Business and economics teacher Ms. Lisa Moore has been the sponsor of Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) for 15 years. However, her involvement in the competitive business program started much earlier than that.

When Ms. Moore was a student at Wakefield High School, she joined DECA because of an interest in fashion rather than economics. “When I did it in high school, it was more because we had a fashion merchandising class, which was a marketing class, so everything we did was oriented around fashion,” Ms. Moore said. “We did a fashion show, we did a trip to New York, but we didn’t do the competitive events, so it was a little different.”

Fashion and economics are not the only categories in DECA, however.  There is a wide selection of events from which students can choose. “You get to pick what you participate in,” Ms. Moore said. “I tell students to go with their strong suit. [There’s] a job interview, communications and a social media campaign or social media event.” Everyone is allowed to join the DECA team for their school and compete in whatever subject area that interests them. School teams are composed of people from all grade levels, but there are special categories offered for freshmen, so they do not have to compete against more experienced upperclassmen.  “That way, it’s an even playing field,” Ms. Moore said.  

DECA is designed to teach students about real-world business and leadership, which students can use to their benefit in other classes, college and even in future work environments.  “A lot of the skills that they take away from DECA are things that they can use in college, in the work environment, so it works out well,” Ms. Moore said.  “I just had a student contact me last week, and she was a former DECA student and the chapter president.  She just got promoted on her job, and she said that they kept complimenting her on her interview skills and the way she came across, and she says she thinks she got it from DECA.”

Although it is a co-curricular program, meaning students should be involved in both DECA and at least one business and economics class, spots in the program may be open to people who simply want to participate. “It’s open for business and marketing students, but there are some exceptions there. Of course, I’m not going to turn anybody away,” Ms. Moore said.  “I have had students who just have never taken any of the classes but know about DECA and want to get involved in it, and if that’s the case, then I say come on, let’s just do it.”

Ms. Moore, along with hoping to expand the business program, aims to get more underclassmen involved in the program, specifically freshmen.  “A lot of times I end up getting a slew of seniors that join, and that’s typically because they want something to put on their college applications, and now, all of a sudden, they see it,” Ms. Moore said.  “My goal is always to get more freshmen participating, because once freshmen participate the first year, they come back and do it three more years, and participate all the way through, and you only get better.”

In today’s business economy, Ms. Moore views the skills taught through DECA and the business program as very helpful, especially when it comes to entrepreneurship.  Ms. Moore said, “Every business that America has has started, essentially, with somebody wanting to start that business themselves.”

For students interested in DECA, meetings are Tuesdays from 3 – 4 p.m. in room 4008-B.  Contact Ms. Moore for more information.