Before you officially register, please make sure to complete the tasks listed below. Once you have met all the chapter starting requirements, please fill out the New Maryland DECA Chapter Interest Form.

All new Maryland Chapters are required to fill out this chapter interest form and participate in an onboarding call with our state officers. We will reach out to you with more information once we receive your application.

Assembling a Team of Students

No DECA Chapter can be run by just one person, so make sure you have a team of motivated and driven students helping to build up the chapter. A competitive DECA Chapter needs at least five paying members, but most chapters have more than this number by their first year. Here are some potential roles you can assign to your founding members:

President: Ensures each task is being fulfilled.

Vice President of Administration: Handle administrative work and collect payments

Vice President of Training: Manage preparation for DECA events

Vice President of Public Relations: Expand DECA to new students

Keep in mind that the officer teams of DECA chapters differ, so this exact structure does not need to be followed. Cater to the strengths and needs of your early members. To review the requirements and information about starting a chapter, refer to the DECA Inc website.

Identifying an Advisor

This is the biggest hurdle for most new chapters, because advisors have many responsibilities. They must attend conferences with students (or have a substitute chaperone), preside over club meetings, and act as the adult supervisor of the organization, among other things. Here are some common ways to find an advisor:

* Reach out to your school’s club director to see if they can recommend a potential advisor

* Contact any past teachers. These can be in the fields of Social Studies, English, Business, Computer Science, or anything! Faculty members such as library staff can also be advisors

If your teacher advisor feels skeptical about creating a DECA chapter in your school, emphasize how the organization supports educational initiatives. DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program supports 21st century skills, common core, project based learning, and personal financial literacy initiatives. More information here: DECA Classroom

* As COVID-19 makes our world virtual, it’s important to maintain contact with potential advisors through email. Consider also holding Zoom meetings with interested staff.

 Getting Club Clearance

Rules for starting a new school club vary by county, but many schools have administrators who decide whether a club gets to take place. Reach out to your school SGA for more information about starting a club at your school.

Fill out the New Maryland DECA Chapter Interest Form

All new Maryland Chapters are required to fill out this chapter interest form and participate in an onboarding call with our state officers. We will reach out to you with more information once we receive your application.

Final Steps: Please Do Not Complete Until Onboarding is Completed

Registering with DECA Inc: Once you have gained the approval of your school’s administration, fill out this new chapter request form. When your club has gained confirmation from Maryland DECA, a username and password will be provided. Use this login information to enter your membership roster.

Recruiting Members

The best way to reach potential members is through social media accounts like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Once you have these accounts set up, begin following all of the chapter members, and follow some people who have expressed interest. Regularly post about once every other week with engaging tips for business-motivated students or event reminders. Remember to use websites like Canva to make aesthetic posts for social media. Club fairs are a great chance to advocate for DECA, so come prepared with your elevator speech. An elevator speech is a 30-second to 1-minute explanation that answers three questions: What is DECA? What do you do in DECA? Why should I join DECA?

There are certain clubs with similar interests to DECA: FBLA, SGA, Key Club to name a few. Consider working directly with these clubs at your school to ensure students have opportunities to do DECA.

The 2023-2024 DECA Guide has a variety of updates including any competitive event updates and changes as well as other various resources including posters, sample role plays, and more.