2747

Why is it important for CTSOs to have their own individual brand, but also share a unified CTSO brand with other programs? What advantage does this give all CTSOs when it comes to advocacy efforts? JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

@DeanRayBraun @BGSUBiz

DECA direct

CAREERS START ON DAY ONE AT THE CORNELL SCHOOL OF HOTEL ADMINISTRATION What differentiates one business program from another? The ability to effectively start your career path on the first day of classes, professors who advise you with academic and career support, or experiential opportunities to build your résumé with industry-leading brands? The Cornell University School of Hotel Administration is unique as the only stand-alone hospitality management school in the world to earn AACSB accreditation. It is a top-tier business management program grounded in the industry of hospitality, an industry that accounts for one in eleven jobs worldwide and currently boasts growth well over double that of global GDP. The Cornell School of Hotel Administration is widely regarded as the preeminent program of its kind, and it is the only hospitality management program in the Ivy League. Graduates leave the School of Hotel Administration equipped with business management skills broadly transferrable to practically any field. In fact, the school’s real estate minor prepares students for careers in the commercial real estate industry. The school boasts a 90% rate of job acceptances upon graduation. In an era when new-graduate employability is considered less assured than ever, this is nothing short of astounding. MIKE WEBB What fuels such striking success is a combination of rigorous academics administered by UNIVERSITY SCHOOL faculty at the top of their respective fields with experiential learning that begins virtually as CORNELL OF HOTEL ADMINISTRATION soon as a new student arrives on campus. COMMUNICATIONS TEAM Hands-on practicality is a core principle of the coursework. Statler Hall—where the school’s courses are taught—is directly adjacent to the Statler Hotel, a AAA Four Diamond Award recipient. It is a fully functioning hotel that, even without the school, would easily distinguish itself for its upscale accommodations and beautiful surroundings. But as an expression of the school and what it stands for, the Statler is a true teaching/learning laboratory that shows students the ideas they’re learning put into action. The day-to-day operations of the hotel dovetail organically with hotel management and food and beverage coursework, but the school and hotel also collaboratively offer programming that puts students to work in all areas—and at all levels—of the Statler. The School of Hotel Administration offers a unique value proposition. It both leverages and contributes to Cornell’s powerful brand recognition as a widely respected Ivy League university— an acclaimed research institution with faculty on the leading edge of academic knowledge— while providing hands-on experiential learning with real-world context. And by offering such a solid business education grounded in the largest global industry, the school gives you the best of all worlds. The School of Hotel Administration embodies and builds on Cornell University’s motto, “... any person ... any study,” by helping all of its students develop the tools to succeed—and to become global leaders—in any industry. This content was provided by Cornell University School of Hotel Administration. 22

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BUZZ

Send a photo and caption of your chapter activity to communications@deca.org.

WHAT’S YOUR CHAPTER BEEN UP TO?

Dorado DECA (Puerto Rico) chapter members (above) joined together to collect money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) to help those affected by neuromuscular diseases. Cabo Rojo DECA (Puerto Rico) members (left) supported those affected by breast cancer with the help of the American Cancer Society during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Edmond Memorial DECA (Edmond, Okla.) officers (above) gathered together for a group picture after their installation.

The Louisiana DECA State Action Team posed with Ms. Louisiana United States 2014 (right) for their 2014–2015 promotional campaign. The team is partnering with Ms. Louisiana United States to promote DECA and Career and Technical Education in schools.

Bedford DECA (N.H.) attended the New Hampshire Fall Leadership Conference (above). As an association, New Hampshire DECA chapters donated over 900 canned goods to food banks as part of a conference community service project.

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA direct

BUZZ Caddo Career and Technology Center DECA (Shreveport, La.) held a successful Holiday Food Drive (left) and collected canned goods for the Northwest Louisiana Food Bank. University of Nevada-Las Vegas Collegiate DECA (Las Vegas, Nev.) members (below) not only made every single moment of the 2014 Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference count as competitors, but they also used the conference experience to bond as a second family. Capital High DECA (Boise, Idaho) members (right) sponsored a child through the Makea-Wish Foundation and featured her at their homecoming assembly last fall. Over $3,500 was collected through a Miracle Minute and the selling of stars!

Arkansas DECA association officers posed together (right) at the Arkansas State House/Arkansas DECA Board meeting. Pictured (left to right): Hannah Williamson, Madeline Hopson, Rebecca Aguilera, Anna Albers and Jennifer Laman.

Clarke County DECA (Berryville, Va.) members (above) volunteered to assist the Clarke County Educational Foundation at its annual fundraising event. Using their marketing skills, members were able to raise over $8,000 at the silent auction.

Watauga DECA (Boone, N.C.) chapter members (right) got together to take an official #IamDECA chapter selfie. These are some DECA-cated members!

Cape Hatteras DECA (Buxton, N.C.) loves its chapter officers! All the officers (left) are looking forward to help their chapter thrive this year and hear everyone exclaim, “I am DECA!”

DECA direct

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

BUZZ

Johnsburg DECA (Ill.) members (below) organized a Breakfast with Santa event this past holiday season for their community. From set up to clean up, Johnsburg DECA members made this entire event possible and it was a wonderful way to celebrate the tremendous growth and success the chapter has had so far this year.

Independence DECA (Glendale, Ariz.) chapter members (above) showed some school spirit and represented DECA during their school’s Homecoming Parade and Banner Walk with their Monster’s Inc.-themed banner.

Four Rivers Career Center DECA (Washington, Mo.) chapter members (left) had a great time at their Missouri DECA District Six Leadership Conference! They loved their speaker’s message of “Act your A.G.E.!”

2015 SBE ACADEMY PREVIEW Gold Certified SBEs are the exclusive invitees to the SBE Academy, taking place in Orlando, Fla., during the 2015 International Career Development Conference! DECA is pleased to announce Heather Grove will be this year’s SBE Academy speaker. Heather Grove is East End Market’s Community Manager and Fleet Farming Program Coordinator. East End Market is a neighborhood market and food hub in Orlando, Fla., that showcases some of Central Florida’s top food entrepreneurs, tradespeople, artists, and chefs. Heather currently works with East End Market on their Winter Park Harvest Festival, which has put them on the path to cultivating Central Florida’s Good Food Movement. At the SBE Academy, Heather will share her inspiring story of discovering her career passions through being engaged in her community. Attendees will learn the importance of building relationships to grow their School-based Enterprises and their careers, and how to maximize the reach of their SBEs while maintaining their business identity. For more information about Heather’s ongoing projects, visit www.fleetfarming.com and www.eastendmkt.com. The SBE Academy is sponsored by ARYZTA (Otis Spunkmeyer, Inc.).

East Syracuse DECA (Minoa, N.Y.) members Alyssa Boland, Nick Lindquist and Josephine Conte (above) volunteered with Home HeadQuarters at the annual Block Blitz on September 12, 2014, where they worked to improve the financial value of houses in downtown Syracuse.

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

DECA direct

BUZZ

King George DECA (Va.) chapter officers (right) visited DECA Headquarters for their officer retreat in August 2014 and had a crash course on leadership inspiration and DECA’s Chapter Campaigns.

Members of Virginia DECA’s District 23 posed (above) during a DECA Day event held at the Virginia State Fair. District 23 presidents Lily Elias and Sam Hanny took the photo.

Xavier DECA (Mississauga, Ont.) members (below) smiled for the camera at DECA Ontario Provincials 2014! “Xavier Tigers are in the house!”

Southington DECA (Conn.) took a break from its chapter meeting (above) and snapped an awesome #IamDECA selfie with chapter advisors Teresa Brooks and Sandy Spinello.

Chapter members from Juan Suarez Pelegrina DECA (Aguadilla, P.R) shared an #IamDECA selfie (above) to show their DECA spirit for the New Year!

Maumelle DECA (Ark.) chapter members (left) posed with Arkansas DECA President Rebecca Aguilera and Arkansas DECA Vice President of Communications Hannah Williamson at Silver Dollar City Career Day.

DECA direct

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2015

JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY Founded in 1934, Jacksonville University is

one of Florida’s few private non-profit master’s universities — and the only one located in Northeast Florida offering degrees from bachelors to doctorates.

Jacksonville University’s “no academic borders” mentality constantly improves programs and

outcomes for its students through collaborations across department lines, and by forging close partnerships with leaders in business and

industry. With a student-faculty ratio of 12:1,

Jacksonville University provides the personalized education that prepares our graduates for long-term success.

For more information: www.ju.edu • 904.256.7000

2800 University Blvd. N. Jacksonville, Fl, 32211