Jacob Darish

Gann Academy

“I founded my high school's DECA chapter during my sophomore year and spent the next three years growing it to over 100 members. Starting a chapter from scratch meant learning how DECA worked while also helping other students prepare for competition. One of my favorite memories was watching members I had recruited and coached excel at the state competition and make it ICDC. I competed in Financial Consulting, and after three years of competing, I earned 3rd place internationally at ICDC my senior year. Winning glass was an incredible way to finish my DECA journey, especially after spending so much time building the chapter.”

— Jacob, when asked about his DECA journey so far and what led him to work towards glass

What would you want to tell younger members?

“Don't over prepare, even for a prepared event. Knowing your material inside and out is the baseline, but what really sets you apart is your ability to connect with the judge. At the end of the day, judges sit through countless presentations, and you want yours to stand out. Be personable, relatable, and conversational rather than delivering a perfectly memorized script. The goal is to make the judge feel like they're having a genuine business conversation with you, not just listening to another presentation.”