October is growing near, and with that means an increasingly busy schedule for the members of DECA. Kicking off the bevy of events is the annual mini-competition, held today in the library. The sole purpose of this affair is to prepare students for district competitions held later in the year.

This mock event, DECA Advisor Mrs. Lisa Range explains, is almost a carbon copy of the real thing.

“[The mini-competition] is the exact same setup as our district competition,” Range said. “The students need to arrive on time, dress professional, and do two role plays.”

These role plays, which usually have the student making a business proposal to the owner of a fictional establishment, will not be judged by just anyone. The judges, Mrs. Range says, have the credentials to give valuable feedback.

“We have business owners and managers from all around the area [judging the role plays]. The students will do two role plays and be ranked and graded by the judges, who will give them feedback when they’re done,” Range said.

The students, however, will not be judged completely unprepared. Senior Sarah O’Leary said that all marketing students have been studying for what they will experience, come role play time.

“[Mr. Steve Cross] gave us the role plays that we’ll use in the library, so we’ll have two full days to prepare,” O’Leary said.

The mini-competition, both Range and O’Leary believe, will greatly help the members of DECA once district competition at the St. Louis Mills rolls around in February.

“I’m excited. It’s going to be a great way to prepare for the real competition at the Mills,” O’Leary said.

Other events inching closer on the DECA calendar are a community service project that is still in the works, a membership event at Brunswick Zone, and the annual Thanksgiving basket donation, which helps families in need during the holiday.