DECA is a non-profit organization that stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America. This program allows students to prepare for college and future careers. In DECA, students learn a wide range of social skills as well as business skills, along with management, hospitality and marketing.

Many Lewis-Palmer High School students have competed in the annual district competition. Many students will be moving on to state, held at the Broadmoor in February 2017. Students will be accompanied by Mike Diamond, Lewis-Palmer’s DECA advisor.

Ian Geoghan 12 has been involved in DECA since his sophomore year. Geoghan will be proceeding to State.

“You have to be able to think on your feet, come up with answers and solutions and present yourself in a confident way,” Geoghan said. “It really helps you be confident and gives you a look into a business world, especially if that is what you want to do for your college or business career.”

Geoghan is interested in the competition aspect of DECA. Competitions consist of taking tests and performing a roleplay with a partner or individually.

Roleplays consist of a DECA judge pretending to be a CEO or someone of high rank, in where the student has to persuade the judge to purchase what the student is selling. The judges grade how the students present and hold themself, and how the student speaks.

There are two preliminary practice competitions that Geoghan performed well in. There are 3 categories financial literacy, hospitality and retail merchandising.

“I do not really prepare much because I overthink it, and at that point I like to be confident and hope for the best,” Geoghan said. “It can be nerve-racking kind of a hard challenge to calm down.

Last year, Geoghan was in crutches due to a torn meniscus and was unable to compete in last year’s state competition. He is hoping to be sharper now and move on to Nationals.

Michael Canady 12 is also proceeding into State. He joined DECA his junior year, after he took his Management class. Canady is preparing to go into State.

“When you go in and go to districts or any competition, you take a 100 question test and have 60 minutes to finish it before you go to districts; and that is how you qualify for state,” Canady said.

Students can find practice roleplays on DECA’s website to help prepare, where they have sections to find the category the student is practicing in. To go to state, the cost is a little over $200, if a student is competing in other events, it will depend on how much.

“DECA can be a little nerve wracking waiting to see who won at districts especially. But there is a lot of ways to practice and prepare for the competitions,” Canady said. “I am a little bit nervous since there are all the great minds across a Colorado. There are around a thousand students or so too but I think i’m well prepared.”