What is DECA?

DECA's Mission Statement

Benefits of DECA

How is DECA organized?

How does DECA enhance school-career transition?

General Information
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membership

DECA Creed

History of Virginia DECA

What is DECA?
DECA is a marketing organization made up of students. It is a basic component of a Marketing Education program that supports and enhances related school based and work based learning

DECA provides students with skills and knowledge to succeed in the new global economy

DECA is a local, state and national organization of goal-oriented youth with career interests in marketing, management and entrepreneurship


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DECA's Mission Statement
The mission of DECA is to enhance the co-curricular education of students with interests in marketing, management and entrepreneurship. DECA helps students develop skills and competence for marketing careers, build self esteem, experience leadership and practice community involvement. DECA is committed to the advocacy of marketing and the growth of business and education partnerships


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What are the benefits of DECA?

• Enables students to achieve high academic and occupational standards.
• Develops meaningful partnerships.
• Links school based learning to the real world of work and family.
• Motivates youth to become better students and productive citizens
• Develops school and community leaders.
• Enhances student self-esteem and self-confidence.
  

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How does DECA enhance school-to-career transition?

- DECA serves as a vehicle to transition students into their life’s career.
- DECA helps to develop a world class workforce.
- Students learn how to communicate in real world situations, solve problems and work in teams.
- Students gain respect for the dignity of work while developing high standards.
- Business people involved with DECA can:

I believe in fulfilling the highest measure of service to my vocation, my fellow beings, my country, and my God, that by so doing, I will be rewarded with personal satisfaction and material wealth.

I believe in the democratic philosophies of private enterprise and competition, and in the
 freedoms of this nation, that these philosophies allow for the fullest development of my individual abilities.

I believe that by doing my best to live according to these high principles, I will be of greater service both to myself, and to mankind.

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History of Virginia DECA

The first Virginia Distributive Education club was organized in March 1938, at Roanoke's Jefferson Senior High School with 44 members joining.  The club was purely a social one, although its name, "Retail Club," might indicate otherwise.

During the next five years, clubs were organized in twelve more schools, each one with a different name.  In September 1942, the thirteen local clubs formed a state organization, the "Distributors' Clubs of Virginia," and began planning for the first state convention to be held in Richmond in the spring of 1944.

Under the direction of Miss Louise Bernard, State Distributive Education Supervisor, the new Virginia state club grew, and by 1947 included thirty-two schools with 638 members.  Her leadership was instrumental in the Memphis Interstate Conference of state clubs where Virginia became a charter member of a national association.

During the early years, the Virginia association provided strong leadership to help ensure that DECA would become a viable national vocational youth organization.  Louise Bernard and Ralph Rush respectively, served as DECA, Inc., President and Chairman of the Board for the organization's first five years.  DECA was officially incorporated in Virginia in 1950.

In 1953, the Virginia association provided funding for a national headquarters for the first DECA Executive  Secretary, George Stone.  Virginia also hosted the 1955 National DECA conference in Richmond.  During the first ten years (1947 - 1957), twenty Virginia students were elected to national office.  Two students, Leonard Maiden (1949 - 1950) and Roy Horton (1954 - 1955) served as National DECA presidents.

During the second ten years (1957 - 1967) of the national association, Virginia formalized the district system forming statewide advisory board and policy committees to direct the course of the state association.

James Horan, Jr. served DECA, Inc. as President and Chairman of the Board from 1960 - 1962.  Virginian Walter B. Anderson persuaded L. G. Balfour Company to strike the DECA Diamond pin.  In 1965, Ivan Perkinson was elected President of the postsecondary division of DECA.

Also during the 1960's, Lucy C. Crawford of Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) completed her landmark study,  "A Competency-Based Approach to Curriculum Construction," that became the basis for the DECA competitive event program during the early 1970's.  The second decade culminated with the awarding of an Honorary Life Membership to Virginian Louise Bernard.

The third decade (1967 - 1977) began with James Horan, Jr., succeeding Miss Bernard as State Supervisor.  DECA state membership increased exponentially by 3,500 in one year (1970).

I.W. Baughman served on the DECA Board of Directors from 1971-1974.  Many Virginians were members of the DECA headquarters staff during the 1970s, like John Hudson, Lynn Rhudy, Ivan Perkinson, Dale Clark, and Marvin Brown.  Many others offered leadership and technical services on a part-time basis.

The fourth decade (1977 - 1987) brought an increase in enrollment to 18,337 members.  Several research studies were conducted for DECA by the Virginia Tech staff during this time, the "Corbin Study and the "Berns Study," to name two.  Dr. Richard Lynch provided national leadership in the development of competency based competitive events, and Dr. Vivien Ely and Ettalea Kanter also provided strong leadership at the national level.

Elinor Burgess was elected Vice President of the American Vocational Association (AVA) in 1978 - 1981, thus becoming another member of the DECA Board.  A permanent full-time Virginia DECA Specialist was employed in 1978, and in 1980, a complete in-service training program was given to all 358 DECA chapter advisors.  In 1980, in commemoration of National DECA's 30th anniversary, Virginia DECA state officers presented a 50 year time capsule for burial at the National DECA Center.  In 1984, Virginia DECA contributed $20,000 to the national building fund and the center's conference rooms were renamed the Virginia Rooms.  Dr. Betty Heath-Camp was elected as AVA Vice President in 1987, and began her term as a member of the DECA Board.

Since 1987, Virginia DECA membership has stabilized and great effort has been made to refine and improve the Virginia local program of work for chapters.  Dr. William Price of Virginia Tech has been the leader in this effort.  James Horan retired in 1988, and James A. Gray, Jr. - then DECA Association Advisor - was named as the state's third State Supervisor.

Virginia DECA offers scholarships each year to member in honor of Miss Bernard, Louis Spilman, Mrs. Crawford, and Mr. Horan.  Other scholarships have been provided by the Virginia Retail Merchants Association.

Virginia DECA celebrated its 50th anniversary on March 5 - 7, 1993, at the George Washington Inn in Williamsburg, Virginia.

In 2002, Virginia DECA became on the 4th state association to ever surpass the 10,000 member mark. In 2004, Virginia became the largest state association in the country, with more than 11,000 members. Virginia DECA reached an historic level in 2005, where it became the first state association in the history of the organization to surpass the 12,000 member mark with 12,435 members. It again surpassed that mark with 13,065 in 2007, an accomplishment we remain quite proud of! In addition, Virginia DECA set a new precedent by placing 164 Virginians on stage at the ICDC in Orlando, Florida.

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Sources:  (Author). Virginia DECA, Inc., Reston, Virginia.  February, 1994. Kosloski, Michael, Virginia DECA Specialist, Norfolk VA, 2007.