DECA prepares students for bright future

In room 2202, Jason Burghardt teaches students business related skills and the terminology that goes along with them. This week Burghardt is preparing his students for the DECA Districts Conference that most will attend on December 15. DECA is a student organization where marketing students can travel to conferences and compete against other marketing teams.

“Going to a DECA conference gives students the opportunity to meet with over 500 other students from various area high schools. It gives them ability to make connections in person and then later through social media,” Burghardt said.

Not only does DECA provide students with connections, but also it provides students with skills that cannot be taught in the classroom.

“There are two main benefits for students to participate in DECA; students are able to get out of the classroom and actually meet with business professionals. They are going to be interviewed, and talk to people from the world of business, which gives them experience that they cannot get in the classroom. That in all the business classes, as much as the teachers talk about business, it is a completely different experience when students actually get to interview with people from the business industry,” said Burghardt

According to the official DECA website, “DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.”

Burghardt spends the entire week before the districts conference providing students with activities that he calls “DECA Prep.”

“It’s the best part of my job,” Burghardt said.

DECA provides students with actual business scenarios in which they have a time limit to solve the problem they are given.

“No time when they get a job are their bosses going to ask them to define a term, but they are going to be asked to solve problems,” Burghardt said.

The problem solving skills gained through doing DECA will provide students with lifelong abilities that they can apply in whatever field they study. The bottom line that Burghardt wants students to understand is that DECA prepares students for the future, and the knowledge that they receive from the experience will be invaluable.

By Kristin Mendles

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