What is DECA+SCDC?

Have you ever been interested in an experience where you can mimic the experience to think critically, presenting professionally in a business and career setting? DECA is the perfect place for you! In DECA, students are involved in conferences where they have the opportunity to “compete in competitive events and conferences for careers in management, finance, hospitality and tourism, and marketing,” according to the DECA website. 

SCDC is the State Career Development Conference, where contestants either qualify from the DECA Districts Conference by placing in the top 10 in their event or by creating a written entry for the SCDC Conference (Integrated Marketing Campaigns, Business Plan, etc.). Students who qualify for ICDC (International Career Development Conference) either place in the top 8 in their chosen event at the state conference or submit a written entry community service paper. 

Day In The Life of a DECA Attendee:

On March 3, 2026, 29 of Cherry Hill West’s DECA students attended New Jersey’s State Career Development Conference in Atlantic City at  Harrah’s Resort and Casino. At 9:30 am, Cherry Hill West’s DECA Chapter took off on the road to Atlantic City. We arrived around 11:00 am and headed up to the suite to collect our lanyards, ribbons, and key cards. All written event contestants gave their presentations on the first day of SCDC, while all roleplay students presented on the second day. Blah blah blah

Around 1:30 pm,  Elif Karacam, Saraiya Alicea, and I headed to our event while Nayla Ben Abdallah and Kareem Elbarouki headed down to Downtown DECA and went head-to-head in Mario Kart. After finishing our event at around 3:45 pm, we headed back up to our rooms and got dressed for the 4:00 PM pool party. 

We made our way downstairs to the indoor pool located in the middle of the hotel. We enjoyed looking at the building and all the beautiful trees and cabanas that surrounded the pool. There was light music playing and televisions surrounding the area. We got Shirley Temples and then headed toward the pool, where we joined a group playing Tap Ball and Sharks and Minnows. We ended the night by relaxing in the hot tub for a bit and then competing in a game of Corn Hole. 

Once we had our time at the pool, we headed back up to our rooms at around 5:30 pm and hung out until it was time for dinner. After we grabbed dinner, we had some downtime before the Integrated Marketing Campaign written entry students had to go retake their exam. Once we finished, we did a quick change and headed down for the opening ceremony at 9:30 pm. 

The opening ceremony included all high school chapters attending the conference in Atlantic City, as well as recognition and awards for Community Service Papers and advisors who have served 5+ years as  DECA advisors.  We stayed up late each day, tired from all the activities that filled our schedules. We then had early mornings to prepare for roleplays and to get our day started. Each day ended with sore feet, but fulfilling experiences.

Ms. Fiore:

What was the most memorable moment for you during the trip?

The most memorable moment for me was when we were all together, hanging out, enjoying each other’s company, and getting to know one another better.

What skills do you think your students developed the most during the conference?

I think my students developed the skills of feeling they were a part of something, and that what they prepared before ahead of time really meant something at the end. I am also very happy that the underclassmen want to come back because they realized the importance of attending a conference, learning new stuff, and taking skills from it.

What lessons do you hope students take away from this experience?

I hope from the experience that the lessons they take away are that it’s worth it to put yourself out there, even if you may get disappointed, but to take the chance and be proud of what you achieved by just attending.

What is one word you would use to describe the trip altogether?

Fun

Nayla: 

What has been the most exciting part of the DECA conference? 

The most exciting part of the DECA conference was going to downtown DECA and meeting students from all over New Jersey. 

What event did you compete in, and what inspired you to choose it?

I competed in Business Service Marketing. I decided to compete in this since I enjoyed taking the marketing class and found the role-play prompts interesting.
What would you say to someone who is considering joining DECA?

I would urge them to join since it is a very fun experience and a great learning opportunity, especially for those interested in business.

What song would you describe your conference experience?

“Die Young” By Kesha

What is the best piece of knowledge you gained from DECA?

I learned the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone. While it can be scary, I realized DECA is a great opportunity to meet new people.

Saraiya:

What has been the most exciting part of the DECA conference? 

I believe just hanging out during the event, being away from home, and making a lot of new friends. I met a lot of new people, especially at the pool party or at the waiting room for the events. It was a great experience to meet new people from other schools in the state.

What event did you compete in, and what inspired you to choose it?

I did the Integrated Marketing Campaign Event, where I presented a pitch deck about an app that revolved around sustainable fashion. I was inspired to choose it because of the rise of fast fashion nowadays, especially seen on social media, and I wanted to find a way to combat it. My partner, Hannah Quach and I tag-teamed the idea together.
What would you say to someone who is considering joining DECA?

I would say it is definitely worth trying, especially when you’re new to it altogether or have little knowledge in business overall. There are many different categories to choose from and go into and succeed. I do believe you should have at least a bit of knowledge going into it, but from experience and practice, you unconsciously start gaining more knowledge. 

What song would you describe your conference experience?

Dancing Queen By ABBA – The song was not played, but it would have been fun for karaoke.

What is the best piece of knowledge you gained from DECA?

I believe the best piece of knowledge I gained from DECA was having a lot of confidence, especially during our roleplays.

Kareem:

What has been the most exciting part of the DECA conference? 

The exciting parts about the DECA conference were being away from home, getting to dress up in business attire, hanging out with friends, and being a part of Cherry Hill West’s DECA chapter.

What event did you compete in, and what inspired you to choose it?

I competed in Principles of Finance, and I was inspired to choose it, particularly since it was my first year competing in DECA, and I heard it was the most challenging event in the Principles category, and I wanted to challenge myself.
What would you say to someone who is considering joining DECA?

Make sure to do a lot of practice prior to your competition.

What song would you describe your conference experience?

Party in the U.S.A  by Miley Cyrus 

What is the best piece of knowledge you gained from DECA?

The best piece of knowledge I gained from DECA was the ability to think on the spot without time to prepare for the answer.

Hannah:

What has been the most exciting part of the DECA conference? 

The most exciting part of the DECA conference was being away from home, meeting new people, and hanging out with friends. I enjoyed the opportunity to get to talk to others. What event did you compete in, and what inspired you to choose it?

I competed in an Integrated Marketing Campaign Event pitch deck presentation with my partner, Saraiya Alicea. Our pitch deck presentation revolved around the idea of a Renewed Runway, where our event will raise awareness around the topic of Fast Fashion and its negative impacts on our environment.
What would you say to someone who is considering joining DECA?

I would say it is a very unique and fun experience for anyone interested in business or interested in new clubs to get involved in at Cherry Hill West. The experience definitely helps with experience in the future, like interviews or the ability to think critically, and presenting to judges. It was a 10/10 experience, and it really opens you up to meeting new people and a new experience that I do not regret doing. 

What is the best piece of knowledge you gained from DECA?

The best piece of knowledge I gained from DECA was the ability to speak confidently and present to our judges with enthusiasm about the event we campaigned for.

If anyone is interested in joining DECA or taking business classes, please feel free to contact Mrs. Fiore, [email protected], or any fellow DECA members you recognize!