On Friday, January 10, over 100  Cranford High School students attended the Distributive Education Clubs of America competition, also known as DECA. Hosted by Kean University, this event welcomed hundreds of students from numerous schools in the area. DECA is a program that allows students to tap into their innovative and entrepreneurial minds in order to compete against others in their selected event. During each event, students are presented with a business scenario and given an allotted period of time ranging from ten to thirty minutes to draft a proposal to the issue at hand, which they then present orally to a judge. This activity allows students to immerse themselves in real life challenges and practice business skills based on the unique situation they are presented with. From categories including Travel and Tourism to Principles of Finance, there is a surplus of events that allows students to exercise quick decision making, and practice presenting their ideas in a clever and creative way. 

This year, Cranford students had tremendous success in their events, and over twenty students will be advancing to the next state round. Atlantic City will host successful DECA qualifiers across New Jersey as they compete to make it to Nationals. Teachers Ms. Savino, Ms. Fren, and Ms. Prescott have worked continuously to organize and prepare the DECA members for their specific tasks. From having mock scenarios at lunch to organizing transportation, they have contributed to the overwhelming success of the program. DECA is not only a fun and imaginative experience, it also helps individuals connect with other students across schools, establishing a strong sense of community. We look forward to seeing the continued success of our DECA qualifiers, and wish them luck as they advance to Atlantic City and beyond!