WHS DECA Begins Season With Conference at the Aqua Turf

By Olivia Tyler (17)

​On Friday October 7, 2016, the Wethersfield High School DECA chapter attended their first conference at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville, Connecticut. As an opening activity to the season, they participated in various events and spent the day with members from other chapters as an introduction to the season.

“This trip gave students the opportunity to find out about DECA, meet new members, and join together as a team”, said Mrs. Ricardi, marketing teacher and DECA advisor at WHS.

DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) is open to all students enlisted in a marketing course at WHS with the goal of competing in the annual national conference. According to the organization, “DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.”

The conference was used to prepare students for April 2017’s  DECA National Conference in Anaheim, CA .
Events were varied with all events from a personal selling event to a “Dress for Success” event. Within these workshops students were able to get a hands on experience with judges and students that they will later compete against.
Mr. Palazzo, business teacher and DECA Advisor, said, “I enjoyed the Dress for Success workshop because of the mock interviews.”


The DECA Conference is intended to be a yearly event for students.  Mrs. Ricardi, DECA Advisor, said, “Of course [WHS students will return], I think it was valuable for students and something we continue to look forward to yearly!”