As many of us approach our senior year, it is important that we have our next step in mind. Some of us are looking at colleges out of state, and some at in state schools. Regardless of where we apply, the application process is very important.

                Every college’s application process and requirements can be different. Many colleges require personal essays, letters of recommendation, and scores from the ACT and/or SAT. Along with paying attention to what the college requires, it will be extremely important to know all of the deadlines for the applications. One useful tool is to complete the application requirements in a word document and then copy and paste your information into the application. It is very important that you proofread, and have others proofread, your essays prior to submitting.

                With the new school year beginning, we all have so many things to focus on. We do not want to fall behind in our applications. As we continue through this year, Remember, do more than survive, THRIVE!

Hello Florida DECA! Are you excited for the LTC? It's right around the corner! The Leaderhip Training Conference will be in Orlando from October 12th to the 14th.

The weekend will be exciting and full of fun events. It will include exciting training sessions, great networking, and a trip to Universal Studios. You will be able to have a new DECA experience that will help you to bond with your chapter and Florida DECA. Also, for those who are interested in being a state officer, Team 53 will be holding an information session on becoming a state officer.

You do not miss this experience of a lifetime, and to do that you have to be registered by September 9th! Also, do not forget to bring clothes for the clothing drive competition so your chapter can win the traveling trophy! Remember, Do more than survive, THRIVE!


Jason Richards
Florida DECA Vice President

September Blog – The Next Step – Zack Schaja

Hey Florida DECA!  I can’t believe its already September.  Summer is over, school is in full swing, and our amazing year of DECA is just getting started!  I hope each and every one of you is having a solid time adjusting back into “school mode” and I hope that you all have set some goals for yourselves.  These goals may involve grades, sports, DECA competition, a job, or just about anything else.  Maybe last year you were trying to manage both grades and a part-time job and it didn’t work out so well for you, so your goal for this year may be to balance your time better so that you don’t have a similar outcome as last year.  Whatever these goals may be, I feel that they are very important to make at the beginning of the year, so you are not trying to dig yourself out of a ditch in the middle of the year.   

Seniors, most of you are trying to prepare yourself for life after high school.  Maybe that life will include college or maybe you will join the workforce right after high school. Either way, make sure that you have achievable goals in advance in order to ensure that you are traveling along the right path when life seems stressful thought-out the year.

If you are planning on attending college, make sure that you check out the websites of schools that interest you.  Each school has individual requirements and deadlines for applications, SAT scores, transcripts, and more.

Just because you graduate High School, it doesn’t mean you have to graduate from DECA.  Collegiate DECA is available at over 20 colleges and universities in Florida including UF, FSU, UCF, FAU, Broward College, Johnson & Wales, Lynn University, Nova Southeastern University, University of Miami, and many more.  Check fldex.org out to see if the college that you are interested in has a Collegiate DECA Chapter. 

It’s important to remember that some things this year will be difficult for you.  High school is a very important time in your life but with strong amounts of effort, time management skills, and dedication, it can be enjoyable as well!

 Hey Florida DECA!

With the school year starting I am reminded of how proud I am to be a part of an organization in Florida with over seven thousand emerging leaders are members of. My story, however, isn’t about officers or even DECA, it’s about a day at the beach.

I live in the Ft. Lauderdale area and I’m blessed with being 15 minutes away from the coast. At the end of the summer, my friends and I drove to the beach in hopes of one last perfect day before being trapped in a classroom during tanning hours. When we got there, however, the waves were crashing hard on the shore and there was seaweed polluting the water we had hoped to swim in. As I looked out to the horizon I noticed that just past the seaweed and waves there was a sandbar. I realized how important it is to recognize the solution when everyone else is caught up in the problem.  After seeing this I told my friends who were hesitant until I ran into the ocean myself. The most successful leaders lead by action. It wasn’t long before complaining and negative attitudes about the waves and seaweed had my peers suggesting to turn back. But just a little bit of encouragement is the strongest weapon against negativity. I pushed my friends to endure the struggle so that we could find success as a group. When we finally reached the break we spent hours there enjoying the clear water and subtle energy of the waves.

It was the best day of summer but not only because I was able to enjoy playing volleyball and swimming with my friends; I was able to use my leadership skills in a practical and real way. With that, my last lesson of leadership is this: Take advantage of every opportunity you are given to THRIVE!

Sincerely,

Erica Mick, Florida DECA State Vice President

How’s it going Florida DECA?,

As we all know, this year’s national theme is Thrive!, but team 53 and I put a little Florida DECA spin on it and we came up with this year’s state theme as; “Do more than survive, THRIVE!” This theme means doing more than just what is expected of you, more than just the bare minimum. This year, do more than just that, THRIVE in the DECA community, THRIVE in your own communities, and of course, THRIVE in your own lives. Thriving is something each and every one of you can do if you set your minds to it.

A few key elements to thriving in the next DECA year are to always be prepared, don’t stop believing in yourself and others, teamwork is key, work hard, and last but not least; have fun!

I can’t wait to see you all at the upcoming Florida Leadership Training Conference in Orlando, Florida! Here is a great place to begin your DECA year and also to begin to do more than survive, but THRIVE!

Sincerely,
Kasey Kupcik
Florida DECA President