Senior Katie Miller has made Algonquin’s biggest club into the opportunity of a lifetime. Miller has been involved in DECA, a club promoting business education, since her freshman year and is now a Massachusetts State Officer.

“DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in the categories of marketing, finance, hospitality, and management,” Miller said. “There are competitions where people compete in categories against each other.”

Competing in DECA is a unique opportunity for future businesspeople. There are three levels of competitions: districts, states, and internationals.

Students can choose to be in a performance-based event, compete in online virtual games, or complete projects. Miller, alongside her partner senior Olivia Permatteo, competes in a performance-based event in the category of business law.

“In a performance based event, you do a roleplay [where] you get a case study situation and you have 10 or 30 minutes to prepare and present your ideas in front of a judge,” Miller said. “The other part is a 100 question multiple question test in your cluster category.”

Miller has dedicated time to improving her business skills.

“I was voted a state officer of Massachusetts DECA and I got the underclassmen award for the business department for two years,” Miller said.

Being a state officer of DECA is a big responsibility but Miller was more than willing to take on the challenge.

“We work in a team to make all the events through the year,” Miller said. “We help to orchestrate a lot of the conferences, fundraisers, recruit new chapters, and help them with any problems they’re having.”

Business teacher Patricia Riley advises the Algonquin DECA chapter and she believes that Miller’s success in DECA has come from her early start and continued dedication.

“She got involved freshman year. Her and her partner work really well together and every year she would get more involved in DECA,” Riley said. “She has developed her leadership skills to the point where she felt running for state officer was the next step.”

Miller will further her business education through college by majoring in marketing. DECA’s district competition will begin on January 13.