The silence before the announcement, your heart racing as you anxiously wait to hear your name, and then the overwhelming jubilation, the roar of applause as you accept your award: these are all experiences that hundreds of students feel as competitors in DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America). DECA is a business competition in which students receive role plays reflecting certain business scenarios and proceed to solve the problem presented in the role play. After it its inception in 2010, Brookfield Central’s DECA quickly became one of the largest clubs at the school. Last year there were 147 members in DECA, making it a record-breaking year. DECA has become the base of the new Business Leadership class offered at Central because of its many applications to the real world.

The Elmbrook School District is trying to create more classes that have real life applications. The Business Leadership class is just an example of a never-attempted class where students will perform tasks required in the actual business world. In this new business course, the three major aspects focused upon are being able to maintain a stable and functioning business, practicing role play simulations, and actually applying business management skills in lancer store in the cafeteria.

Molly Steinert (’16), Vice President of Membership of DECA and student in Business believes that students in Business Leadership will have an edge in competitions because they have time to do work in class with guidance rather than having to complete everything outside of school. Molly also considered Business Leadership her favorite class stating “It’s the most real class I have ever taken…Every other class is theoretical”. Business Leadership has also met with principal Mr. Gruetzmacher to go over the business plan for the BC cafe that is in the works to be established the cafeteria. Along with Mr. Gruetzmacher, the class has met with many other representatives such as Eric Kass, the CFO of the Elmbrook School District, and Dale Kooyenga,  a Wisconsin State Legislative representative, to discuss business ideas.

DECA began out as a small club at BC and erupted into the base of future education in just a few years. Business Leadership is a suitable for anyone who is interested in a career in business because students can experience real business world situations and sharpen their business knowledge through an interesting course.