How to Run for District Office
Becoming a Texas DECA District Officer is a huge accomplishment and privilege while being a part of the organization. However, the steps and process to get there can seem somewhat daunting and out of your limits. It’s my goal to help you out of that mindset and provide the best advice to help you on your officer journey.
1) Intent to Run
The first thing as an emerging officer candidate is your intent to run or “Your Why?”. It’s important, to begin with seeing a need. A need to change something, a need to help others, a need to better the district. Regardless of your intentions, make the most of your passion and allow that to fuel you while campaigning and throughout your term in office.
2) Test
Yes, the ol’ t-word. In order to become an "official" candidate, you must pass the Texas DECA certification test. Now, before you get nervous and completely forget about running, Texas DECA provides the necessary resources to help you prepare.
What I recommend studying: Texas DECA Fact Sheet Texas DECA Bylaws Know the Texas DECA Website National Officers, DECA INC. History, Core Values, Mission Statement Basic understanding of the competitive events
Don’t think of this as a way to deter you, think of it as a way to see how well of an ambassador you would be!
3) Interview
Another aspect of running for office is participating in an interview with a committee. The great thing is that in the district officer application, there is a list of provided questions to aid in preparation. I HIGHLY recommend briefly looking over these to get a feel for what your answers are going to be and make sure you understand the wording. I don’t recommend creating a separate document, pasting all of the questions, and typing your responses. The goal of the interview is to get a feel for who you are! Not to seem like a robot who memorized word for word. Just relax, take a deep breath, and let your personality shine!
4) Votes/Speech
This part of campaigning has to be my favorite since it’s the culmination of everything! Voting delegates (members selected from a chapter to vote) ultimately decide if your dream becomes a reality. In order to win everyone over, you must give a timed (2 minute) speech. I’m not going to go into detail over this section since I live by the quote:
“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”
The stage, podium, and room are yours. State who you are, where you’re from, why you’re there, and what you plan to do. Be sure to follow the guidelines on the application for proper stage presence, but seize the moment!
BY: SIKYRA CASTLE
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