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Downers Grove North DECA students brief board on growth and state competition plans
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Summary
DECA students described club structure, competition pathway and a 34% membership increase at Downers Grove North, and said members hope to qualify for nationals this year.
Students from Downers Grove North presented their DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) program to the District 99 Board of Education and described competition structure, membership growth and post‑secondary benefits.
Five seniors and a junior explained DECA’s cluster system (finance, entrepreneurship, marketing, hospitality and business management), role‑play judging, and scoring (multiple‑choice test worth 40 percent and role play worth 60 percent of a final event score). The students said sectionals are open to all members in January, the top 10 in each event advance to state, and top‑4 finishers at state qualify for nationals, which this year will be in Orlando.
Student officers reported a roughly 34 percent increase in membership year‑over‑year, growing from about 30 members to more than 200, and said the chapter earned a gold rating in iConnect for the first time in school history. Students credited guest speakers, alumni connections, leadership roles and the advisor for helping members build résumés, professional networks and college‑readiness skills.
Board members asked about collegiate DECA programs; students said collegiate chapters exist at some universities but that high school DECA is more widely established. The board thanked students for the presentation and wished them luck at state competition scheduled for the coming weekend.
