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Get Ready for Round One of the DECA Virtual Business Challenge
You won't want to miss the annual DECA Virtual Business Challenge! DECA VBC is an official competitive event free to high school members. Participate and you could earn a trip to ICDC and a share of over $20,000 in scholarship money.

History Has Its Eyes on You: How to Make Your College Essay Stand Out
While Hamilton wrote 51 essays to defend the Constitution, we only have to write one for college. One simple yet weighted essay can redirect our lives. So here are three factors to consider as you brainstorm your college essay topic.

Shop 'Till You Drop: Ways to Celebrate SBE Week At Your School
2025 DECA SBE Week is here, and we couldn't be more excited! Here are some ways to celebrate with your school-based enterprise.

Case Study of the Week: Reduce, Reuse or Recycle - Hotel Renovations
Step into the role of the general manager of Lilac Inn, an independent hotel property in a city of 30,000 people. The owner wants you to identify waste redirection opportunities that could lead to a better brand image.

The Nitro Bar: A Coffee Cart turned Famous $4.5M Brand
In honor of National Coffee Day, here’s a Rhode Island success story that shows how smart marketing can transform a business from a coffee cart to a viral sensation.

Top 10 Test Taking Tips for the Digital SAT
If you’re planning to take the digital SAT, the good news is there are no secrets—the SAT isn’t out to trick you. Here are the top 10 test-taking tips from College Board, the makers of the SAT

Advisor Best Practice Spotlight of the Week: Eric Wagner
DECA Advisor Eric Wagner is giving his students more than classroom lessons—he’s providing real-world financial and leadership experiences through the chapter’s student-run credit union.

Mixing It Up: The Secret Recipe to SBE Success
It's important to curate the perfect recipe for your school’s SBE and come up with ingredients to make it the best experience for your students. Here are three ingredients for making your SBE successful!

Unlocking Recruitment Success: Insights from 4 Chapter Leaders
Attracting new and recurring members is a process that requires planning, collaboration and perseverance. Here are 4 chapter leaders’ insights on how to succeed at DECA recruitment.

DECA Duck Takes Flight at Smithville High School
Smithville High School’s DECA chapter has a new mascot, DECA Duck. What started as just a blue rubber ducky idea has become a school spirit sensation at DECA events and recruiting activities.

IBM SkillsBuild to Launch 8-Part Webinar Series on AI for Educators
Starting September 25th, IBM SkillsBuild is launching an incredible 8-part webinar series designed specifically for educators ready to be enabled and become force multipliers.

Major Keys: Unlocking College Success with a DECA Mindset
Success doesn’t come from luck; it comes from preparation, strategy, mindset and staying true to yourself. For many, college feels like the biggest stage of their life. But in reality, it’s actually not all that different from being a DECA member.

DECA and Piper Sandler Complete 42nd Semi-Annual Survey of 10,000+ U.S. Teens
DECA and Piper Sandler completed the 42nd semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens® survey. This survey highlights discretionary spending trends and brand preferences from more than 10,000 teens across the U.S. with an average age of 15.8 years.

Case Study of the Week: Keeping the Fixings Bar at Burger Country Fresh
You are to assume the role of the operations manager at Burger Country, a fast food restaurant with five locations that specializes in hamburgers. The owner of the company has asked you to explain operational considerations in a new portion of each restaurant called the “fixings bar.”

Case Study of the Week: Remarketing a Classic Shoe Store
You are to assume the role of a marketing communications consultant hired by Cost Less Shoes, a national chain of discount footwear for men, women, and children. The CEO of the company has hired you to develop a marketing communications plan that will remarket the brand.

5 Ways to Improve Your Prepared Event
Written events can be difficult to master. What does a winning project look like? What kind of before-hand preparation is required?

Improving the Employee Experience
This year's Business Operations Research topic focuses on ways to improve the employee experience. We visited with Intuit, Men's Wearhouse and Marriott International to learn how they are charting a course for the future of their workplace culture based on their experiences from the past year.

Rules to Live By: The Nature of Ethics
When you think of ethics, what comes to mind? Doing what people say you should do? Obeying the law? While these can both be part of ethical behavior, it takes a lot more than just listening to authority figures or doing what’s legal to be an ethical person.

3 Ways to Handle Burnout
Have you ever experienced a case of burnout? If so, it can be a challenging experience. During the school year, we take on many responsibilities and may find it hard to balance work, academics and life with so much on our plate. It is important to find a way to take a break and rest–both physically and mentally–to avoid burnout.

Case Study of the Week: Investing Money at a Bank
You are to assume the roles of the investment manager and investment specialist at Cross Town Bank. You will be meeting with a customer to discuss options for investing in order to earn a return.

3 Ways to Celebrate a DECA Halloween
Halloween is right around the corner, and what better way to spend the Halloween season than doing it DECA style! Here are three ways you can celebrate Halloween the DECA way.

Case Study of the Week: Credit Card Ethics in the Workplace
You are to assume the roles of the human resources director and the operations director at Braxton Productions,. The president has asked you to determine if an employee’s actions are ethical, how to respond, and how to communicate any changes in processes to staff.

How to Best Prepare for Your Next Role-play
With competition season fast approaching, the number one thing on many competitors’ minds is the thought of how they can crush their role-play in front of their judges. Unfortunately, there is no magical hack to make your presentations better but these tips should definitely help!

10 Things You May Not Know About DECA Direct Online
How well do you know DECA Direct Online? Check out these ten cool features to help you get the most out of the site.

