“I joined DECA as a Freshman, unaware of what was to come. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine that I would win 4th place internationally that first year. From that point on, I was hooked. Winning 1st place at ICDC my Sophomore year only confirmed my commitment to DECA. I will never forget being on stage in Anaheim and hearing my and my partner's names called. As such, the memories I hold most dear come from competition. The restlessness before competition and the feeling of hope in the air when I line up with my peers in preparation for the awards is absolutely thrilling. DECA competition energy is contagious and motivating. That said, aside from competition, many of my favorite memories from DECA come from the daily classroom experience with my advisor and peers. The way I see it, I have my family of origin and then my DECA family. We celebrate, support, and console each other, as would a family. When I listen to my classmate's presentations and share ideas with them, it really lights a spark that I never used to have in my brain. I love learning from and supporting others, as we all work toward a common goal. What led me to work towards glass was simply passion for my project. No matter how hard you work and how much you practice, I believe the key to winning glass is belief in the integrity of your project and most importantly, yourself. Lastly, to me, DECA is more than a club or a class, it is a family and for that I am grateful.”

— Christopher, when asked about his DECA journey so far