DECA, a business and finance club at Friends School, is one of the newest additions to campus life. Founded last year, it stands for “Distributive Education Clubs of America.” 

Already this fall, DECA is becoming a place where students can push themselves, try out skills in business, and learn through real world experiences.

I had the opportunity to sit down with the club head Cary Davis ‘28, who shared what DECA is all about, how it began, and where the chapter is headed next. 

The idea for DECA began when Cary learned about it from a TikTok video. 

“Honestly, I saw it on TikTok, and I was like: ‘Oh shoot, that seems pretty cool. I should join,’ ” he said.

He realized that we didn’t yet have that club at Friends, and decided to start a chapter.

What started as a quick spark of inspiration soon turned to action. Cary went through the steps of making the club and brought it to campus. That decision gave students a new opportunity to explore business outside the classroom. 

Now, Cary is focused on growing the club and getting members involved. 

It’s not just about wins or numbers, though. Cary says it’s about building something that lasts and becomes one of Friends School’s staple clubs. Cary says he sees DECA as a way for students to find a community while also building skills they can carry into the future. 

“It’s just something I’m passionate about and I’m just, you know, excited for,” he says. 

One of the biggest parts of DECA is the competitions. 

“The competitions are, like, pretty fast paced, pretty high intensity, but like the good type of intensity,” Cary says. 

These events are what the club meetings try to prepare students for. They work by giving students real-world business problems just minutes before the event starts. 

“So it’s like 15 minutes before the competition, you’ll get a scenario. So maybe you’re a restaurant manager, and your sales are down and you have to figure out how to boost them up. You and your partner will work on a way to boost them up and then after those 15 minutes are over, you’ll meet with a panel of judges and you pitch your case. You have about 20 minutes to pitch your case and you’re asked questions about it so you really have to know your stuff.”

That pressure is what makes the competitions both challenging and fun.

“Yeah, I mean it’s pretty high intensity but again, it’s supposed to be fun,” said Cary.

Even though the Friends DECA chapter is new, Cary has been learning by watching competitions online. He explained that while Friends DECA hasn’t competed yet, seeing videos of other teams has shown him how great it can be. 

For students at Friends, these competitions won’t just be about winning.  They’ll be about stepping into real situations, working under pressure, and finding creative solutions. It’s a chance to take skills from the classroom and put them to the test in front of judges. More than anything, the competitions give members a taste of what it’s like to think like a professional and work as a team, which is something that sets DECA apart from other clubs on campus.

While competitions are at the heart of DECAm the club is also focused on connecting with the wider community. 

“District meets are scheduled for late November or early December. Before that, the club will take part in service work in Baltimore with one of the school’s partners,” Cary mentioned.

DECA will continue to hold regular meetings to help members prepare for competitions, stay updated on upcoming events, and support each other as the chapter grows. 

Cary says that his own passion for business and his competitive spirit made the club a perfect fit for him. But he also emphasized that DECA is open to anyone that wants to learn. You don’t need to be an expert in finance or already set on a business career to join. Members can come test it out and decide how involved they want to be. For students looking for a different experience or a challenge DECA offers a way to grow skills, gain confidence, and have fun along the way.