High school students often discover their passions and interests through extracurricular activities. Junior Katie Miller knew that she wanted to pursue a business career and found DECA [Association of Marketing Students] to be her true calling.

According to the DECA organization website, “DECA is preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs to be college and career ready.” Throughout the year, students who participate in the club will work to improve their skills so that they can prosper at the DECA competitions.

Miller began her participating in DECA at the beginning of her freshman year, and has since worked her way up to Vice President of Leadership and Development.

“I make sure the people in our chapter are ready for competition and we try and help them win, ” Miller said.

Competitive events are an integral part of DECA’s mission. According to the DECA organization website, “Competitive events directly contribute to every student being college and career ready when they graduate from high school.”

Along with guiding other members to victory, Miller and teammate junior Livvy Permatteo have participated in all stages of the competitive events thus far this year. At Districts, the first stage of competition, Miller and Permatteo fell short of their expectations and did not place.

“At Districts, Livvy and I didn’t make top three, which was a little bit disappointing to us,” Miller said. “We were scared for States, which is the second stage of competition, because we thought if we didn’t make top three at Districts we wouldn’t be able to make top three at States,”

However, Miller did not need to worry as the pair made a comeback at States and achieved first place. This time, Miller felt much more certain in her performance.

“When we finished our tests and our role plays [at States], we were really confident and after the first awards ceremony, we had a feeling that we would do really well,” Miller said.

Miller was very pleased with their win, and as a result she feels more confident in her abilities.

“It was really exciting, and it reinforces that DECA is something that [Livvy and I] are passionate about and we like it,” Miller said. “It’s something that we’re good at, which is something that we can now say confidently.”

Unfortunately, Miller was unable to compete in Nationals, the third stage of competition, in Nashville because she participated in the French Exchange

Program. However, she is still planning to attend the Leadership Academy to fulfill her duties as an officer.

Miller plans to attend college for a business-related major and feels that DECA has aided her in her goal thus far.

“DECA has given me a lot of experience in what it’s like to work in business,” Miller said. “Because of DECA I definitely know that I want to pursue a business career because it’s something I could be successful in and that I know I’m very interested in.”

“It’s really good to meet new people and be able to experience what it’s like to really be in the business world and to test yourself and see what you’re capable of,” Miller said.

Miller also became further involved in the club when she was elected State Officer at States, a role that she will fulfill for the remainder of this year and next year.

“I feel very lucky that I won, and I’m excited to further my involvement in DECA next year as an officer,” Miller said. “Hopefully our chapter can do just as well or better [in the competition] next year.”

“I’m hoping to make an impact with the state leadership team and to also continue to grow our DECA chapter at Algonquin,” Miller said.