Humans of LT— Tanush Chintala

Credit%3A+texasdeca.org

Credit: texasdeca.org

Distributive Education Clubs of America or DECA is a club for emerging business leaders and people who want to improve their communication skills. It involves a series of clusters such as marketing, finance, business administration, and hospitality and tourism.

During the last week of February, DECA members qualified for the state competition. Sophomore Tanush Chintala described the atmosphere of a regular DECA competition.

“This year we had it virtually because of the icy road conditions, so we weren’t able to travel to Houston but as far as the district competition, I could definitely feel the atmosphere,” Chintala said. “It allows you to face the pressure of the real world while also in a controlled setting. So, it was really interesting.”

Out of over 200 DECA members at LTHS, around 50 advanced to ICDC (International Career Development Conference), which is the culmination of the DECA year.

“There are two parts of DECA: one is the role play and the other is the test,” Chintala said. “The test is usually a 100 multiple choice questions about the certain topic that you’re doing. The role play is like a mock business situation that you’re given and you have a certain amount of time to prepare  for it. Then, you present your presentation to your judge.” he said. 

According to Chintala, while the club is business-oriented, DECA isn’t just for students who want to go into the business field.

“Regardless of what major you go into, even if it’s not business, DECA provides you with invaluable life skills  which are really key to your future. In the future, if you would like to network with your peers, collaborate on any assignment regardless of what your job is, it will prepare you for that,” he said.

Despite the stressful competitions, the club is neither boring nor overwhelming, Chintala added.

“Everything we do here in DECA is very entertaining,” he said. “You know the ultimate goal [is] to make it to ICDC. Traveling and having fun with your friends while still competing for something that you love to do… is a truly good experience.”

According to Chintala, If a student wants to improve their communication skills or if they want to network with other individuals, DECA is the perfect club for them since it brings out those qualities and helps them emerge and connect with people.