DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America. This student-led business club can teach students many different skills when working in business. You get to see and work with real-life experiences while traveling for competitions.
Ms. Baker, the advisor for DECA, shared some insight for RHS students:
DECA is a student-run organization, where students take what they learn in the classroom about business & marketing and bring it to the next level through competition, community service, and professional help.
What inspired Ms. Baker to be the advisor for DECA?
“To be honest with you, it was in my job description when I was hired. I actually didn’t know that much about DECA because they didn’t have DECA in my high school. I wouldn’t say so much that I was inspired, other than I heard it was a really good opportunity to help students reach their goals. Now why am I still the DECA advisor? Is a different question. But sort of on the same page. I’m inspired to still be the DECA advisor because I see the way it can really enhance students’ learning and bring them a joyful experience during high school.”
When did she become the advisor for DECA?
“This is my 3rd year teaching and my 3rd year as the advisor.”
What is the most important part of being an advisor for DECA?
“I think the most important part is remembering that the magic of DECA is in the process. It’s in the learning, it’s in the students bonding with each other, it’s with the students being able to find a safe space to take a risk and being okay with failure and exuberant about success.”
What is her favorite part about being the advisor for DECA?
“The students. I get some of the best students in DECA and I get to really mentor them and learn from them. And that is by far the best part.
How can DECA help students in the future?
“So the great thing about DECA is that it can give students an opportunity to take some things they learn in the classroom in one setting and apply it to a new setting in a challenging way so that they have to really understand what they learned and know how to use it to do DECA. By the time they are done with DECA, I feel like their business and marketing knowledge is really solid and they can apply it to future jobs or school.”
What advice would Ms. Baker give to someone interested in working with business?
“I would say the number one aspect you have to have is to believe in yourself. A lot of other things can be overcome if you just believe in yourself.”
What is the biggest life lesson Ms. Baker learned in her career with DECA?
“Don’t be afraid to fail because I’ve seen a lot of the students not do well their first year in DECA in the competition and they come back to really dominate in their 2nd and 3rd year. They took failure and they turned it into a way to learn and grow, which made them come back stronger.”
Is there anything else Ms. Baker would like to add?
“I think one of the things I really like about DECA is that it models the real world better than the classroom does. So people who aren’t great test takers, or who don’t like school can love and excel at DECA.”
Being an advisor for a club requires lots of extra work and effort. We thank Ms. Baker for putting as much as she does into her work. From the interview, we can tell that Ms. Baker cares about DECA and loves to work with her students.
