Ideas, Insights, and Inspirations - Ways to Get Your Chapter Engaged

By Kathryn Lock

Round Rock High School

 

Whether you’re leading a chapter of 10 or 500, engagement is crucial to a successful DECA chapter. I’ve broken down engagement into 3 categories: competition, community service, career preparation. 

COMPETITION

EVENT SELECTION

  • Keep prospective members interested in joining DECA by hosting ‘speed dating’ for various events. Have stations where veteran members give a 1-2 minute pitch of the event. By the end of the meeting, members will have an accurate understanding of several events.

TEST PREP

  • Host a live Kahoot tournament using cluster exam questions. Bring snacks and increase the stakes by offering DECA swag to the winner!

COMMUNITY SERVICE

COLLAB WITH OTHER SCHOOLS

  • Members can connect with students from other schools and also reconnect with people they’ve met at previous conferences/events

  • If you are a small chapter this is a great way to pull off a bigger service event

  • Offering the opportunity to connect with students outside of competition allows members to see DECA as more than just a competition club

  • Bonus: you can work towards completing your Texas Two-Step campaign

CAREER PREPARATION

GUEST SPEAKERS

  • Ask community leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals from diverse background to talk on a topic of your choice

  • Topics can include different paths to careers, roles within a start-up, or how to get experience while still in high school

  • Having guest speakers highlights the connections that DECA can bring