Top 3 Reasons Why CRLC Needs to Be On Your DECA Calendar in 2018
Sidney Enninga | Minnesota DECA

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.