DECA is known around school for running the Puma Den and dressing up for class, but DECA does more than just that. DECA, or Distribution Education Club of America, is a national organization that teaches leadership for entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and management. Not only are they a business, but they are also a competitive club that competes in the business setting by competing in different scenarios. DECA also runs a few school events, such as the homecoming carnival and Mr. PHS. 

As the school year starts, so does a new year of DECA with new officers: President Grace Knutson senior, Vice President Juliet Read senior, Communications Bella Keselman sophomore, Outreach Stella Jones junior, Student Based Enterprise Katelin Macari junior. The five officers work together to run different parts of DECA and create a club community. 

As president Knutson is considered the face of Perry DECA, and she focuses on coordinating the club as a whole. ” I coordinate all of the guest speakers that come in, I organize all of our club meetings, and I reach out and make connections with the other members,” said Knuston. Read has a similar role in helping out Knuston with anything she needs, “I undersee the president, so whenever the president isn’t around, I like managing the rest of the group and telling them what we are supposed to be doing,” said Read. Macari has a management job, but her focus is on the Puma Den and club finances. “I am the manager of the school store, so I place orders, I train everyone. The treasure is finances, so I plan our trips, and really anything involving money,” said Macari. Jones’s main job entails organizing the club’s events, “[I} Organize all the events and of the competition work and competition prep,” said Jones. Lastly, Keslman is in charge of social media. “I run social media. Basically the market for DECA, it is mostly online work,” said Keselman. 

The officers went to the statewide officer camp in Williams from Sept. 22-24, where they got to build on their leadership skills and network with other school officers. “It’s a camp where all the other officers from around the state are there, and the state officers plan the camp. And it is all about learning how to grow as a leader,” said DECA sponsor Rob Lange regarding the camp. 

“We got to connect with other chapter officers from around the state. We got to improve our leadership skills and learn more about DECA,” said Knuston. 

DECA’s competition season does not start until February. However, DECA is still busy on campus with the Puma Den, ” [We are] trying to get more people into the school store, and make it a fun experience, so we are doing fresh baked cookies this year, we might get a milkshake machine,” said Macari. Another thing they are focusing on is club relationships.  “I want to get more people involved in DECA competition, and want to make DECA closer,” said Read. Despite DECA’s competition being months they are still preparing now, to be ready for when competition season starts.