DECA, a non-profit career and technical student organization, equips students with essential 21st-century skills for future marketing, finance, hospitality, and management careers. The Clarkston DECA chapter, established in 1951, uniquely focuses on community service. Their annual projects, such as the “4th Grade Career Development Conference,” which educates local fourth graders on creating their own small business plan, and “Spike for the Cure,” an intermural volleyball tournament that has raised nearly $80,000 for the Gina Quesenberry Foundation, demonstrate their commitment to community engagement.

This year, students from the Clarkston DECA chapter showcased their skills and knowledge at various area, state, and international competitions. At the state competition in Bellevue, WA, forty students competed in role-play scenarios or presented their prepared integrated marketing campaign or project management presentations. Out of the nearly six thousand students competing, fifteen students from the Clarkston DECA chapter were awarded medals for ranking in the top 10, a testament to their hard work and dedication, advancing their projects to the international competition in Orlando, Florida. 

Seventeen students traveled to the International Career Development Conference at the end of April to present their projects in various categories, such as community service, community awareness, financial literacy, and retail operations. Two students also had the opportunity to attend the “Thrive” leadership academy, where they built connections with other students from all around the world and engaged in various team-building activities.