DECA, formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit career and technical student organization (CTSO) with more than 224,000 members in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, DC, Canada, China, Germany, Poland, Guam, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Spain. The organizations mission is to prepare emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges worldwide.
DECA offers a range of programs and opportunities for its members, including:
- Classroom Integration: DECA brings the classroom to life by empowering teacher-advisors to make learning relevant through educational programs that integrate into classroom instruction, apply learning, connect to business, and promote competition.
- Partnerships with Businesses: Local and broader partnerships with businesses provide DECA members with realistic insight into the industry and promote meaningful, relevant learning.
- Competitive Events Program: Members can put their classroom learning to the test by participating in DECA's Competitive Events Program, which offers nearly 60 role-play, prepared, and online events. This program allows members to demonstrate their knowledge, creativity, problem-solving, and presentation skills to business professionals.
- Community Impact: Recognizing the benefit of service and responsibility to the community, DECA members continually impact and improve their local and broader communities.
- Ethics and Integrity: DECA members are poised professionals with ethics, integrity, and high standards.
- High School and Collegiate Divisions: DECA is organized into two unique student divisions, each with programs designed to address the learning styles, interests, and focus of its members. The High School Division includes over 173,000 members in 3,200 schools, while the Collegiate Division (formerly Delta Epsilon Chi) includes over 4,000 members in 200+ colleges and universities.
