From July 11 to 13, your California DECA State officers attended the Emerging Leaders Summit in Tysons, Virginia where they networked with fellow association officers, learned key leadership lessons, and built the skills to better serve our state. Here are some of our highlights and favorite memories from this trip:
Robert Flores – President “One of my favorite memories from ELS was the ultimate rock paper scissors activity that incorporated dancing. By having us do funny dance moves, this was a really fun and exciting energizer that showed that no one was too intimidating to go up to and strike up a conversation with.”
Katie Ong – VP of Leadership “My favorite memory from ELS was meeting fellow association officers. It was such an amazing experience getting to connect with other like-minded students across the country while learning and networking with them. I especially loved eating dinner with the Oregon DECA officers and building connections that really last beyond ELS!”
Ruby Han – VP of Marketing “My favorite part of ELS was meeting association officers from across the country. From taking pictures and featuring them in our music video to dancing at the street party, laughing about our iconic Alpha Officer, and simply spending time together, I created unforgettable memories that I will always cherish.”
Ishan Sharma – VP of NorCal “My favorite part of ELS was the DECA Inc. block party. I enjoyed meeting so many other state officers, playing games together, and making new friends. I also learned a lot about the different fundraising ideas and events that other state associations use, which gave me new ideas to bring back to California.”
Rishav Mehta – VP of Silicon Valley “My favorite ELS memory was the DECA Inc block party. I had so much fun networking with all the different state officers and making new friends. I was able to learn a lot about how different associations run and the unique dynamics of each different state team.”
Kyra Zhang – VP of SoCal “My biggest takeaway from ELS was learning how meaningful storytelling can empower advocacy for DECA and Career and Technical Education (CTE). My favorite memory was demonstrating Team 76’s ‘Broken Signal’ activity, where my poor attempt at cup stacking while blindfolded highlighted the lesson of the importance of communication channels.”
Whether it was learning insights from speakers such as former High School Division DECA President Matthew Meuleners or running California DECA’s own workshop, Team 76 had an unforgettable experience at ELS! We are excited to use the lessons we’ve learned in Virginia to further empower California DECA, and we look forward to the Ultimate Power Trip in November.
Post by: Katie Ong | VP of Leadership
