On November 28, Apex DECA went to the Raleigh Convention center to compete in their district competition. Every year, districts is the lead up to States, and while it is not required, Apex has a great turn-out every year. This year, over two hundred Cougars attended the event and did really well in placing at the event.

DECA is a business club that is centered on roleplaying for different events. Every year, there are three competitions; Districts, States, and Nationals. Apex is in District three. There are a total of ten districts in the State. Our district covers schools in the area, such as Friendship, Green Hope, Panther Creek, and other WCPSS schools. There are a wide variety of events to compete in, such as Sports and Entertainment marketing to Quick Serve. Before you go to the District competition you complete a test for your roleplay area. The day of Districts starts by getting to the Raleigh Convention center around 9:00 a.m. Most people go to their specific area for their roleplays. Team events have thirty minutes to prepare, and Solo roleplays have ten minutes to prepare. You are given a prompt and are usually an executive or management level for your roleplay. For the Sports and Entertainment Marketing team event, the event I chose, we had to redo membership levels for a theater. You also have performance indicators, which are key events to talk about for your roleplay. These usually include business ethics and important aspects of being a business executive. After you plan for your event, you go in front of a judge. This person is your manager in the roleplay. You present the changes or your solution to the issue, and discuss with them the ideas you have. The highest score you can get for a roleplay is a 99, meaning you are the best for your judge. After your roleplay, most students grab lunch in downtown Raleigh and enjoy the day. At 3:00, there is an awards ceremony, and there are three category’s for medaling. If you do well on your test, you can get a medal for being one of the top testers. If you are the top roleplay for your judge, you can receive a medal. The big medal is an overall placement. This means your combined test score and roleplay score was one of the best at the event. If you receive a roleplay medal, then you have the opportunity to win a first through fifth place trophy.

DECA is an awesome club, and if you are considering doing anything with business, you should consider doing DECA!