Team 73 is still on cloud 9 from the amazing time we had at ELS this summer! This retreat was packed with workshops, exciting activities, and a tremendous amount of opportunities for networking with leaders from all over the world! Below are some highlights from the summit!

Leo: “I thoroughly enjoyed meeting leaders from other states! I was able to room with Oregon officers and also became friends with officers from Washington, Massachusetts, Nevada, Virginia, Ontario, and North Carolina just to name a few! It was a great experience hearing what other state officers had planned in order to spark inspiration for the year ahead.

Diya: “I loved getting to meet officers from all over the world and established friendships with officers from different states, such as Oregon, Nevada, North Carolina, and Massachusetts! I enjoyed the workshops and participating in DECA After Dark! For me, the highlight of ELS was the DECA Block Party and an exciting tour of DECA Headquarters, led by our very own WRVP, Eva!”

Samaira: “ELS, I had a blast getting to meet leaders from around the United States, as well as Canada and Trinidad Tobago. It was an amazing experience to build relationships with officers from different states like Washington, Oregon, Virginia, Nevada, and Massachusetts. Beyond building new relationships, the decacation of all of the leaders present at the conference was inspiring and has definitely left me with some fresh ideas!”

Ruijia: “During ELS, I got closer with so many members and officers from different states while I grew my leadership abilities. My favorite memory would be the DECA Block Party, where I connected with officers on a more personal level!”

Emily: “My favorite memory from ELS was chatting with many successful individuals from all around the world. I had lunch with people from Trinidad and Tobago, Montana, and New York, all at the same table! I also really enjoyed the former FFA National President’s workshop on advocacy.”

SJ: “I absolutely loved meeting officers from all over the country and even the world! The Block Party was also very fun especially being able to see the DECA headquarters and having free food 🥘. This conference definitely taught me a lot about being a leader and what is expected of me. It was an overall great experience! ”