Kinzley Petersen

The shining lights, the echo of shoes against the ground, the anticipation that fills the room as the announcers call the winning names.
As students from around Nebraska prepare for DECA State, their excitement and unique approaches to studying and teamwork shine through.
DECA is an interactive business and marketing club that over 4,000 schools offer to students.
“I do DECA because I want to go into the business field when I’m older, and it’s just a really fun club in general,” said sophomore Papillion-LaVista DECA member Lexie Souza.
DECA requires participants to take a 100-question test, as well as perform interactive business roleplay sessions to determine where they end up placing overall.
“I study for DECA by using all the options on DECA+, and I especially study a lot on the bus ride there before a competition,” Souza said.
DECA allows members to choose whether they want to compete in an individual event or a team event.
“My partner for DECA State is Clare Chandler. We are partners because she is a certified yapper, which is great for roleplay, and she’s a good test taker,” said sophomore Papillion-LaVista DECA member Stella Manning.
Nebraska’s DECA State is held in Lincoln, Nebraska, which means members of the competition stay in a hotel overnight allowing them to bond with their fellow team members.
“My roommates for DECA State are Keira Koory, Clare Chandler, and Lexie Souza. I am very excited to room with them, and we are going to eat a lot of junk food and Taco Bell while we study for State,” Manning said.
DECA allows students to choose one out of 60 competitive business and marketing events to compete in.
“We are doing buying and merchandising and we picked it because it’s related to marketing and not that many people do the category, making it easier to place higher,” Souza said.
The ultimate goal for many DECA members is a spot at DECA Nationals in Orlando, Florida, and DECA State is where members have a chance to earn their spot.
“We are hoping to place number one. Me and Clare really want to compete in Orlando and go to Disney with the rest of the team,” Manning said.
With DECA State right around the corner, many participants are filled with excitement and anxiety. Their passion for business, marketing, and teamwork fuels their preparation and drives them toward their ultimate goal, earning a spot at DECA Nationals in Orlando.