Top 10 of being a 2-year Florida DECA Officer

Top 10 of being a 2-year Florida DECA Officer

 

·      ICDC – ICDC is the highlight of the DECA year.  I have been to 3 ICDCs in Orlando, Salt Lake City, and Anaheim, and I look forward to attending my 4th this May in Atlanta!  With over 16,000 high school students, ICDC has many great networking opportunities.  I have met students from all around the country that I still talk to on a regular basis.  If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend yet, work hard to that you can make it to Atlanta!

·      Florida DECA CDC – Although the Florida DECA Career Development Conference is not as large as ICDC, it has many qualities that can make it just as special.  At the Florida CDC I enjoy meeting and hearing from members from all around the state.  It is also amazing to see the community service drive come together as members bring in over 16,000 boxes of Mac n’ Cheese!  I can’t wait to see how many cans we collect this year!

·      Florida DECA Fall Leadership Conference - Since the Fall Leadership Conference is smaller, it gives the officers the chance to interact with members on more of a one-on-one basis.  The Fall Conference is full of fun, information, and leadership opportunities.  I will always remember the 50+ foot ice cream sundae!

·      OTC – OTC is the Officer Training Conference, when the Florida DECA Officers get together for a weekend to plan out the upcoming year and bond as a team.  Although we work late into the night, it is when we get to know each other and set out our goals for the upcoming year.  I have been lucky to be a part of two great officer teams and be able to consider my fellow officers some of my best friends.

·      Chapter Visits – In 2 years I have visited 11 chapters.  Shout out to Cooper City, Spanish River, Cypress Bay, Taravella, Southwest Miami, Miami Lakes Educational Center, Coral Springs Charter, South Tech Academy, Coral Glades, South Plantation, and Boca High for welcoming me to your chapter!

·      Meeting Political Officials – Meeting political officials gives me the opportunity to spread DECA’s image.  I have met with US Congressmen, Florida Representatives, City Commissioners and Mayors, and even the Florida Governor!

·      National DECA ELS – This past summer I went to the National DECA Emerging Leaders Summit in Washington DC.  During the conference I networked with other officers from around the country and bonded with the Florida officers!  It was a perfect combination of a lot of work and just enough fun!

·      Power Trip – I’ve attended two Power Trips, one in Washington D.C. and one in Boston.  The Power Trip is a really fun trip and there isn’t any pressure for competition.  This past year there was an opening session never to forget.  It was at the TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics!

·      Hearing from the members – This really was one of my favorite parts about being a Florida DECA Officer.  I love hearing from members and answering questions about scholarships, competition, or anything else DECA related.  The members in DECA are some of the best high school students in the world and I am honored to have had the opportunity to represent you.

·      Seeing growth in chapters – In two years, I have had the opportunity to see tremendous growth in so many chapters.  I have seen not only membership numbers increase but also member involvement.  It brings me so much joy to see chapters grow and I feel accomplished just knowing that I was a part of it!

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime.  Although this is my farewell, this is not goodbye!