For DECA students, standing in a room filled with strangers is a typical scene. 

On January 6, the Liberty DECA program competed in the 2023 Area Competition Conference held at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. 

Students compete in three different categorical events, and are given presentation times. Liberty DECA competes against over 11 schools, which include Newport, Issaquah, Skyline, and Bellevue High School. Students of the program put in countless hours of preparation and hard work in order to advance to the next stage of competition.

“I’d say one of the hardest parts is preparing for the test for your event. Just practicing and taking practice tests over and over to get a good score,” DECA Financial Officer Caleb Hu said. 

When students arrive at the conference, they could be participating in a role-play, case study, or pre plan event, so their event times can usually be apart by hours. 

“My least favorite thing is waiting for your own event. It’s a very nerve-racking experience and I just want my event to get done so then I can hang out with my friends,” junior James Jinguji said. 

After a competition, students of the Liberty DECA chapter typically hang out around Bellevue and have fun after their event is over and the stress of waiting for their presentation is gone. 

“Waiting for your name to be called on stage and having the anxiety of whether or not you qualified is my least favorite thing about Area Competition,” Hu said . 

Liberty DECA, like years past, had great results for this year’s Area Competition. Students of the program put in their best effort– and it shows. As a result, there were over 6 double qualifiers moving onto the State Development Career Conference which takes place from March 3-4th at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.