Liberty DECA students left last Thursday, Nov. 14, for the Western Regional Leadership Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

Lasting an entire weekend, the conference consists of multiple lectures, workshops, and other activities designed to give participants real world practice for upcoming real competitions and useful examples that can be used to construct a perfect presentation.

Students attend WRLC to help them prepare for competition,” said DECA advisor Chris Gapinski, “they attend workshops concerning various business topics such as entrepreneurship, using social media in business plans, networking, and various marketing plans that have helped local entrepreneurs succeed..”

Included in the events, students are given business scenarios and are required to solve specific problems with indicators that should be utilized in a presentation. These scenarios are given out and presentations are made to a group of judges who rate the presentation: all of which is done in the same day.

Of the participating nine students two were DECA officers, four were managers, and three were participating Liberty DECA students.

The Phoenix conference is not exclusive and is considered a volunteer event. Students new to DECA are encouraged to go because the conference provides “real world” practice for competition; however, DECA officers are given the first opportunity to sign up for the limited spaces available on the trip.

Although the trip lasted through Sunday Nov. 17, focus was not entirely limited to the leadership conference. Students were given a day of downtime to clear their minds of the stresses involved with business—Liberty’s chapter spent the day at the Castles and Coasters Amusement Park.

“Having been to WRLC three years in a row I can tell you that it’s been very valuable,” said senior Keegan Kylstra. “The mock competitions and workshops were beneficial to me going to state my first year.”