From November 21-23, 2025, your California DECA State Officers had the opportunity to travel to Arlington, Virginia, for DECA’s Ultimate Power Trip – an engaging, interactive national conference focusing on leadership, innovation, and career preparation. Throughout the weekend, we interacted with thousands of members (including our California DECA delegation), attended valuable workshops, and competed for national recognition.

Whether learning how to build and pitch our own start-up ideas, hearing directly from industry leaders about the most in-demand skills in today’s job market, or connecting with DECA’s company and university partners, every workshop session reinforced DECA’s mission of preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for college and careers. These experiences gave us valuable insight into how national trends in business, innovation, and workforce development can be translated into meaningful opportunities for California DECA members.

In addition to attending sessions, our state officer team had the opportunity to host our own workshop, “Eye See DC: Glass-Winning Visual Strategies.” This session focused on teaching members how to use visuals to elevate both roleplays and written events. Through an interactive, hands-on activity, members practiced turning images and visuals into a clear, compelling story with smooth transitions. With incredibly high participation and engagement, your California State Officer Team was so lucky to teach DECA members and emerging leaders from across the nation, providing attendees with applicable tools they can bring back to their chapters and conferences.

Beyond the conference sessions, we also attended DECA’s “D.C. After Dark” sightseeing tour, exploring iconic monuments and learning their history. In addition, Team 75 connected with several California district representatives, advocating for increased Career Technical Education (CTE) funding and sustained legislative support for DECA and CTSO programs. These conversations reinforced the importance of student voice in policymaking and strengthened our commitment to ensuring DECA members across California have access to the resources, opportunities, and support needed to succeed.

Team 75 cannot wait to bring these lessons, strategies, and insights back to California, equipping members to compete, lead, and make an impact confidently and at every level.

By Jaylyn Chong | CA DECA Vice President of Leadership

As we head into minicon season, remember that it’s the small, consistent habits that will build up to powerful changes. These micro-habits can improve your confidence, communication, and business knowledge, which can all make the difference in competition. Here are some ways to ‘Go the Extra!’ this year: 

1. Attend Meetings 

We all know that sometimes making time for meetings can be difficult, however chapter meetings are one of the easiest ways to stay accountable and informed. These meetings will keep you up-to-date on deadlines, new opportunities, and chapter events like fundraisers and social media challenges. Through these events, you will be able to build a network and friendships with other members. Additionally, participating in meetings and events may be helpful if you are interested in applying for chapter, district, or state leadership positions in the future.  

2. Stay Informed

Industry trends are patterns in new technologies, market conditions, business practices, and customer preferences that shape the business world. For businesses, understanding these trends help to plan for the future and remain competitive in their industry. For you, it’s an opportunity to elevate your roleplay and presentations with real world examples. Spend 15 minutes reading or watching business news a couple times a week to grow your awareness!

3. Set Mini-Goals 

Setting small daily or weekly goals will allow you to make major progress without the stress of last-minute cramming. Whether it be practicing one roleplay a week or studying business terms for 10 minutes daily on Quizlet, simple goals can make a vast difference if you are intentional.

After every practice session, take a moment to reflect: 

• What did you do well?
• What can be improved?
• Implement these next time you practice! 

These quick evaluations will build self-awareness and help you track your performance!

4. Ask for Feedback 

When you practice presentations and roleplays with others, whether it be a fellow member or your advisor, always ask for feedback. Each person, with their unique background and skills, can offer a recommendation that you have never thought of before. Write down the feedback, revisit it later, and track your progress. The combination of external feedback with your personal reflections will accelerate your growth and confidence. 

5. Seek Advice

One of the best ways to improve is getting advice from experienced competitors. Utilize resources like the monthly CA DECA Champ Camps, YouTube videos, and other DECA resources to learn from previous SCDC and ICDC winners. Pay attention to their guidance on content, structure, and soft skills and then apply their strategies to your presentations!

Remember, consistent and focused efforts can go a long way. Elevate your DECA skills with these 5 habits!

By Rajvi Shah/NorCal DECA Vice President of Leadership

As part of DECA Inc.’s Chapter Campaigns, the Community Service Campaign gives your chapter a clear, meaningful way to serve your community, gain recognition, and grow together as leaders. Here’s everything your chapter needs to know, from expectations and deadlines to submission instructions, benefits, and creative ideas!

But first, why should your chapter participate? This community service campaign goes beyond your chapter; it’s about engaging with your community and enacting real change! By taking part, your chapter can:

• Make a lasting difference by supporting local causes and communities.
• Grow closer as a team through shared service experiences.
• Showcase your leadership with publicity that highlights your chapter’s DECA’s impact beyond the classroom.
• Earn recognition at the state and international level, with awards that spotlight your chapter’s efforts.
• Prepare members for the future by giving them real-world leadership and project management experience.

Guidelines:

Now, jumping into the details, here are the guidelines provided by DECA Inc.:

• Chapters must document one or more community service activities.  
• At least 75% of your chapter members must participate in the service to be eligible for recognition.  
• Your chapter must create at least one form of publicity or promotion (e.g. social media, posters, press release) to spread awareness of the service work.  
• Chapters submit their documentation via the Chapter Campaign Submission system, entering details like the event description, promotional efforts, and percentage of member involvement.  
• You must submit by the deadline to receive recognition.  
• For 2025-2026, the due date for Community Service (and several other campaigns) is December 1, 2025.  

For further details, check DECA Inc.’s chapter campaign tab here and submission instructions.

Ideas to Get Started

When designing your campaign to meet DECA Inc.’s criteria, consider these ideas:

• Host a full chapter volunteer day (park clean-up, soup kitchen, senior center) and share photos on your school’s social media or local newspaper.
• Run a food drive over multiple weeks, logging volunteer hours as you go.
• Raise awareness (mental health, environmental causes) with posters, social media, and then pair with a cleanup or donation event.
• Each member does an individual act (help a neighbor, pick up trash), shares a photo publicly, and the chapter aggregates them.
• Work with a local nonprofit, then publicize the partnership through local media or a school assembly.
• Themed months: “Green October” for environmental cleanups, “Kindness November,” or “Toy Drive for Holidays.”

The Community Service Campaign is your chapter’s chance to give back, grow as leaders, and earn recognition for your impact. Remember: your project should be meaningful, involve most of your members, and be promoted publicly. By serving together and sharing your story, you’ll strengthen your chapter and show how DECA members make a difference in their communities.

Make this the year your chapter goes beyond the classroom! Serve your community, showcase your leadership, and take part in the 2025 Community Service Campaign.