Watauga DECA at their recent Districts Competition on November 30, 2023. Photo Credit: Natalie Fitch, Watauga Yearbook
Watauga DECA has just successfully wrapped up its annual district competition in Shelby, North Carolina. DECA is an international marketing club in which students have opportunities to compete and win awards by presenting a sales pitch for a given scenario. Our Watauga DECA chapter came home with multiple awards from various divisions.
DECA’s success can be attributed to the driven officers and their committed advisor, Olivia Tarnowski.
“DECA is a club for students that are interested in marketing,” said Tarnowski. “It provides students opportunities to network, compete, go to conferences, and get to know their peers in an atmosphere where everyone is focused on marketing.”
DECA is one of the biggest clubs at the high school, with over 100 members, and 90 of those members have attended the state competition before. Junior Sheridan Brasier, the Vice President of Hospitality, shared her experience at the event.
“I really enjoy DECA,” Brasier said. “It's my favorite club. I look forward to states every year and I look forward to districts every year. It’s just a great atmosphere and a great community.”
A few months after districts, Watauga DECA will go to the state competition. The trip to the State competition will consist of three nights, each more intensive, and will be limited to only 75 students.
“DECA has really helped with my communication skills. I can speak in front of a group of people now,” said Brasier. “It's helped my writing structure and with knowing how to write an essay. It’s a lot of good life skills you can take with you.”
There are several different categories members can compete in at districts, including Apparel and Accessories, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, Principles of Marketing, and Hotel and Lodging Management.
“Different categories open up different situations for you based on your interests. Sports and Entertainment relates to sporting events and festivals, and Apparel and Accessories is about marketing clothes,” said Morgan Flynt, a junior and the Vice President of Finance for DECA.
There are lots of different marketing classes to help assist DECA members with whatever category they want to compete in. DECA is open to students with a variety of different interests and hobbies.
“I’ve taken three marketing classes at the high school. My freshman year, I took marketing with Ms. T,” said Flynt. “The rest of the classes built on top of it with the specific focus of the class that you’re taking. In Hospitality and Tourism, we talked about hotels, how to treat your customers, and lodging.”
One of the most popular marketing electives is Sports and Entertainment Marketing. It’s also a highly chosen category at competitions.
“My sophomore year, I took Sports and Entertainment,” said Flynt. “You’re given different sporting events and learning how to market the tickets and things like that.”
With such a prominent and competitive club, the officers tend to stay busy.
“As officers, we look to guide new DECA members and try to show leadership as much as possible. To go into DECA as a new member is very difficult,” said Flynt.
With so many components, going into DECA as a new member can be challenging. The officers have created many initiatives to make it an easy process and create a welcoming atmosphere.
“Building these new members up is definitely a big factor in what we do,” said Flynt.
In addition to DECA’s officers’ hard work, Ms. Tarnowski also devotes a vast amount of time to coordinating and assisting in the behind-the-scenes work.
“I make sure that everyone gets registered for everything properly and keep track of the events that everyone wants to compete in,” Tarnowski said. “There's a lot of detail and planning that goes into every event and competition that we do. I’m always happy to do it because it’s so beneficial for the students.”
The marketing field is constantly growing and diversifying. Being involved in DECA allows students to gain valuable experiences and develop the necessary skills for any career path.
“DECA is a really great club because it can provide you with so much self-confidence. You can learn a lot about yourself," said Tarnowski. "You can have a lot of opportunities to travel, you can network with lots of different people."
Members who qualify at states may compete in ICDC (International Career Development Conference). This year, ICDC will take place in Anaheim, California. An additional travel opportunity is an annual conference in Orlando, Florida. The trip is mostly reserved for upperclassmen.
“I think DECA is one the best clubs you can be involved in as a student because of the skills you learn that you can apply in the real world after you graduate,” said Tarnowski.
One of the requirements to become a member of DECA is to have already taken or be presently involved in a marketing course. There are several marketing classes available that expand on the information covered in the basic marketing classes.
“My freshman year, Ms. T got me to join DECA and it was a really good outlet for me to meet new people and improve my communication skills,” said Brasier.
The opportunities that DECA provides are countless. Ms. Tarnowski continues adding to the accomplished legacy that DECA holds, as she was also involved as a student, which helped her discover what she wanted her career to look like.
“I was involved in DECA through high school as a student. My involvement in DECA is what made me want to be a marketing teacher. I thought I wanted to be an elementary school teacher. I did some internships and decided it wasn’t for me,” said Tarnowski. “When I found out that I could teach high school marketing and be a DECA advisor, it was like lightbulbs, it was perfect.”
Going to competitions can be a fun experience for students who are excited by independence and meeting like-minded individuals.
“The feeling of someone in your chapter winning an award is so exciting. It’s not only them winning an award, Watauga is winning an award too. We’re like a team,” said Brasier.
DECA’s annual state competition is coming up, and the competition will be in Greensboro February 28 through March 2. The future is bright for Watauga DECA and for those involved!
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