Over 185,000 high school students in 5,000 chapters, located in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Guam benefit from the unparalleled network and curriculum–enhancing programs DECA provides for those with an interest in marketing, management and entrepreneurship.

DECA helps students to develop skills for successful business careers, build self–esteem, experience leadership and practice community service. DECA members create friendships with like–minded people from all over the world at career and leadership conferences and build resumes that move them to the top of the job and college application list.

Scroll down for information on exciting upcoming events.

Sharpen Your Skills as a DECA Advisor Increase your power as a DECA advisor by participating in DECA’s Advisor Professional Development Series. Click here for information about upcoming trainings, workshops and institutes.

Important Deadlines Approaching!

• Your Marketing Honor Award applications must be received by February 1, 2010 at DECA National Headquarters to be sure your students will receive recognition in the ICDC program.
• Candidates for DECA national office must have applications submitted by March 12, 2010. Application packets can be found at http://www.deca.org/pdf/OfficerCandidatePacket.pdf

Finish Line Challenge Update – Top Three Teams Announced

Congratulations to the following chapters for being named finalists in the 2009-2010 Finish Line Challenge. Finalists will be flown to Indianapolis in February to meet with Finish Line executives and to present their ideas in person.

Apponequet Regional High School, Massachusetts

1. Jennifer Connor
2. Michael Malenfant
3. Andrew Nelson

Rosemount High School, Minnesota

1. Abby Ceglar
2. Sara Devitt
3. Katelyn Paget

Wichita High School East, Kansas

1. Rachel Butler
2. Brittani Lonergan
3. Domonick Venskus

Be the one to meet Lady Antebellum at the ICDC
Increase your membership by 10 from the 2008–2009 school year by recruiting students, alumni and professional members. For every additional 10 members submitted by March 1, your chapter will earn an opportunity to win a ticket to DECA’s VIP Meet and Greet with Lady Antebellum. One chapter from each state/province will get to select one person to attend DECA’s VIP Meet and Greet with Lady Antebellum at the 2010 International Career Development Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Click here for more information.

ICDC 2010 Insiders’ Guide
Get a special preview of DECA’s International Career Development Conference including the agenda, tours, highlights and more in DECA’s new ICDC 2010 Insiders’ Guide. You’ll receive your own copy in the January Advisor.

Make your plans now and look for DECA’s e-mail blast announcing when tour tickets will go on sale.

Click here for the Insiders’ Guide.
Click here for ICDC 2010 information.

NOW AVAILABLE: Scholarships are online! DECA scholarships are now available for online submission for the first time. The deadline for online submission is Friday, February 12, 2010. Please click here.

Congratulations Virtual Business Challenge Round 1 Winners!

Sports:	Krutarth Gohel & Andy Rao, Blue Valley Northwest, KS Ron Burshtein & Jawad Shujaatali, Richmond Hill High School, ON Cody Emmerman & Joey Siegfried, F.W. Springstead High School, FL Ray Andrew Ocampo & Patrick Ocampo, Desert Oasis High School, NV
Retail:	Andrew Cady & Jason Yoon, Minnetonka High School, MN Keaton Jaramillo & Trae Phillips, Ozark High School, MO Michael Cheung & Jonathan Poon, St. Augustine Catholic HS, ON Alan Au-Yeung & Mohamedhussein Hassanali, Richmond hill High School, ON Michael Luangrath & Derek McDowell, Lakeview/Fort Oglethorpe High, GA Morgan Banker, Hardin Valley Academy, TN Michelle Miffin, American Heritage Academy, CA Keaton B Koch & Amy Hu, Sabino High School, AZ
Round 2 of the Virtual Business Challenge will be January 4-January 29, 2010.

Looking for a good time? Find it at the DECA ICDC in Louisville!
DECA is excited to announce an exclusive performance by the quickly-rising country group Lady Antebellum at DECA’s International Career Development Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Lady Antebellum will be performing on the CMA Awards this November and live for DECA members in April. Tickets for the Monday, April 26, 2010, show will go on sale through DECA as part of the tour package in January 2010. Tickets will only be sold to those registered for ICDC. Details will be announced soon!

State Associations Contribute to the Lorenzi Scholarship Fund Connecticut is the latest state association to raise funds for the scholarship honoring Larry Lorenzi's many years of dedication to DECA. The Connecticut state officers answered the challenge and raised $250 for the fund. We send them our sincere thanks and we look forward to hearing from other states concerning this scholarship that will help DECA members for many years to come. Applications for the Loris C. Lorenzi Memorial Scholarship will be open to all DECA members who have demonstrated service to the organization.

National Learn & Serve Challenge
DECA's partnership with the NLSC provides advisors and members access to incredible resources for teaching/learning through service. It also provides another opportunity to promote your community service project and receive recognition.

For more information, visit The National Learn & Serve Challenge web site, or call (202) 884-8982.

H&R Block Dollars and Sense Challenge The DECA Virtual Business Challenge

School–based Enterprise Scholarships
Otis Spunkmeyer is sponsoring 3–$1,000 scholarships to DECA chapters who participate in the SBE Program at the Gold or Gold-recertified Levels AND who sell Otis Spunkmeyer products. Click here for the application.