Students mean business with launch of new DECA chapter at White Plains High School

Two White Plains High School students are bringing a new opportunity to classmates interested in business, finance, marketing and entrepreneurship with the launch of the school’s first DECA chapter this fall.

Judah Zev Goldman and Amir Melibaev are the founders and co-presidents of the chapter, which will give students hands-on experience tackling real-world business challenges while developing leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.

Jesse Drury, who has an MBA and runs the Incubator program at the high school, serves as the chapter’s adviser.

DECA is a global nonprofit student organization that prepares high school and college students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America, the organization has more than 300,000 student members in the United States and around the world.

Judah said the new chapter grew out of a finance club he started last school year. It drew between 10 and 30 students to meetings focused on personal finance and the workings of the financial system. By the end of the year, he and Amir were looking for a way to expand the club and give its members more opportunities.

“We kind of realized, ‘OK, we can get more serious about this,’” the incoming junior said. “We’ll get more members if we make it into something official.”

Mr. Drury suggested DECA, and after Judah researched the organization, he and Amir decided it was a natural next step. With the support of Mr. Drury and approval from the school administration, the chapter was registered and is ready to begin recruiting members.

Unlike a traditional club built primarily around weekly meetings, Judah said they envision DECA as a hub where members can work individually and in teams on projects while preparing for competitions. Members can participate at different levels depending on their interests and available time.

“We wanted to run this, this may sound a bit cliché, a bit like a successful startup, where different people are working on their own individual projects and preparing,” Judah said.

Amir said his role as co-president “is providing students with the necessary materials to succeed in competitions.”

DECA members solve business case studies and present their ideas to industry judges, with events covering areas ranging from finance, accounting and marketing to management, hospitality and entrepreneurship.

Students can advance through district and state competitions to DECA’s International Career Development Conference, known as ICDC, where thousands of students compete.

Judah hopes White Plains students will eventually earn the opportunity to compete on that international stage.

“If we have even one student sent to that international competition, it would be a huge deal for the school,” he said, adding that the DECA chapter would like to invite local financial advisers, government finance professionals and others to share their experiences with students.

For Judah, one of DECA’s greatest strengths is that students can apply what they learn to situations they may encounter beyond high school.

Competition topics can include how organizations operate, how managers make decisions, how human resources functions and how professionals communicate and work effectively within an organization.

DECA “teaches you different skills to survive and thrive in a corporate setting,” said Judah, whose experience has sparked his interest in finance as well as consulting and other careers that involve helping people achieve their professional goals.

But he is quick to emphasize that DECA is not about one student or a small group of students. He and Amir want the chapter to reflect the diversity of WPHS and to welcome students regardless of their grade or previous knowledge of business and finance.

“It’s totally not a one-man show,” he said. “If this were a one-man show and relied on one person, it would not last long. … We believe that, like the entire school in general, we have strength in our diversity.”

The chapter will begin recruiting this fall and soon prepare for the March competition. Students can also follow the student-run Instagram account, @wphs_decaclub, for information about meetings and activities.

Charlotte Flora, the chapter’s social media manager, said "the social media page is to spread the message and goals of the club. It’s a way to build a community amongst the members and create a fun way for everyone to get involved."

Olivia Appel, an active member, said she decided to join because she’s interested in business and wants to learn more about what it’s like to work in the real world.

“I also think DECA would help me improve my communication, leadership and teamwork skills,” she said. “I hope to gain new experiences, meet people with similar interests and become more confident in myself while preparing for future opportunities."

Another member, Elisabeth Kim, said: "I’m excited for the opportunity to improve my presentational speaking and also building practical business skills. I’m also excited about possibly competing against other schools."

Judah acknowledges some nervousness about launching something new, but he is equally optimistic about what White Plains students can accomplish.

“I think that if we recruit widely from the school, do our best, commit to it and try really hard, we can do well at these competitions,” he said.