Meet my DECA advisor, Mrs. Kendra Lee. Mrs. Lee serves at Timothy Christian High School as the Director of Teaching and Learning for grades 7-12, DECA advisor, and VEI mentor. 

I decided to join DECA this year, and it was one of the best decisions I made. So, what is DECA? It stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America and is a high school club for emerging business leaders. According to the DECA website, there are 254,194 high school members and 3,917 high school chapters. As a school, our club is called a chapter, and within our chapter, we all compete in different events. DECA has over forty events to compete in, such as Business Growth Plan, Community Awareness Project, and Hospitality Services Team Decision Making. Each of the 40 events includes a role play and a written exam, each focusing on a different area of business. You can do an individual event or a partner event. DECA develops skills in entrepreneurship, marketing, hospitality, and finance.

 “It doesn’t matter what your GPA is, it doesn’t matter what your skill set is — you can be successful and grow in this organization.”

Timothy’s DECA chapter meets every Wednesday, does community service projects, and competes in local events. But here’s what Mrs. Lee says is the best part about it: “It doesn’t matter what your GPA is, it doesn’t matter what your skill set is — you can be successful and grow in this organization.”

When I walked into my first DECA meeting, I didn't know how to present a business plan, network, or think on my feet in an interview. Mrs. Lee taught me how to succeed and grow my skills. She met with me every Thursday during lunch, took extra time with me after our weekly Wednesday meetings, and responded to emails even in the summer!

Mrs. Lee is very passionate about developing business skills, but she’s even more passionate about Christ-centered education. When teaching the class “Introduction to Business,” Mrs. Lee explained how she taught a unit on social entrepreneurship. She said, “The idea behind social entrepreneurship is, as Christians, how are we serving and actually solving bigger problems in our society and trying to further the kingdom of God?”

I saw this in my own experience in DECA. After a leadership conference, Mrs. Lee asked us this question: “How are we different from others in the world of networking because of our faith?” She challenged us to practically apply our faith to how we present ourselves in the organization.

“I think what’s been exciting is that I’m very free to talk about our saving faith in Christ and why we make the decisions we do,” Mrs. Lee says.

DECA National Competitors
Kayla Holley (Left) & Jennifer Carreon (Right), Business Law & Ethics
Clarissa Chen & Julie deBoo, Hospitality Services
Natalia Dziura, Business Services Marketing
Josh Bemister, Human Resources Management
Evie Bode & Chloe Wetterquist, Thrive Academy (National Promotion Campaign and Community Service Project)

This year, I competed in Business Law and Ethics partner events. Even though it was my first year in DECA, I placed second at Regionals with my partner Kayla Holley, and we went on to place third at State and qualify for nationals. I owe my amazing DECA season to Mrs. Lee’s leadership, guidance, and mentorship.

In April, Kayla and I, along with six others, headed to Anaheim, California, where over 22,000 students gathered to compete for the coveted national DECA titles. I networked with students from not only the United States, but also international students. It was a melting pot of the best DECA competitors.

Over the six days that we spent in Anaheim, we took a business cluster exam and performed one role-play in our event: Business Law and Ethics. From the opening ceremony to the grand awards ceremony, it was go-go-go.

Starting on the first day, we exchanged state and national pins from all around the world, followed by a huge opening ceremony.

Day two was filled with taking a business cluster exam, exchanging more pins, and a dinner in Downtown Disney! From there, the real competition began.

On day three, Kayla and I performed our role-play. We were given a business situation and had 30 minutes to prepare a presentation, followed by an immediate presentation to a judge.

The next morning, we headed to the convention center to see if we had received any medals. We were thrilled to hear our names called onto the stage when we received the silver medal for our role-play. At that moment, I knew my entire season had come down to not only that medal but the entire DECA experience, from the leadership conference all the way to Nationals.

My DECA journey has been incredible. Mrs. Lee's mentorship and support helped me achieve more than I ever imagined. DECA has not only taught me valuable business skills, but also how to integrate my faith into my professional life. I'm grateful for the opportunities and growth DECA has provided, and I look forward to continuing my journey in this amazing organization.

High School Open House November 4