Lakeland Regional High School’s business club DECA participated in regionals at Ramapo College on Wednesday, January 8, 2020. “We are happy [to] report that 62 students participated at Regionals and 15 advanced to states,” Lakeland DECA advisor Miss Ornella Incardona told the Ledger. There, the students competed against several other business driven schools in the area, where the top eight students in the individual events and top 13 groups in the team events qualified for DECA states. Evidently, the aspiring DECA Lancers had executive success at the tournament.

The students who advanced engaged in a variety of different events: Junior Aidan Rufo participated in the Automotive Services Marketing Series event. Junior Joseph Szanto and senior Amanda Vogt took part in the Financial Consulting Event. Seniors Noah Lidestri and Chris Moraca had success in the Buying and Merchandising Management Team Decision Making event, while sophomores Dylan Jenkins and Dylan Konarzewski proceeded in the Financial Services Team Decision Making event. Senior Devyn Tanajewski and junior Olivia Deady both qualified through the Hospitality and Tourism Professional Selling event, and seniors Shannon Broderick and Elisabeth Philips are advancing from the Travel and Tourism Marketing Management Team Decision Making event. Senior Matt Golas is proceeding from Principles of Finance, sophomore Jack Burke from Principles of Business Management & Administration, junior Meredith Would from Principles of Selling, and junior Connor Kennedy from Professional Selling.

At the tournament, according to Miss Incardona, students took part in role plays. With role plays, members were given one of the 26 business scenarios on the spot, for which they needed to provide solutions and suggestions for. After ten minutes of planning for individuals and 30 for teams, participants presented their ideas to a panel of judges, made up of volunteer business executives, and assumed the role that their scenario called for.

In addition, one of three possible business-concerned prompts were granted to some other participants before the competition. With this event, these DECA members had to thoroughly prepare beforehand and present their ideas to the judges at regionals.

There are several requirements that might seem minor, but if not fulfilled, can result in great point deductions. For instance, participants must shake the judges’ hands and formally introduce themselves before beginning. Additionally, as for all DECA events, there is a strict business attire dress-code.

To qualify for regionals, the students were required to pay necessary dues, but more importantly, had to take a 100 question test on business related topics. On the DECA tests, one question right is worth one point. Points scored on the test and achieved from one’s presentation at regionals are combined, collectively determining whether the student should advance to states or not.

However, a student in DECA can make it to states in a different way—by writing a 10-page paper. Participants must present their business related topics before the judges, and if the presentation is deemed worthy, then the judges agree to examine one’s massive essay. Lakeland DECA members, junior Bella Craus and junior Samantha Hess had been working on and perfecting their papers since the summer.

Lakeland DECA members are clearly motivated to proceed to states.

DECA states, on March 2, 2019, are taking place at Harrah’s resort in Atlantic City. Although the competition is made up of dedicated participants from all over New Jersey, Lakeland DECA will surely continue to work hard to prepare for this event.