Looking hopeful towards the future, DECA recently held an induction ceremony for officers and members on Thursday.

“I’m excited for DECA because it allows me to form a family within the community,” junior Akash Sharma, vice president of membership, said. “We’re going to do so many unbelievable things and learn so many skills. I think with the right amount of teamwork and quality we can actually achieve something for SWCTA and for ourselves.”

President Jacob De Leon outlined what it takes to become an officer and a fully functional member at the ceremony.

“We lead others so that they can succeed in the future. We have to learn professionalism and find it within people everyday,” De Leon said. “Someone who is patient, collaborative and communicative – That’s what an officer is.”

DECA’s officers are preparing the club to participate in the annual state competition in which members get to compete in a variety of contests related to the business world. 

“We gather what we learned throughout the year and it’s such a momentous occasion because it’s the only event we spend the entire year preparing,” Historian Isabel Lin said. “I bring a lot of my specialties to this competition. During competitions, you can prove that you’ve grown as a person. Other than that, we get to hang out with our friends for like three days, most of the time we hang out and have fun,”

Although DECA has seen a significant decrease in member count, the club has been working hard to overcome these obstacles.

“I’m excited for the future prospects of DECA,” De Leon said. “In freshman year, I wasn’t extroverted as much, I wasn’t really outgoing, I was shying away from DECA but it really helped me build my character and be a more professional character.