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DECA

WHAT IS DECA?

DECA is an association of marketing education students. It represents the program of student activity known as co-curricular, rather than extracurricular, since DECA activities are designed to reinforce the competencies taught in marketing and management.

DECA is a nonprofit, nonpolitical, nonsectarian career and technical student organization composed of voluntary members, with Marketing Education teacher-coordinators acting as advisors. Students elect their own chapter officers and delegates who have direct vote in their state association of DECA and in their national organization of DECA. All chapters are self-supporting, with members paying chapter, state association, and national membership dues.

DECA members learn to serve as leaders and followers and have the opportunity for state and national recognition that they might not otherwise receive. The local DECA chapter is the "showcase" for student achievement and progress and is the public relations areas of the Marketing Education Instruction Programs.

 

OFFICIAL EMBLEM

The official DECA emblem is a diamond shaped design. Each point of the diamond signifies a working part of the organization. The four points of the DECA diamond are:  Vocational Understanding, Civic Consciousness, Social Intelligence, and Leadership Development.

 

BENEFITS OF DECA MEMBERSHIP

DECA offers students many opportunities. Those opportunities include leadership development, scholarship opportunities and student recognition.

  • DECA is co-curricular and is integrated into the marketing education curriculum.
  • DECA provides co-curricular programs and activity tools that teach the practical skills of career preparation, encourage exploration of career fields and provide experience in the world of work.
  • DECA focuses students on defining their college and career goals and emphasizes the relevance of core studies.
  • DECA is the only student organization serving marketing education.
  • DECA connects the importance of lifelong learning with success.
  • DECA develops leadership skills by offering the most extensive leadership training opportunities of all student organizations.
  • DECA offers state and international recognition through competition in over 45 occupational areas.
  • DECA awards more than $250,000 in scholarships each year.
  • DECA promotes free enterprise and entrepreneurship.
  • DECA has over 6,000 chapters nationwide.
  • DECA membership is available in all 50 states, four U.S. territories, two Canadian provinces, Germany and Mexico.
  • DECA has over 180,000 high school and college members.
  • DECA's membership is equally divided between male and female members.
  • DECA works because students' needs are met.x