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Download the 2025-2026 DECA Guide
The DECA Guide provides all the information you need to have a successful year. Explore our learning programs, check out this year’s calendar, access competitive event guidelines and so much more!
DECA Hosts Luminary Program Powered by Adobe in San Francisco
This elite professional development experience brings together distinguished DECA chapter advisors from across the DECA network to deepen their leadership, instructional, and digital skills in a unique “train-the-trainer” format.
How your DECA Judge Thinks like a Shark Tank Investor
DECA judges use mental shortcuts just like investors. Learn how to craft your pitch to match their mindset and make your project more memorable.
From FOMO to Finalist: How to Bounce Back After ICDC
Competing in DECA is an opportunity that shapes young business leaders in a multitude of ways. So whether you placed this year or not, your DECA journey is far from over. Set the precedent for a new year, one filled with growth, confidence and achievement.
Recharge, Reassess and Restore: Your Chapter’s Guide to a Successful Summer
DECA doesn’t have to stop just because school is out. As a leader, take advantage of the summer months to prepare your chapter best to Go The Extra in the fall with three key tips: recharge, reassess and restore.
Navigating the Summer Before College
The summer before college is a unique and often overlooked chapter in the story of your academic journey. It’s a season that offers more than rest – it’s an opportunity to intentionally prepare, reflect and reset.
The Best Leaders Go The Extra—Starting In The Summer
The summer months offer the perfect opportunity to get a head start on your goals before the school year kicks into high gear. Here are some tips to help you start your officer term off strong!
Level Up This Summer: The Strength of Volunteering
Leadership doesn't end when the school year does, and neither should your impact. Volunteering is one of the most fulfilling ways to level up as a student, leader and citizen.
Finish Strong, Start Stronger: Carrying This Year’s DECA Lessons into the Future
It’s time to reflect on all you’ve accomplished—and more importantly, what you’ve learned. As summer begins, you’re presented with an opportunity: to take those lessons and use them to fuel what’s next.
Case Study of the Week: Redesigning All-Star Weekend
Step into the role of the director of public relations for the NBA. The senior vice president wants you to redesign the NBA All-Star weekend to create fan interest and increase return-on-investment for sponsors.
Download ICDC 2025 Certificates and Competitor Performance Reports
Learn how to download certificates and competitive event performance reports from DECA's 2025 Collegiate and High School International Career Development Conferences.
Your Guide to Understanding DECA ICDC's Competitive Event Process and Performance Reports
If you're looking for more information on DECA's International Career Development Conference competitive events process and performance reports, look no further! Explore these frequently asked questions and answers.
DECA Direct Magazine: De-stress
Between school, volunteering, extracurricular activities and DECA, there’s never a shortage of things to do! Learn how to hit pause, slow down and discover the best ways to manage your stress.
5 Apps to Ease Your Stress
Looking to beat bad stress? Rather than endlessly scrolling through Instagram or stress-shopping on Amazon, turn to these apps to breathe, play and move your way to less stress!
Build Better Habits (and Break Your Bad Ones!)
Having the right habits is more important than ever as you navigate a busy school year. Read on to learn how you can create better habits in any area of your life, plus our tips and tricks for getting rid of your bad habits for good!
Mindfulness Your Way
You may have heard about mindfulness in one of your classes, and perhaps you’ve even tried meditating a time or two. For many people, meditation and other mindfulness practices are a go-to source for stress relief, getting in the zone before a role-play or resetting emotions after encountering an upsetting situation.
De-stress for Success
Life will always throw challenges your way, but the biggest challenges present opportunities for the greatest rewards. So, what’s the best way to manage stress? While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, here are some of the ways that work best for me.
Stress to Success: How to Use "Good Stress" to Succeed in Competition
Stress is often perceived as a negative experience, but the right kind of stress can actually fuel your success in competition and beyond. Read on to learn about "good stress", how to distinguish it from the bad and ways you can harness it to take your competitive edge to the next level!
Work Out the Stress
Today’s teens pack a lot into their busy schedules, which has caused stress levels and anxiety to increase in recent years. D’Andre Vasquez, DECA’s 2019-2020 High School Division President, discusses how he handles the stress in his life and how you can too!
How to Fight Off Zoom Fatigue
Whether it’s trying to combat Zoom fatigue or attempting to deal with the strain and stress that comes from staring at a screen all day, here are three tips to help you de-stress in an age of virtual living.
Take the Stress Out of DECA Scholarship Applications
Each year, DECA awards over $200,000 in scholarships to deserving high school and college members. Here are five tips to help take the stress out of applying for DECA scholarships.
5 Tips to Take Your Productivity to the #NextLevel
Schoolwork, volunteering, extracurricular activities, DECA... can you really do it all without endless all-nighters? We think so! Check out five of our favorite ways to level-up your schedules, to-do lists and priorities for peak productivity.
Managing Stress as a Small Business Owner
After six years as a small business owner and entrepreneur, I’ve adapted a few habits and philosophies that have helped me along the way. Here’s what I’ve learned.
Good Stress, Bad Stress: Find Your Sweet Spot
We all experience stress on a daily basis, but the amount we experience depends on how well we cope with the various stressors in our lives. Here are a few tips to help you identify good versus bad stress and find the perfect balance.
