Cherry Hill East DECA students competed at the DECA regional tournament at the DoubleTree Hotel on January 7th, 2026. DECA is an organization that helps high school and college students prepare for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management through real-world business experiences.
Students take a test to advance to the regional competition. Approximately 330 East students participated in the regional competition based on a chosen category. An estimated 85 students advanced to the state competition held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Cherry Hill East competed in the Southwest conference and performed slightly worse than last year, which sent 119 students to the state competition.
Students can compete in teams or individually. They can also choose to compete through roleplay scenarios or written exams.
In a roleplay, students prepare for 10 minutes and are given 10 minutes to present to a judge. They are given a score and compared against other competitors to determine who advances to the next competition. Others chose to write a paper on a specific subject and then present it to a judge.
Both involve “[plenty of] public speaking,” said Cherry Hill East DECA Prep Team Co-Captain Manya Gupta (‘26).
Students prepare for the DECA competition through practice tests, practice roleplays, DECA websites, flashcards, and practice tests. Gupta often practices roleplays with her family members to ensure she is well-prepared. In addition, the East DECA Prep-team offers time during lunch and after school for members to practice.
New Jersey DECA State Secretary and Cherry Hill East DECA mini-con captain Noah Pitzer (‘26) also strives to offer help to DECA students: “Whether [it’s] going over people’s presentations, giving them roleplays and judging based on how they did…I try to contribute to helping out as many students as I can,” said Pitzer.
DECA can prepare students for real-world situations and future jobs. Pitzer emphasizes that DECA helps with thinking on your feet, communicating with people, and building connections.
Gupta adds that it also helps with students’ emotional intelligence and improvisational skills.
East DECA member Lindsey Wei (‘28) prepares with DECA quizlets, practice tests, and practice roleplays. She finds it important to “practice the role plays over and over again, and understand how to hit those performance indicators.”
This year, the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) is in Atlanta, Georgia, from April 25-28. If students perform well at the state competition, they will compete at ICDC against high school business programs from across the world.