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Mastering Prepared Events: The Secret Formula Behind DECA Champions
When it comes to DECA prepared events, the smallest approaches often separate top performers from the rest. Here’s how champions craft winning submissions.

DECA is Excited to Welcome Exhibitors to The Ultimate DECA Power Trip
Members attending The Ultimate DECA Power Trip in Arlington, VA, will have the opportunity to meet with over 40 exhibitors. See which companies, colleges and organizations are attending this year's event.

From Dishes to DECA Glass: The Ingredients of Delivering the Perfect Pitch
When I first joined DECA, my recipes were questionable. But after burning my first few dishes, I learned the secret recipe wasn’t about following instructions; it was about adding my own twist and approaching the process the right way.

DECA Announces Expanded Partnership with IBM SkillsBuild to Empower Members & Advisors with Cutting-Edge Resources
All DECA members and advisors will gain free access to IBM SkillsBuild’s library of interactive courses, digital learning modules and recognized industry credentials.

Get Recognized with a DECA Inc. Scholarship
We are thrilled to announce that DECA's scholarship program for the 2025-2026 academic year is now open for submissions! This is your opportunity to receive financial support for your education while being recognized for your accomplishments.

It Starts with You: Leading by Example in Every Moment
Leadership is the way you treat others, the effort you bring and the moments you choose to do the right thing, even when it’s not easy. Here are a few tips to help you lead by example in every moment!

Calling All Entrepreneurs: Celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week
This November, Global Entrepreneurship Network will celebrate 18 years of helping millions of people unleash their ideas to start and scale new businesses through Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Case Study of the Week: Using Current Staff to Help Recruit New Staff
Step into the role of the director of human resources at the National Organization of Zoos and Aquariums (NOZA), a nonprofit organization that educates, promotes and advocates for local zoos and aquariums.

Pitch Decks: Your Questions Answered
New for the 2025-26 school year, six competitive events will replace the previously required 10-page written paper with a 20-slide pitch deck. Check out this article for answers to questions about the change to Pitch Decks.

Helping Your DECA Members Avoid Penalty Points: A Guide for Advisors
As DECA advisors, one of our crucial roles is helping student members navigate the technical requirements of written events. Use this article to guide your student members in avoiding common penalty point deductions.

In the Judge's Mind: What Makes You Stand Out in Your DECA Role-play
Go beyond the official rubric to reveal the unwritten expectations of role-play judges to hear from several experienced judges about the details that separate the solid role-plays from the unforgettable ones.

Advisor Best Practice Spotlight of the Week: Katrina McDowell
Discover how High Plains Technology Center advisor Katrina McDowell is engaging members in marketing management through the Woodward community.

10 Tips for Back to School
As the new school year begins, we must all learn to adapt to a new world. We'll encounter many online classes, virtual events and new guidelines for campus... To help you navigate it all, here is a list of ten tips for starting this school year strong.

Quick Guide to Virtual Chapter Meetings
Virtual meeting platforms have become a prominent form of communication between family, friends and businesses and many of these tools are here to stay. Being prepared to host or participate in a virtual meeting will allow you to stand out and make a great impression.

3 Fundraising Ideas for Fall
It seems that in every facet of DECA, fundraising is a necessity. During these unique times, it's important to innovate to ensure your chapter can participate in events and remain secure for the future. Here are three virtual fundraisers to try this fall.

5 Ways Collegiate DECA Will Take You to the Next Level
It's official, the school year is underway. While things will look different, there are still many ways to take yourself and your Collegiate DECA chapter to the next level!

Video Call Tips and Tricks
Practically overnight, video calls have become a new societal norm. This guide will provide you with a few tips and useful tricks to help improve your online learning or telecommuting experience.

A Quick Guide to Understanding Servant Leadership
The concept of leadership has been around since the days of Aristotle and Plato and has evolved countless times throughout the centuries. But in 1970, a new theory emerged. Developed by Robert Greenleaf, servant leadership is the idea that empowered leaders serve their followers and to enable them to live and work to their full potential.

The Ethics of Leadership
Ethical leaders exist in all walks of life. They are the individuals who step forward when crises occur, come to the rescue of others and generally do what's right—no matter what. Anyone can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? In today's high-visibility, social world, more people are taking note of leaders’ behavior and holding them accountable.

DECA Direct Magazine: Next Level Leadership
A new school year brings new chances to elevate your leadership to the next level. Discover fresh ideas to enhance your chapter and become a leader worth following in your school, community and beyond.

The Next Level is Inclusion
It has never been more important for emerging leaders to be characterized by teamwork, innovation, competency and integrity. Fortunately, those are the valued characteristics of DECA’s student leaders. What if this moment needs you and the unique values that drive your leadership?

Top Tips for Socially-distant Membership Recruitment
Building your chapter’s membership is one of the most important ways to set it up for success in the new school year. But what are the best ways to recruit within the “new normal” of more virtual interactions and less in-person activities? Learn how to recruit new members the socially-distant way with these top tips.

The Power of the Diamond
Throughout your DECA career, you’ll wear the blazer, throw up a DECA diamond symbol and add lots of blue to your wardrobe. You will also undoubtedly hear DECA’s core values and mission statement more times than you can count. But have you ever stopped to think about what they really mean?

Cultivate Your Chapter’s Culture
2020 is a year that has changed all of our lives. If your DECA chapter has experienced a decline in recent months, struggling to cope with virtual meetings and maintain engagement, your chapter culture may need a boost.

