SANFORD, NC - Thursday saw over 300 students from across central North Carolina pile into the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center to compete in the annual District 4 DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) business and entrepreneurial development competitions. Over 100 students from Lee County and Southern Lee High Schools were present, participating in role play interviews with volunteer judges from the business community in areas such as Apparel and Accessories Marketing, Sports and Entertainment Marketing, and Quick Service Restaurant Management.
Lee County High School senior Racheal Montgomery placed first overall in the Quick Serve category thanks to high marks on her exam and in her role-playing interview. She credits DECA with preparing her for a career in the legal field, “I think DECA has prepared me for interviews and business meetings in general. I want to go into corporate law, so I will need to be prepared for the speaking and presenting part of the law. The role plays and other activities really helps me nail down those skills.”
Her challenger in the Quick Serve category of the event was Southern Lee’s Caroline Cummings, who placed second overall in the category. She believes that DECA club and the competitions have helped her build confidence in her abilities. “Learning to speak in front of people has given me confidence. Winning some of these competitions also gives me something to be proud of, another boost of self-confidence,” she explained. “It makes me feel like I can do things. I could not speak in front of a crowd, but DECA has helped me a lot with those fears.”
Four years ago, as a freshman, Southern Lee DECA Club President Kanani Evans could not picture herself speaking in public or doing well in an interview setting. Those fears are gone. Evans highlighted, “Over the years, DECA has brought me out of my comfort zone in a positive way. I remember being in my freshman year of high school and not wanting to speak in front of people at all. I honestly could not even have imagined myself in DECA. When I joined and started competing, I just started to prosper. It helped me in my speaking and interviewing. I even enjoy those things now.
Southern Lee senior Jose Alberto believes DECA has helped him be ready to become an accountant, but it has also just been fun. “It is fun to be around friends and learning business skills. I want to be an accountant, so understanding how to look at finances and money in a business is important. It has helped me with communication as well. Last year, I was pretty nervous with interviewing and role play scenarios, but this year I was much more confident and comfortable.”
Students who advance from the district level competitions will compete at the State Convention in March to try and earn spots in the national event next spring. Evans summed up the experience as edifying, specifically the people and networking opportunities. She said “The people are my favorite part. The people are just so welcoming and encouraging. It has really helped me want to do well.”