DECA finished a successful season with a strong showing at the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Atlanta, Ga., where 27 students represented the school after qualifying with their performance at the state competition.

Competing against roughly 180 teams in each event, several members earned top placements on the international stage. Seniors Allison Thannert and Alina Cobovic finished as international finalists in Project Management Career Development, putting them in the top 20 of their category. The team of seniors Yash Patel, Aidin Hidzalic and Yasir Syed also had significant success, placing in the top 20 in the Entrepreneurship Business Growth Plan event.

“I think the most challenging part about building the growth plan was optimizing the opportunities we had within our community,” Patel said. “Since our project always requires us to start our own business, looking at the legal requirements and costs of running the business took a considerable amount of time. Our project was a non-profit organization, unlike all of the other projects in our category that were for-profit. We also made our presentation very simple and easy to follow, which made it easier for a judge who had been looking at projects for a very long time.”

Adding to the chapter’s accomplishments, senior Diti Gandhi was awarded a DECA scholarship, which recognized her as a future business leader.

DECA advisor Eric Lueder reflects on the chapter’s overall performance. Lueder is proud that more teams than usual advanced to the next round, and 95% of the chapter received an award for competency.

“How we represented Niles West, how we represented ourselves, I thought we were exceptional,” Lueder said. “Everyone was on time, and everyone was dressed right. Everybody was professional when they needed to be, and I couldn’t be more proud of the group.”

The chapter was able to send more than two dozen students to internationals, and their performance at ICDC reflected the work that DECA has continuously put in throughout the year.

While the competition was the focus of the trip, students made the most of their time in Atlanta beyond their presentations. The chapter participated in DECA’s pin and merchandise trading, a tradition that brings students from across the country together. Outside the stadium, the group went whitewater rafting, competed in the escape room challenge Beat the Bomb and spent an afternoon at Top Golf.

“My favorite part was just everything we did together as a team in Atlanta,” senior Max Lee said. “What made the trip so memorable wasn’t just the competition; it was all the time we spent hanging out. From whitewater rafting to just walking around the city, those were the best parts. It brought everyone closer, and we had a lot of fun together.”