Plenty of students at East have the potential to be leaders but are unaware of how they can put the skills to work. Lincoln East DECA is meant for students to get new experiences as leaders and learn new things about marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Since it was founded in 1946, millions of students and administrators have come together through DECA around the globe, including students here at East.

“There’s a little something for everyone,” Senior president Cooper Penkava said.

Being in DECA means that you gain all of the necessary skills and experiences needed to overcome certain challenges to put you forward in the classroom and in the boardroom. There are competitions held that allow students in the club to showcase what they have learned, while also bringing everyone together.

“Leading up to it, you get to develop your skills a lot,” Penkava said. “Even if I don’t place well, I like to be in the competition to really test myself.”

There are numerous opportunities and activities for members in the club to prepare before competitions that happen throughout the year, including JA Spark. Teacher and Sponsor for DECA at East, Mr. Maw, is also very willing to help everyone succeed.

“DECA is a lot of real life scenarios and prepare students for what’s next,” Mr. Maw said. “I like to see how students can apply what we learn in the classroom into a different setting.”

DECA is a club for students who want to be involved in business, the community, and in their own lives. If you’re interested in joining, they meet every Thursday in room 131 after school and would be pleased to have more members on their team.