ENHANCE YOUR CLASSROOM

Serve as an Advisor

DECA advisors are often the teachers who students remember long after graduating. They have unparalleled access to resources to enhance the classroom experience, bring learning to life and motivate students.

Join Our Community of Passionate Educators

Thank you for your interest in serving as a DECA advisor! It is our pleasure to introduce you to one of the most powerful teaching and learning tools that you’ll ever find for your courses. As a DECA advisor, you will have access to some of the most innovative, rigorous and relevant classroom resources to enhance your students' learning.

BE A HERO

Six Reasons to Serve as a DECA Advisor

The benefits of serving as a DECA advisor directly impact students, teachers, classrooms, schools and communities. Our professional network also allows DECA advisors to share resources and ideas among colleagues and enhance their skills through advisor professional development.

Enrich Your Teaching + Support Your Students' Learning

  • DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program supports the Career Clusters® of marketing, business management, finance and hospitality and tourism. DECA activities align your program with national curriculum standards.
  • DECA also promotes entrepreneurship education, as well as personal financial literacy.
  • Integrate DECA activities that teach or reinforce specific career and academic standards, as well as important 21st Century Skills.
  • DECA provides support for students to practice their management and leadership skills by incorporating project management into the curriculum.

Bring Your Classroom to Life

  • Facilitate career preparation and goal setting among your students with DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program, including case studies connected to national curriculum standards, and outlines for business operations research, entrepreneurship plans, project management and integrated marketing campaigns.
  • DECA’s Classroom Connection provides advisors with a weekly lesson plan and resources such as videos, digital classroom activities and seminars.
  • Extend learning beyond the classroom by involving business professionals in classroom activities, projects, internships and field trips. Partnerships with businesses at local and broader levels provide DECA members realistic insight into industry and promote meaningful, relevant learning.

Motivate Students While Preparing Them for College and Careers

  • Empower your DECA members to practice effective leadership through a chapter leadership team reflecting a corporate leadership structure.
  • Bring visibility and recognition opportunities to your school.
  • Promote your program by aligning with DECA, a recognizable brand that can translate to opportunities for your students through graduation.
  • Communicate curriculum standards and the value of involvement in DECA to counselors and administrators to build support for your classes and program.
  • As in the global economy, a spark of competition drives DECA members to excel and improve their performance.

Access High-Quality Professional Development

  • DECA’s Professional Learning Series offers trainings, resources, and networking and information sharing opportunities to help DECA advisors maximize their effectiveness in the classroom. Topics include: Teaching and Learning Methods, DECA Chapter Strategy, and Business and Industry Trends.
  • DECA’s Professional Learning Standards demonstrate and reinforce the important role of DECA advisors as they implement a successful DECA chapter.
  • DECA’s partners often provide exclusive scholarships for DECA advisors to use for continuing education and professional learning.

Engage in Our Professional Learning Community

  • Instantly become part of a network of thousands of colleagues who teach the same courses in business, marketing, finance, hospitality, entrepreneurship and personal finance.
  • Smaller networks within your DECA district and association get you connected to those more geographically central to you.
  • DECA’s Advisor Mentoring Network is a comprehensive program designed to support new DECA advisors.

Your Students Will Thank You

  • DECA can unlock opportunities for your members through unforgettable learning experiences, travel and scholarships, all while preparing for college and careers.
  • DECA members are ambitious, high-achieving leaders equipped to conquer the challenges of their aspirations.
  • Recognizing the benefit of service and responsibility to the community, DECA members continually impact and improve their communities.
  • DECA members are professionals with ethics, integrity and high standards.
  • DECA provides support for students to practice their management and leadership skills by incorporating project management into the curriculum.
"I had no idea what DECA was when I began. Within the first year, I realized what a wonderful impact DECA had in the classroom."
Scott Fuenfhausen
Missouri | 16-Year DECA Advisor
"Serving as a DECA advisor gives you access to great materials for your classroom. My philosophy has always been DECA is a teaching tool first and competition second."
Dana Boice
Michigan | 22-Year DECA Advisor
"I had no idea what DECA was, but as soon as I went through my first year of being an advisor, I knew this was the career I would do for the rest of my life."
Jeffrey Samaniego
Arizona | 5-Year DECA Advisor
"As a brand-new marketing teacher, I was introduced to DECA and luckily had a standout mentor to guide me through the process of how to incorporate it into the classroom and beyond."
Kelly Fowler
Missouri | 16-Year DECA Advisor
"DECA definitely connects to the curriculum and supports my teaching and my students’ learning."
Jodi Morgan, MBA
California | 7-Year DECA Advisor
"As a DECA advisor, I believe I have the best job in the world. My DECA students are innovating and incredibly inspiring."
Hilary Wimmer
Colorado | 16-Year DECA Advisor
"The professional development that DECA provides is top notch. The networking and valuable information that is shared at these trainings allow you to grow and develop professionally with an opportunity to bring back content that you can actually use in your classroom."
Kimberly Bailey-Thomas
Deleware | 5-Year DECA Advisor

Advisor Guidebook

This Is How We Do DECA

DECA's "This Is How We Do DECA" publication is the perfect guidebook for DECA advisors. Learn about DECA, the advisor's role, chapter strategy, how to gain support and more.

Find a Mentor

DECA Advisor Mentoring Network

DECA’s Advisor Mentoring Network is a formal year-long program that connects new DECA advisors to experienced DECA advisors who serve as their mentors.

Questions?

Contact DECA staff
for more information.

Debbie Taylor
Director of Programs
Contact