Top​ ​3​ ​Reasons​ ​Why​ ​CRLC Needs​ ​to​ Be​ ​On​ ​Your​ ​DECA​ ​Calendar​ ​in 2018

The​ ​2017 Central​ ​Region​ ​Leadership​ ​Conference​ ​took​ ​place​ ​December​ ​1-3​, ​in​ ​Omaha,​ ​Neb.,​ ​and was a truly incredible experience for everyone DECA member who attended.

I understand that not every Central Region member was able to attend #CRLC2017, and to ​those​ ​DECA​ ​members out​ ​there​ ​who​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​go​ ​but​ ​were​ ​not​ ​able​ ​to,​ ​I​ ​see​ ​you​!

Here​ ​are​ ​three ​reasons​ ​to help you convince​ ​your​ ​advisor​ ​to​ ​let​ ​you​ ​attend​ ​CRLC​ in 2018!

1. Talented​ ​Speakers​

This​ ​year​ ​three​ ​incredible​ ​individuals​ ​spoke​ ​at​ ​the​ ​conference.​ ​Julie Carrier​ ​(Miss​ ​Virginia​ ​2002)​ ​shared​ ​with​ ​us​ ​her​ ​biggest​ ​piece​ ​of​ ​advice -​ ​“Always​ ​be confident.”​ ​She​ ​also​ ​demonstrated​ ​what can​ ​happen​ ​when​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​set​ ​your priorities​ ​straight.​ ​

Anthony​ ​O’Neal shared​ ​with​ ​us​ ​his​ ​incredible​ ​life​ ​story and​ ​taught​ ​us​ ​to​ ​find​ ​our​ ​purpose​ ​in​ ​life and​ ​stay​ ​driven.​ ​His​ ​exact​ ​words​ ​were, “It’s​ ​not​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​our​ ​ability,​ ​it’s about​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​our​ ​determination.”

Bill​ ​Cordes​ ​emphasized​ ​the​ ​importance​ ​of​ ​building​ ​an​ ​effective​ ​team.​ ​“You​ ​only​ ​get​ ​out what​ ​you​ ​put​ ​in,”​ ​he​ ​reminded​ ​us​ ​all​ ​during​ ​the​ ​conference.

2. Friendships​

​​It​ ​is​ ​impossible​ ​to​ ​attend​ ​this conference​ ​and​ ​not​ ​make​ ​any​ ​new​ ​friends.​ ​CRLC hosts​ ​multiple​ ​tours,​ ​competitive​ ​events​ ​and​  dances for​ ​everyone​ ​to​ ​take​ ​part​ ​in.​ ​I​ ​highly​ ​recommend meeting​ ​someone​ ​from​ ​a​ ​different​ ​association​ ​and​ ​staying​ ​in contact​ ​with​ ​them.​ ​Who​ ​knows,​ ​maybe​ ​you​ ​will​ ​be able​ ​to​ ​reconnect​ ​with​ ​them​ ​at​ ​the​ ​International Career​ ​Development​ ​Conference!

3. DECA​ ​Talk​

Have​ ​you​ ​ever​ ​been​ ​in​ ​the​ ​situation where​ ​all​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​about​ ​is DECA,​ ​but​ ​your​ ​friends​ ​get​ ​so​ ​annoyed when​ ​you​ ​try​ ​to​ ​bring​ ​it​ ​up?​ ​There is​ ​no​ ​such​ ​thing at CRLC!​ ​Everyone​ ​who​ ​attends this​ ​conference​ ​is​ ​just​ ​as​ ​obsessed with DECA​ ​as​ ​you and​ ​me!​ ​It’s​ ​not​ ​only​ ​a​ ​great​ ​opportunity to​ ​connect​ ​with members within​ ​your​ ​state,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​also talk​ ​to​ ​state​ ​officers​ ​from​ ​around​ ​the Central​ ​Region!

This​ ​conference​ ​will​ ​truly​ ​make​ ​a​ ​lasting​ ​memory​ ​in​ ​your​ ​DECA​ ​journey.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​ask​ ​anyone​ ​who attended​ ​this​ ​year’s​  conference,​ ​they​ ​will​ ​confirm​ ​post-CRLC​ ​withdrawals​ ​are​ ​real!​ ​Next​ ​year the​ ​Central​ ​Region​ ​Leadership​ ​Conference​ ​is​ ​being​  held​ ​in​ ​Detroit,​ ​Mich.,​ ​and​ ​we​ ​hope​ ​to see​ ​each​ ​and​ ​every​ ​one​ ​of​ ​you​ ​there!

This article was written by Minnesota DECA Vice President of Special Projects, Sidney Enninga. You can follow Sidney on Twitter @DECA_Sid.