Cypress Bay DECA Prepares for States Conference

Written by CBHS journalism editor and DECA Executive Council member Victoria Riccobono

As the academic competition season in Cypress Bay High School (CBHS) begins, DECA students prepare for the long-awaited Career Development Conference (CDC). The conference, which occurs annually in Orlando, Florida, consists of thousands of students from hundreds of schools around the state that come together to network, compete, establish friendships, and create meaningful memories.

DECA is a co-curricular program that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the world. CBHS DECA is the largest chapter in the globe, with over 400 state winners and surpassing 1000 members. This year, they continue to surpass all odds, proudly representing 179 state qualifiers for the 2022 competition season.

State competition is one of the most anticipated events at the school; throughout the year, students study for their exams, write business plans, and rehearse presentations. Especially after implications imposed by COVID-19 resulted in online competition for the 2020-2021 school year, students are even more excited to do well at states in hopes to make it to internationals, or the International Career Development Conference (ICDC).

Although part of competition preparation is individual, CBHS DECA also has effective resources to help students prepare for their events. The program has gone beyond its way to provide personalized weekly practices for students, such as having DECA Headquarters, the main DECA classroom where achievements throughout the years are exhibited, opened daily after school for any questions. Carolina Cardozo, a junior part of the Executive Council, with the help of fellow council member junior Valentina Lorenzo, was able to establish Testing Tuesdays and Manual Thursdays to ensure that students can reach their full potential as competitors.

“On Testing Tuesdays, competitors could take practice tests or look at performance indicators for their role plays. On Manual Thursdays, competitors could work on their papers, compare papers with other teams and past winners, and practice presenting,” Cardozo said. “[Lorenzo] and I decided to come up with it because we wanted to create a space where competitors could get feedback from past competitors, collaborate with other teams, and gain as much practice as they could.”

However, the co-curricular could not establish such helpful resources without the help of CBHS DECA presidents, seniors Isabella Eaton and Andrea Solorzano. “I know my experience can be used to help guide others, especially new competitors and members,” Eaton said. Solorzano also commented, saying, “The amount of communication and trust [Eaton and I] have with each other to take on tasks when the other is busy working on competition or school makes the whole process way easier.”

Resources, dedication, and hard work continue to guide CBHS DECA further into greatness. You can follow CBHS DECA through this exciting time on Instagram @decacbhs.

Cypress Bay Hight School is located at 18600 Vista Park Blvd in Weston. Their Principal is Casandra Fried. They can be reach at (754)323-0350