By: Timothy Chhor

Photo by rawpixel, CC BY 1.0 on Freerange Stock

On a Monday after school in early October, one after another, returning members and new recruits of St. A’s DECA team entered the cafeteria for the first meeting of the year. All students’ spirits set ablaze with a fresh opportunity; to distinguish themselves in one of the most prestigious business competitions in all of North America.

Ms. Brizzi and the executive team welcomed an astounding number of people back for another year of DECA’s competitive events. This year’s roster has a whopping 164 active members! The team’s collective passion for business related matters drove them together as they prepared for the regional competition happening on the 12th of November.

DECA is the organization behind the competition. It is a non-profit organization helping young students acquire experiences that will assist them in their future endeavors. Students around the world come into contact with real business principles before entering into the business environment. While the students diligently fortify their crucial skills, they get a chance to spend time with those who share the same passions.

“We’ve doubled our numbers. It’s an organized chaos but students are having a lot of fun and we’re hoping regionals will be a good experience,” said Ms. Brizzi. Indeed, 164 teammates is the largest band of people they’ve ever had. Despite that, everyone flourished under the pressure. 

On the 30th of October, the team gathered in the cafeteria to write a multiple choice exam that would test their knowledge on important business concepts. Most were ready and many were anxious for the challenge ahead. After an hour and ten minute long ordeal with minor technical difficulties, they finished the exam. They turned their focus to the next event; the regional competition.

The regional competition represents the next big leap for the DECA team. This would be their chance to display their meticulously refined talents to professional business people. Excelling in this competition provides the opportunity to move onto the next competition; the DECA provincials. If the students are shown to be truly adept and possess skills in high demand for our future society, our school team could head to the heart of downtown Toronto where they will compete with the rest of the province. 

As a final thought in the interview, Ms. Brizzi said, “Stay tuned for results!”

Works Cited

Brizzi, Patricia. Interview. Conducted by Timothy Chhor. November 6th, 2023

DECA. “Our Mission | DECA Inc.” DECA, DECA Inc., https://www.deca.org/mission. Accessed 07 October 2023.