Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) is an international organization for high school and college students that prepares them for future careers in business.

Through hands-on learning, such as role plays, written projects, and oral presentations, business students at Cherry Hill East gain the experience they need to develop leadership and professional skills for their futures.

“Cherry Hill East has the largest DECA chapter in the state and is the largest club in the school,” said DECA Advisor Leanne Shine.

Each year, DECA hosts three major competitions. In 2026, the Regional competition, a one-day event, will take place on Monday, January 5. The next event, the State-level competition, will be held from March 3–5. The final competition, which is the ultimate goal for most DECA students, is the International Career Development Conference (ICDC): the largest high school business competition in the world. In 2026, ICDC will be held from April 25–28 in Atlanta, Georgia, where more than 25,000 students will participate.

Last year, East sent 340 students to DECA Regionals. Of those students, 155 advanced to States, and more than 60 qualified to compete at the ICDC in Orlando, Florida.

Prior to each event, students are required to take a 100-question multiple-choice test based on national curriculum standards for a specific career cluster, which include Business Management and Administration, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Hospitality and Tourism, Marketing, and Personal Financial Literacy. The exam tests a student’s business knowledge and is a significant part of their overall score, accounting for one-third to one-half of the total calculation.

Each June, students are invited to apply for a DECA Leadership position. After reviewing the applications, Mrs. Shine selects the committee for the following school year.

The DECA Leadership Board, made up of 37 officers, oversees the club and manages the different committees: Social Media, Fundraising, Student and Judge Recruitment, Sponsorship, Preparation (Prep) Team, Mini-Conference, and Community Outreach. These committees not only help organize events and competitions, but also mentor new members to ensure they are aware of their responsibilities.

Among East’s leadership committees, the Prep Team plays one of the most important roles. Prep sessions, held two to three times per week during the Leadership Board meetings and after school, give students valuable practice and feedback on their exams, role plays, and written presentations.

“The prep team’s goal is to help students learn how to study for DECA events and to really ensure success for students in DECA,” said Josh Resnick (‘26), a member of the Prep Team.

Another important training opportunity is the Mini-Con, a mock conference designed to mirror real DECA events. Parents serve as judges, receiving prompts days in advance so they can provide accurate and constructive feedback. At Mini-Con, students deliver presentations and role plays under the same conditions they will encounter during actual competitions. This experience helps new members get comfortable and shows returning members where they need to improve.

“DECA’s prep resources are like being given the materials for a test, but it’s up to each student to put in the work to succeed,” Resnick explains.

To keep the chapter running smoothly, the Fundraising Committee has a busy schedule planned for the 2025–2026 school year. In mid-November, DECA will launch the DoubleGood virtual popcorn fundraiser, followed by Candy Cane sales during the holiday season. In February, the leaders will run a Mrs. Fields Cookie Virtual Fundraiser and host a Raising Cane’s Dine & Donate, while simultaneously holding a few bake sales throughout the year.

For students considering joining, DECA offers more than competitions. It’s an opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

“DECA is a good opportunity to put yourself out there, meet so many different people who are interested in the same things as you,” said Resnick. “Not only that, but it also prepares you for future jobs that use public speaking [and] important life skills.”

Cherry Hill East’s Speech and Debate Club is an enriching opportunity for East students who desire to learn how to express themselves and think critically. In Speech and Debate, there are various arenas that students can compete in. Whether you take an interest in delivering speeches, interpreting topics, or debating with students from other schools, there is an event for everyone.

Above all, Speech captain Manya Gupta (‘26) stresses that the club provides students with valuable skills that will benefit them throughout their professional lives. 

“[In Speech and Debate], you gain skills such as public speaking, standing in a crowd confidently, and [other] skills depending on your event,” said Gupta. 

Additionally, Gupta emphasizes that students don’t need experience prior to joining the club. The club coaches and leaders effectively prepare members who want to compete. Club members are educated on the fundamental rules of each category, proper posture, and other essential information. 

Students also have plenty of time to make progress with their respective events. Speech meets once a week on Thursdays and debate meets once a week on Wednesdays. On top of that, coaches are typically available to meet during lunch regularly to provide individual help and personalized feedback. 

Beginning in October, the club goes to competitions once a month. On a competition day, students wake up early to head to the tournament, typically hosted at a school or campus, for a full day. A round of competition typically looks like several students in a classroom presenting their respective projects, but ultimately depends on the event. 

“[The competitions] are fun, the community is great, [and] everyone is social and helpful,” said Gupta. 

After a competition is over, there is a ceremony where the winners and awards are announced. The environment is electric as students wait in anticipation for the results. Many East members of Speech and Debate have achieved various honors during past competitions. 

While the club has been up and running for five years at Cherry Hill East, each year, the clubs’ number of members increases. The presidents’ promise to focus on the club’s success and lay the groundwork for the team ensures that this number continues to grow. 

“If you’re on the fence about joining, just give it a shot. If you don’t like it, nobody will hold it against you,” said Gupta.

Each school year, Cherry Hill East students who participate in theatre work tirelessly to put on vibrant productions that unite the school community. There are traditionally two major shows that theatre presents annually: the fall and spring productions. This year, the fall show is Dracula and will take place on December 11-14. Additionally, the spring show is Footloose and will take place on February 28-March 1 and March 6-8. 

Long hours are spent on each production, whether it be members of the crew working behind the scenes to prepare sets or actors in the cast memorizing and rehearsing lines for their respective characters. Therefore, joining theatre is undoubtedly a big commitment. 

Luckily, in the beginning of each school year, there is an additional introductory opportunity for underclassmen and new actors: Crimson theatre. This show is a series of smaller acts that pertain to a singular theme. This year, the production will take place on October 3, and the theme is fast food, with eight acts ranging from “Who are you calling chicken?” to “Shake it off.” 

Senior Laura Montaquila (‘26) is participating as an actor in Crimson theatre for the first time this year and describes it as a fun and unique way for students who are new to the performing arts to get involved. Through rehearsals for the production, she was able to meet new people while also improving her acting skills in a comfortable environment. 

“It’s very uplifting of a group because there’s no judgment when you’re there,” Montaquila said. 

Crimson theatre also serves as an opportunity for seasoned East theatre students to try exploring management roles in theatre. For example, each Crimson act has student directors and stage managers who are responsible for leading a specific act and helping out with the actors. 

For students interested in getting involved in theatre, Montaquila also recommends incorporating the elective Living Theatre into their schedule. Like Crimson, it is another way for new actors to get acclimated to East theatre. In the class, students learn basics like acting terminology and also study improvisation. 

“It [is] a good way to exercise that muscle of acting before getting on the stage,” she said. 

All in all, East students have a lot to expect from these different shows, whether it be Crimson, Dracula, or Footloose. It is never too late to get involved with East’s award-winning theatre department, as students are guaranteed a memorable experience. 

Cherry Hill East’s Model United Nations (MUN) Club, advised by Meghan Mikulski and Jennifer Dolan, is part of an international organization that gives students the opportunity to debate real-world issues from the stances of different countries. Student delegates are assigned to these countries and work together to form presentable solution papers. 

“Model UN gives me the opportunity to meet new people, make connections with kids from other schools, and work together in a group with my peers to come up with [solutions] to world [issues],” said Nehal Channamsetty (‘27), an active member of MUN.

MUN conferences are hosted by high schools and colleges throughout the school year. East students have the option to attend five Saturday and two overnight conferences. Students who are a part of the club can sign up for any conference they want to attend, but aren’t required to attend all seven conferences. 

When students sign up for a conference, they are assigned a country to represent and then develop solutions to a specific problem in the world from their country’s perspective. Prior to the conferences, students at East meet in small groups of four to five to prepare. During these meetings, they write position papers, talk with people in committees about the topics, and run simulations to practice the procedure and get comfortable with their topic. 

Each MUN conference features different committees that focus on a particular world issue. In the conference room, the delegates speak on behalf of their country and present their solutions using parliamentary procedures. 

For students new to MUN, there is ample room for growth. Students are considered a novice for their first two conferences. At these conferences, the novices are placed in a separate group and work on their own world issue, allowing them to present their solutions in a more comfortable environment for beginners. 

The experience of being in the MUN Club helps students develop valuable skills and gain exposure to important topics on a global scale. 

“I have improved my public speaking skills, spoken in front of whole conference rooms, and learned good negotiating and debating skills,” said Channamsetty. “Since you have to do so much research on topics, you learn a lot about the world and things that you usually wouldn’t learn about. There are so many issues in the world and I learned about them through Model UN.” 

FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) is a prominent club at Cherry Hill East, with over 150 student members. Annually, East FOP, along with student volunteers from Cherry Hill West, helps the Cherry Hill Police Department throw a holiday party for students with special needs in grades KG through 12.

This year, the event will take place on Monday, December 15th, 2025. East students who are a part of the club volunteer their time to a worthy cause and make meaningful memories.

Starting in October, the club meets regularly during lunch and after school. East students prepare prior to the holiday party by creating decorations. These decorations include snowflakes, Christmas trees, and snowmen.

Co-president Rachel Rosenberg (‘26) says around 100 members from the FOP club are permitted to go to the party. The members with the best attendance at club meetings are most likely to be chosen to attend the party.  

Members who are selected to attend will spend December 15th setting up at the venue. In addition to decorating for the party, these students also have the opportunity to dress up in costumes such as Frosty the Snowman to entertain the party guests. East and West volunteers spend time with the kids all day long, dancing and laughing. Additionally, there is a Santa room where students hand out stuffed animals to the kids as ‘holiday gifts.’ 

Rosenberg says the club’s focus for the year is promotion through social media and more live updates as to when meetings will take place. On top of that, FOP plans to introduce a buddy program: each special needs student will be assigned to an East student, their buddy. This way, FOP members can build long-lasting relationships with their buddy, and vice versa.

“[There is] no feeling like [the FOP party],” said Rosenberg. Seeing the joy on the kids’ faces, making memories at the party, makes FOP “the most heartwarming thing you could participate in [at East].”