At NHS, DECA is a staple when it comes to after-school clubs and has had a ton of success since being introduced at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
“We were kinda worried that this club wouldn’t take off or there wouldn’t be as much involvement, but clearly second year, we’re doing amazing with 60 kids in the club and 40 members actually competing, and that is awesome to see,” said senior Yash Shah, who is the co-president of DECA alongside senior Maryam Ozodova.
DECA is a student organisation that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers they might want to pursue in the future. There are four major career clusters, which are Marketing, Finance, Hospitality, and Management. DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America.
According to Niko Arranz, the Computer Science and Business teacher as well as the DECA advisor, the club’s success comes from more than good leadership.
“We’ve done a really good job about not only picking the right people to lead a new generation of business professionals, but there is this intrinsic motivation from students who really want to see competitions; something that is pretty absent that I’ve noticed here in club culture.”
DECA has been a big shift in bringing energy, participation, and an overall sense of excitement to all students who want to get a true business experience. The club’s growth reflects not only the rising interest in business but also students’ desire to challenge themselves.
“One reason I really like DECA is that before DECA, I would have never thought I would like anything to do with business, but DECA showed me there’s so much of a deeper meaning, and now it is something I’m interested in pursuing outside of high school,” said sophomore DECA member Lauren MacLean.
(Victoria Kico)
DECA members often say the club stands out because it offers an environment where students can come together and explore things of similar interests. Students often stay after the meetings to practice roleplays together and prepare for upcoming competitions.
As DECA changes the club culture throughout all of NHS and continues to expand, so does its sense of community among its members. For many, DECA is more than just an after-school club; it is a family.
