What is DECA?

DECA as an organization

Over the past 60 years, DECA has touched the lives of more than ten million students, educators, school administrators and business professionals. What started as a few students looking for opportunities for early insight into the business world, DECA now has over 250,000 all across the world. Despite such successful expansion and growth, DECA’s mission has stayed true and focused.

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

DECA enhances the co-curricular education of members through a comprehensive learning program that integrates into classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business and promotes competition. DECA’s activities assist in the development of academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible, experienced leaders

Monta Vista DECA

In the fall of 2002, Monta Vista freshmen Melina Mathur and Katya Avignan approached business and marketing teacher Carl Schmidt with a new opportunity for Monta Vista's students. They sought to create a student organization that gives students real life experience in business, marketing, management, entrepreneurship and leadership while allowing them to compete in events that can give them the edge they need for college and for life: DECA.

Currently, Monta Vista DECA is one of the largest and most prominent student organizations on campus. Monta Vista is home to the largest DECA chapter in California and the 8th largest worldwide; becoming a member gives students an instant network of friends on campus as well as business professionals throughout the community. The competitive program at Monta Vista boasts a gleaming record. As of 2007, Monta Vista DECA has been ranked 1st in California and currently is ranked 2nd in the world! In 2009 Monta Vista DECA was ranked 1st internationally; regaining international supremacy is a top priority during the upcoming school year. Along with a bright competitive record, Monta Vista has had three California DECA State Presidents, and a multitude of Silicon Valley DECA officers, all in just eight years of existence. That fact that Monta Vista DECA helps channel students in the right direction can be shown by the success of its alumni. Monta Vista DECA is proud to have many of its alumni attend top universities, including: Harvard, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, Caltech, MIT, Wellesley, New York University, UC Berkeley, USC, and many more.

Monta Vista DECA focuses on hands-on learning and the real world application of textbook concepts. Led by an officer team comprised of the most qualified students, and guided by experienced and knowledgeable advisor Carl Schmidt, students in the Monta Vista DECA program will gain first-hand experience in all aspects of business as well as develop skills applicable to whichever field he or she eventually chooses to pursue. Monta Vista DECA’s legacy of excellence continues with each new class of members as they start a new chapter in our history, writing their own stories of success. We specialize in jumpstarting out members’ high school careers, and giving them a competitive edge in college and life.

For Parents - The Benefits of Joining DECA

Joining DECA will not only help your child gain an introduction to business and it’s applications, it will also allow him/ her to network and build friendships, connect with the community, and brighten their college application. Some other benefits of your child joining Monta Vista DECA Include:

• Introduction to business and it’s applications - Your child will develop an understanding of various business skills and economic principles through activities and competition.

• Tours and trips - Besides competing, students will also be given opportunities to participate in tours to the San Francisco Federal Reserve, the Fashion Institute, EA Games, and more. These trips allow students to expand their knowledge about current industry trends in the markets.

• Access to a top ranked competitive program - Monta Vista DECA is proud to be home of the top ranked competitive program in California and the second best world wide, with underclassmen teams excelling and outperforming upperclassmen from rival schools.

• Conferences - At conferences, students will develop the feel of real business conference. Students become more responsible and confident after the time they spend away from home. The challenges that they may face at these competitions allow them to understand their true potential and abilities.

• Connections with the community - Monta Vista DECA helps students to become involved with the community through its civic consciousness program. As a member of the rotary club and the chamber of commerce, students can become strongly connected with local leaders. Monta Vista DECA is aware of its social obligations and actively gives back to the community. For students who display exemplary efforts towards helping the community, Monta Vista DECA is proud to be one of the two organizations on campus certified to award Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

• Internships - Monta Vista DECA helps interested students help to find internships. These are the ideal way of getting hands on business experience and learning from industry professionals.

• Proven Success - Both internships and winning at conferences (especially at the international level) have a great look on college applications, and have helped many MVDECA alumni gain admission to top universities, such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT, NYU, Carnegie Mellon, USC, UC Berkley, Wellesley, and more.

For Students - Why Join DECA?

DECA is not limited to competing and studying and preparing for events, it is learning life skills while having a great time. If you aren't into competing, don't worry, DECA still has you covered, with trips and socials that are quite fun. Here are some reasons to join DECA:

• A fun introduction to Business - Learn and understand business through a hands on approach which allows you to apply classroom concepts in case studies modeling real world scenarios. Interact with students from all over the globe and network with business professionals in the process!

• Compete at conferences and WIN! - Monta Vista DECA is proud to have freshmen excel over upperclassmen from other schools and successfully compete and win. Conferences allow you to spend time with your friends, with freedom and fun.

• Networking Opportunities - Develop relationships with fellow Monta Vista DECA members as well as DECA members from all around the world. At conferences, you will have an opportunity to meet fellow DECA members from all around the world through the general sessions, dances, or even in the hallways or the streets! DECA also gives students a chance to meet with industry leading business professionals, creating potential internship and job opportunities.

• Meet new people, all across California and the nation and beyond. At Monta Vista DECA, you will be able to connect with freshmen you never knew, as well as upperclassmen who don't bite. At conferences, you will have an opportunity to meet fellow DECA members all across the state, nation, and beyond through the general sessions, the dance, or simply in the hallways or the streets!

• Participate in exclusive tours - Monta Vista DECA conducts annual tours of the San Francisco Federal Reserve, the EA Games campus (where you get games at an employee discount!), the Fashion Institute (FIDM), and more! Spend a day away from school, seeing the implementations of business ideas and having some fun!

• Travel (and justify taking time off from school) - Regardless of the destination of our conferences, you will always have a GREAT experience with your friends, not to mention that you get a break from school for a few days! This year, join us as we travel to San Ramon, Santa Clara, and Orlando, Florida for our conferences.

• Develop life skills - Through guest speakers, workshops, and the competitive events themselves, you will learn skills that will last you a lifetime, which you can apply to virtually any career. Give yourself a head start and invest in your bright future. Develop confidence, strong writing skills, and effective presentation techniques to give you a leg up in any field which you choose to pursue.

• Get extra credit for your business class! - If you have Mr. Schmidt for business, you are eligible for hefty amounts of extra credit by participating in DECA field trips and competitive events.

Ready to join? Perhaps you have some questions? The officer team would love to help!

DECA vs. FBLA

Both DECA and FBLA are large business clubs on campus which will offer you both a fun and useful learning experience. To most people, both clubs appear very similar, but there are some key differences that may affect your decision in choosing between the two organizations. It is, however, perfectly fine to join both of these clubs.

Below is information comparing the two national organizations.

Website	http://www.deca.org	http://www.fbla.org
Founded	1946	1940
Membership (2009)	185,000	215,000
Divisions	High School Division College Division: Delta Epsilon Chi	Middle School Level: FBLA-ML High School Division College Division: Phi Beta Lamba
Focus	Modern Business	General Business
Competitive Events	45	60+
Conferences
Leadership Development Conference	Silicon Valley Leadership Development Conference (SVLDC) Location: Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, CA Date: September 25, 2010	Leadership Development Institute (LDI) Location: Santa Clara Hyatt, Santa Clara, CA Date: October 15-17, 2010
Regional Competitions	Northern California Career Development Conference (NorCal CDC) Location: San Ramon, CA Date: January 4-16, 2011	Bay Section Leadership Conference (BLSP) Location: Homestead High School, San Jose, CA Date: March 5, 2011
State Competitions	California Career Development Conference (State CDC) Location: Santa Clara Marriot, Santa Clara, CA Date: March 3-6, 2011	California State Leadership Conference (CASLC) Location: Santa Clara Hyatt, Santa Clara, CA Date: April 14-17, 2011
National Competitions	DECA does not have a national level of competition.	National Leadership Conference (NLC) Attended by members from the US in addition to Canada, Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, and myriad countries in Europe Location: Orlando, FL Date: June 28- July 1, 2011
International Competitions	International Career Development Conference (ICDC) Attended by members from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guam, Germany, Hong Kong (pending), and South Korea (pending) Location: Orlando, FL Date: April 30- May 3, 2011	FBLA's competitions end at the national level.

Monta Vista is home to both DECA and FBLA chapters that are both very successful. There is a saying that "you know you go to Monta Vista when the only fights on campus are between DECA and FBLA." While that is an exaggeration, the rivalry and competitiveness between both clubs is rather fierce.
All FBLA information has been verified by an FBLA officer, but for the most up-to-date information, please check the Monta Vista FBLA website.

Founded	2003	1974
2009-2010 Membership	358	191
Website	http://www.mvdeca.org	http://www.mvfbla.org
Meeting Time	Wednesdays at Lunch, Portable 6	Thursdays at Lunch, Portable 6
Study Sessions	Saturday Mornings, typically between 11:00 and 3:00	Saturday Afternoons, typically between 1:00 and 4:00
Preliminaries	MVDECA does not hold preliminaries for competition. Any member who wishes to compete may do so for NorCal.	MVFBLA holds preliminaries for competition due to capacity limitations. Most members are still able to compete in Bay Section, but not necessarily in their event of choice.
Competitive Excellence	1st in California (since 2007) World Champions 2009 2nd in the World (since 2010)	4th in California (since 2009) 2nd in the nation (since 2008)
State Presidents Elected	3 Anagha Vaidhyanathan (2006-2007) Diane Keng (2009-2010) Sonika Singh(2010-2011)	0
Membership Dues	$45.00	$35.00
Alumni Futures	Alumni have been accepted by top schools, including Harvard, Stanford, UPenn (Wharton), NYU (Stern), MIT, John Hopkins University, Wellesley, UC Berkeley, USC, and Carnegie Mellon University.	Alumni have gone to schools such as Stanford, Cornell, Duke, UC Berkeley, Princeton, USC, UCLA, Brown, NYU, University of Chicago, Washington University in St. Louis, Middlebury, Pomona and Wharton at UPenn.
Chamber of Commerce Membership	Yes	No

Want to Join?

Registration forms can be downloaded here. Please return the completed form to Portable 6 or any officer with $49 for membership dues.

Questions?

If you have any questions about joining DECA, or want to know more about the organization, feel free to contact any of our officers. Our Director of Membership, Sanjeev Ranga can address any questions or concerns about joining DECA.