By Bella Ciccolo, ’26

Staff Writer and DECA president

Over the past three years, DECA has had a profound impact within our community. The significant growth and achievement of the club, part of a global organization highlighting careers in business, is a direct reflection of the hard work of many students. Not only have these young leaders learned about business, but they have also developed valuable communication and critical thinking skills that apply to any profession.

In its first year as a club, 13 students signed up. Ready to register as one of about 4,500 chapters around the world, students discovered they had missed the deadline. Instead of feeling defeated, DECA members spent the year building a strong foundation through practice roleplays and fundraising. 

“Starting a club as a sophomore can be very intimidating and scary at first, especially when people don’t know about it,” said Senior Katie Jones, who was part of those initial efforts and now serves as vice president. “It was challenging to grow awareness at first, but once we learned more and worked together, we became successful.”

In year two, the club grew to 24 members and officially registered as a chapter. The group took part in the District One competition, where students from the region who have studied a business topic are evaluated on their knowledge and professionalism with roleplays, case studies or presentations. Competitiors also must take a 100-question exam about business careers. In that first competition, six members placed and four students qualified for states. These awards were impressive considering the pool of highly qualified students competing; more experienced chapters such as Marshfield, Plymouth North, and Pembroke each have more than 100 members. 

This year, DECA has seen its most significant growth due to the dedication of the executive board of seniors Jones, Hope Miller, Grace Gilligan, Dylan Poirier and Bella Ciccolo. The club grew to six times its previous size and now has more than 80 members. At an informational meeting in September, the crowd overflowed the room.

“It was so exciting to see the growth and I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished with this club,” Jones said. 

“I loved being able to be a part of a community where I was with my close friends but also a place where everyone wants to thrive and work their hardest,” added Gilligan.

The club participated in the District conference in January and the results were outstanding. Hanover earned 13 medals and 11 trophies! Ciccolo and Poirier took 1st place in Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making, seniors Brianna Adams and Sienna Lamond won 2nd place in Marketing Management Team Decision Making, seniors Marina Khalil and Anna Parker earned 3rd place in Hospitality Services Team Decision Making, junior Jolie Coviello won 3rd place in Principles of Entrepreneurship, seniors Bryan Collins and Leo Galvin earned 4th place in Travel and Tourism Marketing Team Decision Making, sophomores Luca Ciccolo and Grant Miller placed 5th place in Financial Services Team Decision Making, junior Audrey Martin and sophomore Allie Waterman medaled in Entrepreneurship Team Decision Making, and sophomore Matt Farrell medaled in Principles of Hospitality and Tourism.

The students who earned trophies also earned seats at the state conference in March. DECA’s advisor, Mr. Ciccolo, an HHS business and computer science teacher, worked to secure sponsorships so students could attend the state conference for free rather than paying the $600 fee. “We have networked significantly, gaining sponsorships from local businesses and fundraising to reduce financial barriers in this year’s district, state, and national competitions,” said Poirier, the club’s treasurer.

At states, the team of Adams and Lamond earned 5th place in Marketing Management Team Decision Making and a trip to the international competition April 25-28 in Atlanta, Ga. This is an incredible accomplishment not just for these two students, but for a club in just its third year.

“For the past two years, we have been able to improve our presentation and communication skills as well as our general knowledge about marketing, economics, and the field of business as a whole,” Adams said. “These are skills we will truly carry with us forever, and we have DECA to thank for that.” 

“DECA gave us the space to explore our business interests, and now we’re suddenly going to compete at internationals,” Lamond added. “We’re excited to compete with students from across the country who are also passionate about business, and have the opportunity to network and prepare ourselves for whatever future career we may seek.”

One of the goals set for – and met – this year was to involve as many underclassmen as possible so the club would last beyond the graduation of many of the original members. With such a strong showing at the district competition by sophomores and juniors, the executive board is confident that the club will continue to thrive in the future.

“Being a part of DECA these past three years has truly been one of my favorite aspects of high school,” said Poirier. “This success is attributed to the dedication of the many growing student leaders of DECA, and the organization’s expansion is something I am immensely proud to be a part of.”