Finding a club and sticking with it can be a difficult task; however, for seniors Sherlyn Villagran and Christina Lazar, it came easy. Villagran and Lazar have been in Niles West DECA for four years. What exactly drew them into this club? Well, it may as well have been love at first sight, these two seniors were attracted to DECA as soon as they saw the stand during one of Niles West’s curriculum nights.

“My admiration for DECA first began when I saw their stand during curriculum night. I remember going up to it and being very appealed by the idea of meeting new people, competing in competitions and eventually going on a big trip at the end of the school year,” Villagran said.

For Lazar, she had a similar experience. She recounts her first encounter with DECA as a memorable and exciting experience.

“What first drew me to the stand was honestly the ice cream, I remember seeing this stand full of people laughing and being eager to sign their name on the sign-up sheet. Unlike the rest of the clubs I toured that night, DECA had the most energy, and they really showed interest in not only getting people to sign, but the club itself,” Lazar said.

Given that these two have been in DECA for a while, they’ve gained many skills. For Villagran, one skill she learned is to take risks and not be afraid of failure.

“Throughout the years, I’ve tried many projects, some which have been successful and others not so much; however, those experiences have taught me that it is important to learn from your mistakes rather than give up and not learn anything,” Villagran said.

Lazar, on the other hand, has learned other skills throughout her four years.

“Before joining DECA, I remember being shy and unspoken, afraid to build relationships and communicate with others. However, after reflecting back on my four years, I’ve come to realize that I’ve bettered my communication skills and have gained more confidence throughout my journey which is important for not only business but also just in general,” Lazar said.

When asked about their biggest takeaway and their biggest struggles, both seniors had a similar response.

“My biggest up and down was time management. It was a down because at times it was very difficult to manage work, school and working on my project all at once, but it also taught me how to create a balance in my life which is something I am never going to forget. From DECA, I’ve learned that although it seems impossible at times, you can tackle anything with the right determination and head space,” Villagran said.

This idea holds true for Lazar.

“My biggest struggle was balancing working on my project while trying to keep up with school work. However, this struggle seems small compared to all the positive memories I’ve made through DECA and all the friendships I’ve gained,” Lazar said.

Since it’s their last year at DECA, both hope to receive a medal at State and finish off with a good year.

“My goal is to win a medal at State for my business project. This project is a part of the Franchise business plan, which is when you take a franchise and open up a new location by making our own business plan to pitch to judges, so they can give us the funds to make our project possible,” Villagran said.

With this being said, Lazar hopes to stir success with her and Villagran’s project as well.

“This year, I hope I win a medal at State for mine and Sherlyn’s project, and I hope to score well on the Hospitality and Tourism Cluster which is a part of our Franchise Business plan,” Lazar said.

This goal is not too far out of reach, given that other people recognize their accomplishments and their ability to work hard.

“Since I’m in DECA too, I have an admiration for Sherlyn and Christina’s hard work. It is very difficult to pull off doing a business project and tackling homework but they always seem to handle it with ease, and they never complain about their workload,” senior Maria Geroulis said.

When they are not seen working hard on their DECA project, both Villagran and Lazar can be seen watching movies and going to the gym. Let’s wish them luck on their last year and their goal to win a medal!