During the week of March 6, six members of the Greendale High School DECA team competed at the DECA State Conference.

DECA is a high school and college club nationwide that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. 

Senior EJ Kuster placed fifth in the Sports and Entertainment Marketing Series event and qualified for Nationals. “It’s definitely cool to be 5th in the state for this event, but I think my performance in my event could’ve been better,” he said.

Senior Olivia Riester also competed in the Sports Entertainment and Marketing. “What I did to receive perfect scores and go to State was study vocabulary and possible performance indicators that would be in roleplays,” she said.

Junior Annamarie Murphy urges students to join the club. “Not only does it look amazing on college applications but you develop crucial skills, meet new people, be able to attend events that will “fill your cup,”and learn new things about yourself,” she said.

Kuster agrees. “Other kids should join DECA because it is a way for kids who are interested in topics related to business to collaborate with others who feel the same way,” he said. “It also allows kids to develop real-world experiences and involvement with events in the school to better prepare them for college, interviews, and leadership opportunities. 

Murphy has learned a lot competing with the club. “I enjoyed the opportunities to grow my leadership skills and marketing knowledge,” she said.