Elmwood’s senior school DECA club was super excited to participate in the annual DECA provincial competition in Toronto for the first time in three years! At provincials, students were given the opportunity to compete in finance, marketing, and other business events that challenged them to think on their feet, expand their skill sets, and gain real-world experience in leadership.
Day 1
Students boarded the train to Toronto on February 12. During the train ride, we practiced case studies and role plays to prepare for the competitive events that would happen the next day. We arrived in Toronto just in time for dinner at the Kimchi Korea House. The traditional food was delicious!
Day 2
Competitive events began on the 13th, and students suited up with business apparel to compete in various different categories of business, such as sports and entertainment, apparel and accessory marketing, human resource management, financial consulting, and principles of business administration. Competitions included a “role-play” case study, where members were given a realistic business scenario and ten minutes to prepare a presentation for judges. In these presentations, students were given a chance to practice their public speaking, mind mapping, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The other element of the competition was an exam, which students tackled with skills they had developed in the club throughout the year.
Some students had written events, where they had to research a business topic and write a report. This report was presented in front of judges. Topics for this report included financial consulting and human resource management.
Day 3
The 14th was filled with awards ceremonies, although two members had their final exams early in the morning. Afterwards, students had the chance to explore downtown Toronto, including the Eaton center, getting bubble tea, and cheesecake!
Overall, this was an enriching experience that allowed club members to bond, learn lots about business, feel confident with public speaking, and be more comfortable with performing under pressure and time limits. With various different options for competitive events such as marketing, finance, business management and hospitality, DECA gave us the opportunity to learn more about the subjects we love while also having fun together in Toronto.
Sincerely,
Deca club co-leaders
Madison and Hailey