After a brief hiatus, DECA has returned to Stoughton High School. DECA, which stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America, is an internationally recognized business organization and has been a part of SHS since 2018.
Ann Ross, the DECA advisor and SHS business teacher, explains what the club does and how students will benefit from the organization.
“DECA prepares emerging leaders for careers in fields like marketing, management, finance, entrepreneurship, and hospitality. […] It’s about networking and making relationships […] with people out in the community,” Ross says. “Using business people as mentors to shadow and work with to really understand how to make that transition from high school to college or into the careers.”
Senior Kali Seamonson, DECA president, spoke about how DECA is reaching out to the Stoughton community, with food drives, for example.
“We do fundraisers and community service and fun activities through the year […] it’s a great way to get involved,” Seamonson says.
DECA is incredibly community-focused, and several events are already planned through the fall and winter seasons.
“We are doing a pumpkin carving contest […] We have a Red Kettle campaign where we ring bells for the Salvation Army. […] We usually do an event called Cards and Cocoa, where we make hot cocoa and we partner with a care facility of some kind and play games with them [the seniors] […] and get to know them,” Ross says.
DECA is a competition based club that can advance to the international level.
“We’re already preparing for our competitions,” Ross says, “The kids love that. […] It feels like a job interview so you can really learn how to greet somebody, how to speak to somebody, how to make eye contact, how to shake hands, how to problem solve on the spot. […] I’m very competitive […] if [DECA] wants it, man I’ll get it with them.”
DECA is open to all SHS students, and continues to accept new members. Their Instagram is @stoughton.deca.
The group meets every Wednesday, before school at 7:45 a.m. There is a $25 fee to be involved in the group. “People should come to just one meeting. If people show up, they’ll get a sense of what it is, and if they think it’s fun, they can join!” Seamonson says.