The new 2024-2025 school year at Hidden Valley High School brings along new students and students who are focusing on their futures. With this, Mr. Hunt encourages students to investigate DECA to make new friends and to develop skills in leadership, communication, and problem-solving.
DECA is a non-profit organization that prepares rising leaders and entrepreneurs who plan on entering careers in business, finance, and marketing. DECA offers a range of over 60 different competitive categories and there are events and conventions that will challenge students to exercise in real world business scenarios.
At Hidden Valley High school Mr. Hunt is in charge and runs the club as well as the Titan Store. Mr. Hunt states “our goal is to win more across states, district and ICDC.” This year DECA at HVHS has implemented a system which creates contracts that students have to abide by. Some of the requirements include practice and getting work done early and perfected. This will increase students’ chances of being successful in competitions, according to Mr. Hunt.
DECA can also help prepare students for college by helping increase their confidence in communication and public speaking. Former student Miles Morton quotes “I believe that business skills and communication skills that I learned at DECA will be extremely relevant and useful to my continued success in school and in my future career”
However, even though Miles learned a lot from his time at DECA there were also some difficulties that he faced. He stated that, “the main two challenges I faced was the first one being that I was making all the travelling work between school and other extracurriculars as well as the disappointment of failure and losing. The first one I overcame by communicating with all parties involved in order to modify the schedules and travel and work with my teachers to complete schoolwork. And the second one I overcame by that failure is part of life and ultimately, I just had to tell myself that next time we are going to come back better and stronger”.
Deca offers an opportunity for students to develop essential skills such as leadership and communication. By joining students will have the chance to enhance their personal growth and also their network of friends. Miles Morton says “I actually made some very good friends through it” when speaking about going to DECA conventions and meeting new people. According to Mr. Hunt, the goal is to have 221 students participate this year. Why not give it a go?
