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DECA Dimensions is the magazine for members of DECA Inc. DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitaity and management.
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JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2012 Design from FIDM’s Debut 2010 fashion show at ICDC in Louisville.
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Page 1: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2012

Design from FIDM’s Debut 2010 fashion show at ICDC in Louisville.

Page 2: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

At Johnson & Wales University internships are a core part of our academic program. Nearly a quarter of our students get hands-on work experience at more than 1,400 sites every year.

At least 50 percent of our students get a job offer from their internship site, while enrolled at JWU!

Come to where it all begins.

Scholarships up to full tuition available for DECA members.

1-800-DIAL-JWU (342-5598) www.jwu.edu

Johnson & Wales University admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin, among other categories.

“ Anything you can imagine, I’ve been involved in. That’s because of Johnson & Wales.”

Sarah Pinsonault ’10

Intern, Charlotte Motor Speedway

Fast Track Your Career

Providence, R.I. North Miami, Fla. Denver, Colo. Charlotte, N.C.1105427

College of Business • College of Culinary Arts • The Hospitality College • School of Technology • Graduate School

Page 3: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012 1

EDITORIALPublisher

Edward Davis

Editors Lyn Fiscus, Christopher Young

Editorial Committee Barbara Henn, Shirlee Kyle

Advertising Cindy Allen

Art Direction and Design Chuck Beatty

NATIONAL OFFICERSPresident

Claire Coker

North Atlantic Region VPJennifer Harrington

Central Region VP Micah Melling

Southern Region VP Kendra Wrightson

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident: Roger Cartee

President-elect: Jacklyn Schiller

Secretary: Lynore Levenhagen

Treasurer: Brycen Woodley

Members: Marsha Bock, Jim Brock, Oleg Shvets,

Dave Wait

NAB Chair: Roger Glenn

Ex-Officio Members: Edward Davis, Wayne Kutzer

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE

DECA DimensionsAttn: Editor

1908 Association Drive Reston, Virginia 20191-1594 [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS & CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Dimensions Circulation1908 Association Drive

Reston, Virginia 20191-1594

(ISSN 1080-0476 is published four times each year—September/October, November/December, January/February and March/April. Copyright ©2012 by the Distributive Educa-tion Clubs of America, Inc., 1908 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191-1594. All rights re-served. Annual non-member subscription rate is $5.00. Periodicals postage paid at Herndon, Virginia and additional mailing offices. $1.00 of membership fee goes toward subscription to DIMENSIONS, a publication of DECA, (USPS 566-200), Volume 31, Number 3.

Postmaster—Send form 3579 for change of address to: DIMENSIONS, 1908 Association Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191-1594.

DEPARTMENTS 2 Let’s Talk 4 My Turn 4 DECA Events 5 8 DECA Things to Do 26 Chapter Clips 28 Quick Response

DIMENSIONSJANUARY–FEBRUARY 2012

CONTENTS

ACADEMICALLY PREPARED 6 Is Fashion Merchandising Right for You?

Whether your plans include managing a team, launching your own company, or becoming a store buyer, a fashion merchandising or merchandise marketing degree can help get you there.

8 Cashmere and TweedLearn how one DECA member took his passion for fashion and turned it into a thriving online community.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED 11 MDA and DECA: 30 Years

For 30 years, DECA members have been volunteering for MDA, and for 30 years the experience has been changing their lives.

14 Let’s Shake on It!A campaign to encourage respect, empathy, and acceptance brought together DECA members and Best Buddies at one Florida high school.

PROFESSIONALLY RESPONSIBLE 16 Before Lights! Camera! Action!, There’s Wardrobe

Learn tips straight from a few rising stars on the importance of professional dress.

18 Service Recovery: A Powerful Tool for SuccessEvery organization makes mistakes. It’s how employees handle those mistakes that makes all the difference.

EXPERIENCED LEADERS 20 The Student Impact Model

Super-charge your ability to make a difference in DECA and in life with these four simple concepts.

24 Industry Panels Bring Expert Insight to DECAWRLC hosted expert panels on Marketing and Public Relations and the DECA Mission. Their purpose was to give members the opportunity to ask questions and hear from leaders who have real-world experience.

Page 4: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

LET’S TALK

2 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

New Year resolutions are some of the most difficult resolutions to keep. In the moment of making them we

see the year ahead as a clean slate full of abundant amounts of time and opportunity. Yet when the year begins to come to a close, we look back and feel as if there were not enough hours in each day, and not enough days in the year. Often New Year’s resolutions are made in the heat of the moment, right before the clock strikes midnight, and are unplanned and unreachable. Even more often, New Year’s resolutions are never made.

This year I am challenging myself to make attainable and beneficial resolutions. Resolutions that require dedication, but are not impossible to complete. I am aiming to better myself through my resolutions, just as DECA betters me every day. I challenge all of you to take this journey with me.

Perhaps a New Year resolution we all could take on would be to stay actively involved in DECA. Even as we mature and eventually graduate high school or college, DECA can be a part of each of our lives for as long as we let it. We all have the opportunity to stay connected with DECA by becoming alumni members, volunteering to judge local competitions, or just by telling our personal “DECA stories” to new and potential members. I know that when I end my year in office, my DECA chapter in life will not come to a close. I hope that all of you might resolve to keep up with DECA and stay involved.

Resolving to stay involved in DECA is a lot like resolving to invest in your future. By committing yourself to organiza-

Make Your RESOLUTIONSMatter

tions and actions that allow you to obtain higher measures of success, you are granting yourself more opportunities to grow and prosper. Resolving to set yourself up for success can be implemented in a variety of ways, along with staying involved in DECA. Keeping up with your studies, taking advice from people whom you trust to look out for your best interests, and aspiring higher in everything that you do are simple ways to obtain higher measures of success. Determine to take charge of your future and aspire higher than you did last year.

Make resolutions this New Year that truly matter. Obtain higher measures of success by continuing to stay dedicated to DECA and other important aspects of your life that have a positive impact. Setting attainable goals is something DECA instills in each one of us. Let’s all make our aspirations attain-able this year. I hope that this year of 2012 brings all of you a world of opportunity and excitement as you continue to Aspire Higher.

Best Wishes,

Claire CokerNational DECA President

[email protected]

Go to www.facebook.com/decainc to join the conversation.

Page 5: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012
Page 6: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

4

MY TURN

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

February is Career and Technical Education month! This means that

now is the time to make the most of what you are learning in CTE classes by applying it to your DECA projects and competitive events. In doing so, you will reap rewards in two ways: exciting travel to DECA events to participate in com-petitions and the satisfaction of being better prepared for a career. Let’s Celebrate!

As we are all aware, DECA is a co-curricular organization that works co-operatively with classroom instruction to help students become the future leaders of business industry. DECA competitive events combine the knowledge gained from in-class learning and personal work experience to showcase students’ busi-ness skills. This month you can aspire higher at achieving international recog-nition in your event and celebrate your victories on stage at DECA events.

There are also a variety of ways to cel-ebrate with others this February. A fun idea is to create your own DECA PSA to show your school and community why DECA and Career and Technical Education are so important. You can also participate in the Job Shadow Day developed by one of DECA’s partners, the Association for Career and Techni-cal Education (ACTE). Encourage your friends to get involved in DECA. The stronger DECA is as an organization, the better it can serve all of its members!Dress for Success

In honor of CTE month, let’s make a pact to “dress for success” as well. When you are demonstrating your knowledge of marketing and business, looking pro-

fessional is just as important as knowing your facts. We all know that when going for an interview, we make sure shirts are tucked in, shoes are shined, and we bring our smiles. All DECA members know about looking good when they are ready to give their presentations: blazers are buttoned, ties are straight, jewelry is subtle, posture is professional. As a DECA member you are already held above others in regards to how you carry yourselves, which means you have to as-pire higher and take everything one step further to surprise people. Your CTE month mission: Look professional no matter where you go; you never know who will notice!What’s Next?

If you are interested in other ways to incorporate “dressing for success” into your DECA experience, consider entering the DECA & Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising’s (FIDM) Challenge! In this Fashion Merchandis-ing challenge, participants are asked to

Celebrating CTE, DECA, and Fashion

January 2012 2 VirtualBusinessChallengeIIbegins

13 School-basedEnterprisecertificationdocumentationdue

16 CopydueforMarch/AprilDECADimensions

20 CorporateandApplegatestudentscholarshipapplicationsdueonline

27 VirtualBusinessChallengeIIends

February 2012 1 DECAEmergingLeaderHonorAward

applicationsdueatDECAInc.

1–5 SportsandEntertainmentMarketingConference,Orlando,FL

1–29 CareerandTechnicalEducationMonth

20–29 PiperJaffraySpringOnlineSurvey(continues in March)

D E C A E V E N T S

create a runway garment from previously used fabrics and put together a YouTube video presentation that will be presented to FIDM executives. The challenge pro-motes awareness of sustainability in the textile industry. The deadline is February 12, 2012 so get your creative juices flow-ing and send in your presentations!

DECA also has many fashion-related competitive events in which to take part: Buying and Merchandising Team Deci-sion Making, Apparel and Accessories Marking Series, Retail Merchandising Series, Buying and Merchandising Op-erations Research, and Fashion Mer-chandising Promotions Plan.

This is the time to show everyone your best DECA self—how much you know, how professional you look, and how you can “Aspire Higher” to win!

Visit the website www.acteonline.org to learn more about Career and Techni-cal Education month and www.deca.org to learn more about DECA’s opportuni-ties in Fashion Merchandising.

Page 7: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

2 Compete virtuallyOperateacomputerizedbusinesssimulationofaretailenvironmentorsportsfranchiseaspartofDECA’sVirtualBusinessChallengeII,orcompeteonpersonalfinancialknowledgeinroundtwooftheH&RBlockDollars&SenseChallengeduringJanuary.

Formoreinfo,visithttp://vbc.knowledgematters.com/vbc.

3Schedule a mock competitionInvitelocalbusinesspeopletolistentoprojectpresentationsbychaptermembersandprovidefeedbackinpreparationforchaptermembers’DECAcompetitiveevents.Operateitunderthesamerulesasarealcompetitiveeventsomem-bersgetrealisticpracticeforICDC.

4Write about DECA for the local paperIncelebrationofCareerandTechnicalEduca-tionMonthinFebruary,writeanarticleforthelocalpapertoutingallthewaysDECAhelpsmembersprepareforcollegeandtheworkforceorhighlightingallthecommunityserviceyourchapterhasdone.Besuretothanklocalbusinessesfortheirsupportofyourprogram.

Formoreinfo,visit www.deca.org/events/ctemonth.

DECA THINGS TO DO in January and February

5Show your fashion flairCreatearunway-worthygarmentfrompreviouslyusedfabricsandamarketingcampaignfocusingonsustainablefashionfortheDECA/FIDMChallenge.DeadlinetoenterisFebruary12.

Formoreinfo,visitwww.deca.org/events/fidmchallenge.

6Break the cycleOneinthreeyoungpeopleexperienceabuseintheirrelationships.Helpbreakthecycleofviolencebyconductinganawarenesscampaign

duringNationalTeenDatingViolenceAwarenessMonthinFebruary.

Forideasandinfo,visitwww.teendvmonth.org/whats-teen-dating-violence-awareness-month.

7 Earn leader statusSeniorDECAmembersshouldapplyfortheDECAEmergingLeaderHonorAward.Learnabouttheawardanddownloadanapplicationtoday.Deadlineforapplica-tionisFebruary1.

Fordetails,visitwww.deca.org/events/honoraward.

8Become a shadowConnectwithalocalNationalAdvisoryBoardpartnerandaskifthey’dbewillingtoletyoushadowthemtolearnmoreaboutjobsIntheirfieldonNationalGroundhogJobShadowDay,February2.

Formoreinformation,visitwww.deca.org/partners.

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012 5

Take stock of DECA goals Thestart of secondsemester is agoodpoint to revisit your

DECAgoalsforthisyearandmakesureyou’reontracktoac-complishallyousetouttodo.Workwithchapterofficersandyouradvisortomakesurethechapterismakingprogressonitsbusinessplan,too.

81

Page 8: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

ACADEMICALLY PREPARED

Is Fashion Merchandising Right For You?Learn the business of fashion

6 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

Page 9: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012 7

Do you have a “sixth sense” for spotting the latest fashion trends before they happen? Are you a natural organizer and

a born leader? These skills are a great starting point for a career in the global fashion industry. Courses in Fashion Merchandising build on those attributes to give you the necessary personal and professional tools for success. Whether your plans include managing a team, launching your own company, or becoming a store buyer, a fashion merchandising or merchandise marketing degree can help get you there.

What Exactly Is Fashion Merchandising?It can seem a little confusing, but fashion merchandising or

merchandise marketing includes the steps between the creation of a fashion item and when a customer purchases it. Depending on your interests or job, you could be focusing on manufacturing, selling, or buying fashion merchandise. Often the merchandiser who works for a particular manufacturer is involved on some level with the production of the garment (fabric, color, style, etc.) Those in fashion merchandising often source products or work closely with the design team to make sure gar-ments are marketable and will sell.

Exciting CareersAfter studying fashion merchandising or mer-

chandise marketing, you could go on to work as a buyer, account executive, store manager, merchandise coordinator, showroom manager, or merchandise planner/allocator. “I chose my career based on what I discovered about myself at FIDM: I love people and a fast-paced environment, I’m a natural leader, and I love styling wardrobes! Retail management fit all of those avenues,” says Kristin Shotts, a graduate of FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and Buckle Store Manager. Regardless of the career you choose within the field, having a good fashion sense and an eye for new trends is key.

Fashion merchandising involves selling clothes, but the business aspect is crucial. Budgeting properly so you can spend money on items and make money back, without too many unsold items being left over at the end of the season, is key. You’ll most likely need to help keep costs down and profits up.

“I enjoy digging into the numbers to discover trends and pat-terns,” says Shanielle Howa, a graduate of FIDM’s Merchandise Marketing Program, planning analyst at PacSun, and a past mem-ber of DECA. “I forecast sales going forward and inventory, which gives the buyers a road map of what product we need and how much. With my responsibilities, I feel very involved and influential in my company, which makes me love my job.”

Taking the First StepAn accredited, reputable college will prepare you for the job

skills you need to succeed in fashion merchandising. Advisors can help you pick the particular sector you may be most interested in. Fashion merchandising programs typically teach skills such as how to apply, analyze, and forecast trends for an upcoming season, acquire extensive knowledge of a target market, and how to under-stand and complete a seasonal buy plan using industry-related

technology. Students often learn how to create promotional cam-paigns to enhance brand strategy, implement strong leadership and managerial skills to create a positive working environment, and how to effectively present and communicate a business strategy.

Research schools that have fashion merchandising and merchan-dise marketing programs, visit their websites, or meet with an ad-missions advisor to learn more about this exciting field. If you love fashion, business, and trends, this could be the field for you!

Former DECA member, Shanielle Howa, gets down to business.

Page 10: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

Twice a year, the world’s leaders in fashion descend on New York City for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Fashion Week, or #MBFW as

it is known on Twitter, is the biannual event held to showcase designers’ works for the upcoming Spring/Summer season, held in September, and for the upcoming Fall/Winter season, held in February. This week-long event is only open to guests of the design-ers, buyers, approved press and photographers. One DECA member has a passion for fashion and attends Fashion Week every season. Meet Ryan Charchian from Lake Braddock DECA in Burke, Virginia.

How did you get into fashion and what exactly do you do?

Well, what I do is how I got into fashion. I run a blog called Cashmere and Tweed.

What got you interested in fashion?When I was in middle school I had to do a social

studies project, and I decided to do one about the relationship between fashion and the economy. I was able to interview the editor-in-chief of Teen Vogue and during that interview she inspired me to keep going with fashion and expand my knowledge of the industry.

What do you blog about and where do you get your information?

I blog about fashion, beauty, health, lifestyle, and event coverage. I get a lot of my information from WWD, but most comes from attending the events and interviewing PR people and designers. My site also does product reviews, so companies like Dior, Clarisonic, and Estee Lauder, among others, have sent us products for review.

What was your “big break” that made your blog what is?

The one event that really opened many doors for the site was when I interviewed Tim Gunn, the chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne, Inc., and co-host of Project Runway. The interview was fantastic, and I was able to be his guest at a local fashion event. I kept in touch with him and then during an event in the summer of 2010 in D.C., he invited me to be his guest at the Project Runway Finale Show.

How did that motivate you?After attending the show and experiencing Fashion

Week, I have rebranded my site into what it is today and brought on a “staff.” These people contribute to the site by writing blog posts and attending events.

What is a usual day for you?I wake up for school and check my e-mail and

respond to anyone I’m working with that is in a dif-ferent time zone—I have one contributor in Japan,

8 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

Cashmere& Tweed

Page 11: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

so there is a major time difference. During school, I check my e-mail from time to time to see if anything important has come in. After school, I devote about an hour to two hours to blogging, site maintenance, and meetings. I travel into Georgetown and D.C. a lot for events also. On an average week, I have two events to attend during the week and at least one on the weekend.

How do you manage your fashion life and your school life?

At times it can get very hectic. During fashion week, I miss several days of school, but I let my teachers know in advance so that I can either take work with me or make it up when I get back. Now though, having more contributors lightens up my weeks so that I won’t be at events nights before tests or when major projects are due.

What keeps you motivated to do your blog?

I love to write and I highly enjoy fashion so this combination keeps me going. The

industry changes daily and there are new things happening in New York every time I go. I also now am allowed to go to other local schools and talk about what I do and show my peers what you can do now to start preparing for a career in fashion.

What’s next for you and your site?I will be attending Fashion Week in Feb-

ruary and continue bringing on contributors from various cities. I also am starting to open my site up for advertisers and will look into that more.

What are your plans after high school?

I want to go the Fashion Institute of Technology and major in Advertisement and Marketing Communications. After that I want to work for a company such as the LVMH Group, Estee Lauder, or Conde Nast Publications.

Where can everyone see your blog?Check out Cashmere and Tweed at http://

cashmereandtweed.com.

RyanwithsupermodelChanelIman

Photo credit: Matt Ellis/TheManofManyShades.com

Page 12: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

CreatingTomorrow’s

Leaders.Ethical. Entrepreneurial. Engaged.

Career opportunities for the pharmaceutical business major by concentration

Kendra prepared for a career in the growing pharmaceutical and health care sectors with a major that develops a strong business foundation complemented by the physical sciences (biology and chemistry) and industry fundamentals and practices.

Kendra Hearn, BSBA’11Warren, OhioMajor: Pharmaceutical BusinessInternship: Cardinal HealthJob: Staffing, Coordinator, Cardinal Health

Scan to see video how ONU Students Discovered

[Their] True North

Management:• Corporate benefits management• Pharmaceutical-manufacturing management• Supply-chain and materials-control management

• Management positions in managed care, health insurance

and benefits-management companies

Marketing:• Pharmaceutical marketing and sales• Marketing and sales positions in managed care, health insurance

and benefits-management companies• Government health insurance plans

Business Analytics:• Industry analysts or consultants serving the pharmaceutical industry, health care sectors, government or investment banking.

Human Resources Management:• Recruitment and selection • Compensation and benefits administration• Training and development• EEO compliance

For more information visit www.onu.edu/ba

Page 13: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

One evening at MDA summer camp near Empire, Colo., seven-year-old Noah Essa, who has a progressive muscle

disease called spinal muscular atrophy, asked: “Are you guys thankful to be alive?”

The question struck Noah’s counselor, a DECA member named Jonny Fowler, so strongly that he later described the scene in his college application essay.

“Everyone was like, ‘Wow, you’re 7. That’s a pretty meaning-ful question for 7,’” said Fowler, 19, now a sophomore at Wil-liam and Mary College in Virginia.

“After camp, his question really resonated with me,” Fowler went on. “Comparing how easy my life is to his, I was struck by how he said we have to be thankful for our lives, no matter what. I also reflected on how sad it is that such a young child could think in such a mature way.”

For 30 years, DECA members like Fowler have been vol-unteering for MDA, and for 30 years the experience has been changing their lives.

Again and again, DECA members report that the people they meet through MDA and the work they do on behalf of the

COMMUNITY ORIENTED

YEARS OF CARING

&

Volunteering for MDA, DECA members learn what matters

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012 11

Page 14: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

ChristinaNealandayoungcamperonHarley-DavidsonDay

atMDAsummercampnearEmpire,Colo.

CherryCreekHighSchoolDECAstudentswithAaronHoranfromThornton,Colo.,

whoisaffectedbyDuchennemusculardystrophy.

WWW.DECA.ORG/EVENTS/ICDC

ELI YOUNG BANDDECA-CLUSIVE CONCERT

DASH WITH THE DIAMONDS

5K WALK/RUN

NETWORKING

SALT LAKE CITY BEESBASEBALL GAME

INTERNATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCESALT LAKE CITY | APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2012

COMPETITION

LEADERSHIP

Sponsored by

association has heightened their awareness, increased their compassion, shaped their values, and even influenced their career path.

At the same time, DECA members have raised more than $5 million for MDA over the past three decades, as well as spending countless hours volunteering at summer camp and other MDA events.

The DECA-MDA partnership truly has been mutually beneficial.

Cherry Creek High SchoolOf the 5,000 high schools across the country that participate in

DECA, Cherry Creek High School in suburban Denver, Colo., is one of the most actively involved with MDA. The school’s DECA chapter has been doing service projects for MDA for 22 years, and during that time won numerous first and second place finishes in the DECA Community Service Project at the International Career Development Conference.

Award-winning fund-raising projects by Cherry Creek DECA members include carnivals, magic shows, battle of the bands contests, Lock-Ups (an MDA fund-raising event in which people must raise “bail” to get out of “jail”) and more.

Cherry Creek DECA members also participate in summer camp, Telethon, holiday parties, and other MDA events.

“It’s been a lot of fun and it’s been really good for our members,” said Jim Konrad, a marketing teacher who has been the DECA advisor at Cherry Creek since 1986. Konrad has been instrumental in developing the DECA-MDA partnership at the school, and many members cite him as both their mentor and inspiration to help others and achieve more.

Life-changing ExperiencesJonny Fowler attended Cherry Creek High. So did

Alisen Bol, 17, now a freshman at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Bol worked on the battle of the bands for her Com-munity Service Project and has volunteered to serve as a camp counselor for the last two summers at the same camp where Jonny Fowler served.

“It was great to get out of my element and see these kids and what they have to deal with on a daily basis, yet they’re still so happy,” Bol said. “It’s great that camp is a place where they can do things according to their abilities.”

Every year, MDA operates some 80 summer camps at sites around the nation where children ages 6

to 17 with neuromuscular diseases enjoy a week of accessible fun at no charge to their parents. Each camper is assigned a full-time volunteer counselor to assist him or her in all daily activities.

Like Jonny Fowler, Bol developed a special relationship with her camper, a girl named Savannah who uses a walker and leg braces due to a muscle disease called Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). This disease often manifests during childhood or the early teen years, at first resulting in a “funny walk” as leg muscles weaken, and sometimes causing slurred speech when vocal muscles are affected. In later years, individuals with FA require a wheelchair full time.

“She definitely changed a big perspective in my life. She’s so selfless,” Bol said, adding that she hopes to be Savannah’s coun-selor again next summer.

Career with MDASome DECA members are so moved by their experiences vol-

unteering for MDA that they go on to careers working with people with disabilities. Some even go on to work for MDA itself.

Christina Neal, 26, began volunteering for MDA through DECA when she was a junior at Cherry Creek High.

“My partner and I did the Community Service Project,” she recalled. “We did a silent auction of sports memorabilia at the homecoming football game. Our biggest project was an awareness project in elementary schools. We went in and showed a video on summer camp that we created.”

Neal continued to volunteer at MDA camp throughout her col-lege years at Baylor University, and after graduating in 2007, she went to work for MDA.

She is now MDA’s health care service coordinator for Colorado and Wyoming and directs MDA summer camps in Colorado and

Montana.“It’s the relationships,” Neal

said, when asked what MDA means to her. “I feel blessed to have the opportunity to con-nect with the families [served by MDA]. They’re heroes to me—the optimism they express, and the way they continue to move forward, one day at a time, is truly inspirational.”

With so many caring young people dedicating themselves to help families facing muscle dis-ease, MDA is indeed fortunate to have DECA in its corner!

JonnyFowlerandMDAcampers

12 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

Page 15: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

WWW.DECA.ORG/EVENTS/ICDC

ELI YOUNG BANDDECA-CLUSIVE CONCERT

DASH WITH THE DIAMONDS

5K WALK/RUN

NETWORKING

SALT LAKE CITY BEESBASEBALL GAME

INTERNATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCESALT LAKE CITY | APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2012

COMPETITION

LEADERSHIP

Sponsored by

Page 16: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

COMMUNITY ORIENTED

Inachaptercampaigndevelopedtoencouragerespect,empathy,andacceptance,150J.P. Taravella DECAmembersandBestBuddies,

alongwiththeirPeerBuddies,gatheredintheJ.P.TaravellaGymnasiuminCoralSprings,Florida,toparticipateinthechapter’sLet’sShakeOnItprojectonOctober27,2011.DECACo-PresidentsRickyCutlerandKatieSantangeloandBestBuddyRobbieFortiwereemceesoftheevent.

“Thegymwasfilledwithsmilingfacesandnewfriendships.Themoreourstudentslearnabouttheirdifferences,themoretheyrealizeoursimilarities.Weallwantrespectandacceptance,andtheyaccom-plishedthattoday,”saidDECALeadAdvisorJamieSimmons.

Thedrivingforcebehind“Let’sShakeOnIt”wasencouragingtherespectofothersandraisingawarenessofESEstudents’desiretobeacceptedbytheirpeers.Chaptermembersandtheirpartnershostedanumberoffunactivitiesdesignedtofosterfriendshipandunderstandingamongstudents.DECAmemberspairedupwithanESEstudentandtaughtgoodhandshakeskillsandtheartoftyingatie.Theyalsopre-sentedprizestostudentswinningHotPotatoHandshakeandBeachBall

catchingcontests.Buddiesreceivedbusiness-sponsored“Let’sShakeOnIt!”t-shirtsandbusinesstiesdonatedfromMen’sWearhouse.

“IthinktheBestBuddieswereabletomakenewfriends,hadfun,andleftwithasenseofconfidenceandanoverallgoodfeeling.Iknowmanywantedtoknowwhentheycoulddoitagain,”saidCutler.“ItwasanewexperienceformanyDECAmembersandwewereextremelypleasedwiththeresults,”addedSantangelo.

TaravellaDECAalsohasplansforaninteractivecity-wideFamilyFieldDayforspecialneedschildrenonJPT’sfootballfieldwhereESEstudents,DECAmembers,sponsors,andotherparticipantswillcometogetherforadayfilledwithgames,hands-onactivities,andprizesforwinners.

Morethan$2,000hasbeengeneratedthroughdonationsbyDECAmembersandhundredsof“Let’sShakeOnIt”wristbandsweregivenasatokenofappreciation.Businessesthatdonated$100hadtheircompanynameplacedontheLet’sShakeOnItt-shirts.TaravellaDECAwilldonateallproceedstotheSpecialOlympics.

Let’s Shake On It!

J.P. Taravella DECA members and Best Buddies and their Buddy peers gather for Let’s Shake On It in October.

14 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

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PROFESSIONALLY RESPONSIBLE

Whether we’re talking about the entertainment industry or a major corporation, the right appearance goes a long way in the

professional world. How we dress can determine if we ace that interview, land the job, or how quickly we move up in a company.

Here are some tips courtesy of Men’s Wearhouse—straight from a few rising stars—on the importance of professional dress:

“ The classic look works for me, but I still like to stay in style. Most days I’m dressed in a cotton button-down shirt and dark slacks. Occasionally, I throw on a suit jacket. But whenever I have an important meeting or a big presentation to give, I break out the gray suit and tie. It seems like my colleagues respect my professional appearance and are more open to my suggestions on product strategy and planning. And since I’m up for a promotion soon, I think management appreciates my professionalism as well.”Darren | Associate Product Manager

CLASSIC

Before Lights! Camera! Action!

There’s Wardrobe.

16 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

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“ I work in a competitive industry, and you need every edge you can get. How I present myself gives me that. I’d say it’s helped me move up the ranks fairly quickly. Of course, I wouldn’t say I’ve always had a sense of fashion, especially for the corporate environment. Luckily, I attended a Dress for Success presentation in high school and remembered the many principles they taught me, including how to present myself as a professional and how first impressions mean everything. And for a guy who likes to dress casual, I learned it’s not that much of a hassle … present a neat appearance, keep accessories to a minimum, etcetera. I’m most grateful for non-iron shirts.”Cyrus | Senior Software Engineer

“ I’m in a career field that’s all about self-expression. But I know there are some limitations depending on the company. So I did my homework before my last interview. Boy was it a pleasant surprise to find out that, for such a large company, their office culture was pretty laid-back. Keeping that fact in mind, I wore my favorite pantsuit to the interview. I

looked professional while showing I can still fit right in their work environment. I feel that because I was confident and comfortable in how I was dressed, my interview went very

well. In fact, I got the job.”EXPR

ESSI

VE

Jessica | Graphic Designer

For more than 35 years, Men’s Wearhouse has helped dress young men and women for every occasion. Their Dress for Success program provides 35 to 45-minute in-school presentations on how to dress for interviews, the importance of first impressions and men’s and women’s career wear and formalwear. For more information, call (866) 247-4697.

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012 17

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SERVICE RECOVERY. Those two words can make the difference between success and failure. And yet most people in management positions don’t know what the term means, let alone how to use service recovery to establish a loyal customer base and increase sales.

Service Recovery A Powerful Tool for Success

by John Tschohl

18 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

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DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012 19

PROFESSIONALLY RESPONSIBLE

Let me give you two examples of customers who had a problem with a

business. Mary meets a friend for dinner at ABC Restaurant; a few blocks away, Frank is dining with a coworker at XYZ Res-taurant. Mary had made a reservation for 7 p.m. and waited for 45 minutes before being seated. Down the street, Frank’s steak was under-cooked and was sent back to the kitchen.

When Mary complained about the long wait for a table, the hostess simply said, “We’re very busy tonight,” and went on her way. When Frank complained about his steak, his waiter apologized, immediately returned it to the kitchen, and offered Frank and his dinner companion free desserts.

Which restaurant would you patron-ize? I think the answer is evident. The waiter at XYZ Restaurant apologized for the problem and compensated Frank for the mistake, sending the message that the restaurant values Frank and his business.

Every organization, no matter how good it is or how awesome its service, makes mistakes. It’s how employees handle those mistakes that determines the level of service the organization provides and the loyalty that service instills in its customers.

Whatever It TakesService recovery means doing whatever

it takes to solve a customer’s problem—and doing it quickly. Most companies, not only in the United States but throughout the world, don’t know what service recov-ery is, or the impact it can have on their bottom lines. Federal Express is one of those companies.

My company spends $5,000 to $10,000 a month with Federal Express but, when it lost customized, printed material I had shipped to Ethiopian Airlines, it offered no help, so I had to reprint the material and re-ship it. Federal Express located the misplaced shipment two weeks later and denied my claim for the original printing and shipping costs. What it should have done was apologize for the mistake, waive the extra shipping charge, and given me a credit for the extra printing costs against

a future invoice. There was no service recovery here.

Service recovery means providing ser-vice that is so amazing that the customer tells everyone she knows about it. That word-of-mouth advertising is cheap and powerful and will bring more customers—and their money—through your doors.

Four Steps to Grow OnIf you’d like to grow your business,

without having to spend millions of dollars in advertising, focus on service recovery by taking these four steps:

Act quickly. If you can solve a customer’s problem

quickly, in 60 seconds or less, you not only maintain that customer’s loyalty, you save your organization money. How? The cost to move a complaint up the ladder takes more time and increases the cost of resolving the situation by getting others involved. The real magic happens when a frontline employee handles the situation.

Take responsibility. Most employees, when faced with a

complaining customer, take the attitude, “I didn’t cause the problem, so why should I apologize?” They take complaints person-ally rather than merely apologizing for the situation and then working quickly to resolve it. Instead of running for cover, you should simply say, “I’m so sorry for the problem; let me take care of this for you.”

Be empowered. To put service recovery into practice, it’s

imperative that managers and supervisors empower their employees. That means giv-ing them the authority to do whatever is necessary to take care of the customer.

Compensate the customer. Every organization has something of

low cost but high value that it can give a customer as compensation for a problem. A hotel can upgrade a guest’s room to a suite, a cell phone company can give a client 1,000 free minutes, and a computer company can extend a warranty for a year. In each of these cases, the cost to the company is virtually zero.

More Than Customer ServiceThere is a distinction between customer

service and service recovery. If I buy a bag of apples, discover that half of them are rotten, and the store gives me a new bag of apples, that’s customer service. If, how-ever, the store replaces that bag of apples and gives me another at no charge, that’s service recovery.

When you practice—and perfect—ser-vice recovery, your customers will sing your praises to anyone who will listen. That word-of-mouth advertising will bring in new customers and strengthen your bottom line. Service recovery is a powerful tool for success that you can’t afford to ignore.

John Tschohl, an internationally recog-nized service strategist, is founder and president of the Service Quality Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Described by USA Today, Time, and Entrepreneur as a “customer service guru,” John’s monthly strategic newsletter is available online at www.customer-service.com.

Page 22: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

The Student Impact Model

by Rhett Laubach

20 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

Tiffany Grant, a former Oklahoma DECA member, understands how to make an impact on her world. She also is a living, breathing example of something called The Student Impact Model—Influence, Spirit, Class, and Legacy.

Page 23: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

When Tiffany Grant was six years old she was diagnosed with Auditory Process-ing Disorder (APD). The doctors told her she would never speak legibly her

entire life. She didn’t believe them and she worked hard every day to learn how to speak clearly. Tiffany’s fight to overcome APD gave her the confidence to start her own business while in high school called Prom Wishes, Inc. She gathered donations from dress and tuxedo makers, limo services, hair/nail specialists, shoemakers, and so forth and opened her own store in her little Oklahoma town. She then advertised to the surrounding schools that anyone who couldn’t afford to go to prom in style could come to her store and get what they needed for free. Her company’s tag line was “everything you need for a great prom except for the date.” Tiffany knew how to be a leader within her school and community. How about you?

Four Simple ConceptsThe Student Impact Model is four simple concepts every student leader should

hold as central beliefs directing their behavior and thoughts. It’s not an all-inclusive list, but these four can super-charge your ability to make a difference in DECA and in life. As you read through the list, think about whether or not each is present in your life and to what extent. Lead is a verb; leader is a noun; leadership is both. It is the combination of who you are and what you do. Each of these requires action to truly allow you to make an impact.

InfluenceEverything leadership-related

starts with this word. Everyone leaves a mark, for good or bad, on everything and everyone we encounter. Think of it as having a theme song playing every-where you go. Pick a positive, kind, empowering song others will want to turn up. Mak-ing an impact begins with you interacting with others in such a way that makes them want to be around you, work with you, and follow you. Encourage your friends. Give compliments freely. Choose to avoid gossip. Author and teacher Stephen Covey says the best way to build trust with someone in the room is to talk up about people not in the room. Use your influence to build up those around you, in big and small ways.

Spirit Tiffany’s story is most inspiring because of the challenges she had to overcome to just get by in life, let

alone serve others at a high level. Spirit is our ability to remain positive in the face of negative people and situations. It is your capacity for responding to life’s challenges with a growth mindset. Failure is a natural part of life. Everyone has a failure factory. Failure comes into our lives and then we decide what to make with it. Follow Tiffany’s example and use the challenges and difficulties in your life to inspire you to help others overcome, as well.

EXPERIENCED LEADERS

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012 21

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22 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

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A positive spirit is not the absence of troubles; it is the decision to make the absolute best of them. Be thankful when troubling times come into your life. They carry a purpose. The key is you get to decide whether the purpose is to weaken you or to strengthen you. My good friend and speaking peer Bill Cordes calls these times “Great Moments”—moments meant to give us what we need to lead through the good times and the bad.

Class Every student leader who deeply understands how to make a

positive impact in the lives of others knows he or she must first be someone worth following. This requires a commitment move: making the decision to live a life of character and excellence. A classy leader sets a high standard for his or her personal behavior, interactions with others, attire, personal hygiene, work ethic, ser-vice to others, etc. It is not easy to live the life of a first-class leader and that is what makes it so honorable. Students who truly make an impact on others gain followers not by yelling or demanding, but by inspiring others to want to follow them. Apply classy strate-gies to your social media use, also—specifically Facebook.Two examples include:1. Share your good days on Facebook. When you are having

a bad day, talk to someone privately about it. Classy people avoid publicly whining and complaining. Plus, when tough times show up, you need one-on-one interaction to rebuild your spirit.

2. Think about this question: do you keep your Facebook clean

because you never know who may see it or do you keep your life clean so you don’t have to worry about it? Classy students understand the first part of that question. Facebook is called a social network for a reason. You never know who may see a status update or picture and form a negative opinion of you. However, if you follow the lesson from the second part of the question, your character will never be questioned.

LegacyThe most important reason the Student Impact Model works

so effectively as a guideline for students is that the end game is not about the leader, but about the people they are serving and help-ing. Every great leader is entrusted with the critical task of doing work that will last after he or she is gone. When a student leader leaves a positive influence on others, uses challenges to fuel future success, and operates in a classy manner, he or she is creating a legacy of excellence for other students to follow. This legacy is not the reason for making an impact, but it is a sweet by-product.

Influence. Spirit. Class. Legacy. Four simple words that create exceptional results in the lives of student leaders and the people they lead. Go give the best of you and the world will give you its best right back!

For more inspiring words of leadership encouragement, follow Rhett Laubach on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@yns1) and his two blogs: http://plileadership.blogspot.com and www.AuthenticityRules.com. His website is www.YourNextSpeaker.com.

Page 25: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

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Page 26: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

DECA’s connection to business gleans many opportunities for members to learn about marketing, entrepreneurship,

finance, hospitality, and management from highly successful professionals. More than 1,250 members at the Western Region Leadership Conference in San Diego engaged not only with their peers but also with many business partners.

“The reason WRLC is such an amazing conference is because of the vast array of experiences that attendees receive while being here,” said Arizona DECA State Representative Brittany Lucero. Along with being in a beautiful city like San Diego, members were able to hear the stories of brilliant keynote speakers Bill Cordes, Kelly Barnes, and Phil Boyte. The speakers emphasized the impor-tance of the “little leadership moments that lead to big success.”

DECA members enjoyed lots of “little moments” learning throughout the conference including the National Advisory Board workshops and DECA University sessions presented by a field of experts from companies like UBS Financial Services, TRI Leader-

ship Resources, Chick-fil-A, FIDM, American Management As-sociation, Accenture, Men’s Wearhouse, TJ Maxx, and more.

WRLC also hosted two different expert panels on Marketing & Public Relations and the DECA Mission. Their purpose was to give members the opportunity to ask questions and hear from lead-ers who have real-world experience in different sectors of business. Marketing and Public Relations Panel

The first panel was the Marketing and Public Relations Panel facilitated by Bill Cordes of Cordes Keynotes & Seminars and consisted of Accenture Communications Consultant Jonathan F. Block, La Jolla Playhouse Communications Specialist Deanna Chew, Rescue Social Change Group President Jeffrey Jordan, and Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres Director of Market-ing Nicole Smith. These industry leaders volunteered their time because they know that organizations like DECA significantly impact the futures of emerging leaders and aspiring business professionals.

Industry Panels Bring Expert Insight to DECAIndustry Panels Bring Expert Insight to DECA

24 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

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“As a student who has aspirations to pursue a career in public relations, the Marketing and Public Relations Panel was truly in-sightful,” said Nevada DECA Vice President of Publicity Victoria Cana. A great example of this was Jonathan F. Block telling the students, “You’ve got about two or three seconds to get the atten-tion of the people in your generation; you have to make sure your message is succinct and efficient.”

The Padre’s Nicole Smith, who is also a former Disney executive, added, “Public relations is a lot more than showing up and send-ing a Tweet or posting a Facebook message. If that’s all I did you couldn’t justify my salary. It’s about the research, the reach, target-ing, and strategic messaging that goes into every communication.”

The panel provided the attendees with a plethora of wise words, such as “Don’t underestimate the value of the experiences that you can achieve right now and how those little experiences can help you build and grow.” This panel was a big advocate of internships and volunteer work.

“Don’t be afraid to work for free. I worked for free as an intern for years before I landed my first paying job. All of these experi-ences counted when I was hired as the Deputy Press Secretary at the White House,” said Block.

“I started volunteering in causes I believed in while I was a student in Las Vegas,” said Jordan. “In my case it was teen tobacco prevention. Now I have my masters, am working toward my doctorate, and have a successful nationwide business dedicated to social change. It all started with volunteering.”DECA Mission Panel

The DECA Mission Panel of accomplished DECA alumni from throughout the Western Region represented each aspect of DECA’s mission (entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, hos-pitality, and management). The panel was moderated by Ryan Underwood, CEO of TRI Leadership Resources, and included the founder of Leadership Inc. Ty Bennet, Director of C.K. Cooper & Company and Fox Business Contributor Adam Connors, Keller Williams Real Estate Agent Jen Singer, multi-million dollar

entrepreneur David Gass, and Apple Training Facilitator Ed Trang. All panelists work in multi-million/billion dollar enterprises and shared from experience what it takes to lead at the highest levels of business.

Jen Singer encouraged students by saying, “If you do what you love and what you’re passionate about, the money will come. I have always loved house shopping, so it just makes sense that I sell real estate.”

The entire panel emphasized that the key to “Aspire Higher” is setting high goals and working hard at the details. As Ty Bennet said, “None of us on this panel got where we are without working hard.” In addition to writing down goals, the panelists encouraged the audience to talk about their goals so that others can get involved to help. They also mentioned the importance of helping others achieve their goals as well as visualizing goals, whether through a picture, drawing, or poster of what you want to see happen.

One DECA member addressed the panelists with, “You all are accomplished leaders and what we aspire to be. What are the steps we need to take to get to where you are?”

The panelists responded with:• “Don’t be us—be you. Your goal should be to become the

best YOU you can be. That’s what we did.”• “Be a constant student. Never stop learning—it’s more im-

portant now than ever.”• “Make a decision and don’t let up until you do it.”• “You are already us. Change your mindset and everything else

will follow.”• “Don’t do what everybody else is doing. I aspired to be in the

top 5% of people in my industry. That means I have to do things better and differently than the other 95%.”

Read more about the WRLC experience and what these experts had to say by accessing the conference blog at www.getdeca.org.

This article was co-authored by the DECA WRLC Social Media Interns: Victoria Cana, Southwest CTA High School (NV); Dallas Davis, Manzano High School (NM), Tyler Dyer, Kentlake High School (WA), Kyungna Kim, Rancho Bernardo High School (CA), Brittany Lucero, Deer Valley High School (AZ); Saurabh Mahajan, Sprague High School (OR), Kavya Methukupally, Foothill High School (CA); Ross Snyder, Pinnacle High School (AZ); Vincent Velez, Barry Goldwater High School (AZ); Ling Zeng, Rancho Ber-nardo High School (CA).

“ Be a constant student. Never stop learning—it’s more important now than ever.”

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012 25

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26

CHAPTER CLIPS

DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

Pink Out It was all about pink at Alma High School (Ark.) as DECA members held PINK OUT Airedale Stadium for breast cancer awareness month. Aire-looms, AHS’s school-based enterprise, came up with all sorts of new pink t-shirt designs and neat pink items to raise funds to donate to the Kay Yow Foundation for cancer research. The school-based enterprise also partnered with Alma Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, which donated an iPad2 for a drawing. The proceeds from the drawing will also be donated to the Kay Yow Foundation.

Finances 4 Life Varun Chakravarthy, Hassan Hossayrami, and David Berand of Clayton High School (St. Louis) DECA hosted a financial literacy night to educate people about financial steps they can take in this troubled economy. The seminar included five professionals in the economic field including a financial aid advisor from Washington University in St. Louis. The seminar was broken up into breakout sessions led by each of the five guest speakers, and people chose where to go based on what each speaker was presenting.

Across the globe, DECA chapters engage in activities that encourage our members to become academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible, experienced leaders. Share your chapter’s activities by e-mailing [email protected].

Leadership ForumTexas DECA District #3, Pasadena High School Chapter officers participated in “The O Factor,” a leadership forum in October sponsored by the Vince Young Foundation. “The O Factor” emphasizes the message: “Experience Your Opportunity.”

Page 29: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

CHAPTER CLIPS

27DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

Relay for LifeBattlefield (Haymarket, Va.) DECA members gathered at their high school on September 24 for a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. all-night walk benefiting the American Cancer Society. A total of 178 DECA team members came out for 12 hours of activities, games, and walking. By the morning the chapter had raised $4,358 for the cause.

Service ExtravaganzaSherando (Stephens City, Va.) DECA members organized two major service efforts in October. “Warriors Go Pink for a Cure” provided a women’s day out at the local mall. Women were treated to manicures, makeovers, and pink hair extensions with more than $2,000 raised for the Angel Fund, a breast cancer support group at the Winchester Medical Center. Members rallied the very next day for the “Fight to Drive Right” campaign. In conjunction with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Department, DECA members hosted a distracted driving challenge course. Four-person teams competed in a drunk-goggles course, a texting-while-driving course and a seatbelt challenge. The event was so successful in bringing awareness to distracted driving that the school board office and sheriff’s department are planning a similar challenge at the other two area high schools.

Fair FunCaddo Career & Technology Center (Shreveport, LA) DECA kicked off DECA Week with a community service project by volunteering at the Red River Revel (Fair) and assisting at the Pet Education Project Tent. DECA members helped elementary students to color and draw for prizes.

Sidewalk SaleMaple Shade (N.J.) DECA members showed their school spirit and fundraising skills at Maple Shade’s 39th Annual Sidewalk Sale, held on Main Street every year. Clothes from the school store were sold to community members and fellow shaders. Maple Shade DECA also ran its Annual Cats Kids Zone. Parents could purchase tickets for their children to participate in fun games such as a pumpkin bean bag toss, the duck pond, a moon bounce, and pumpkin painting.

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28 DECA DIMENSIONS | January–February 2012

Learn more about the topics featured in this issue of Dimensions! Download an app at reader.kaywa.com and use your camera-enabled smartphone to reveal the contents of the QR codes below.

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Page 31: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

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Page 32: DECA Dimensions | January-February 2012

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