At 3 am on Friday, Apr. 24, the Niles North DECA chapter stood at O’Hare Airport. Dozy and sluggish, the 27 Nationals-qualifying students (myself included!) and four advisors shuffled through security, toward the gate, and finally onto the airplane. We’d spent months preparing for this moment, and our unbridled excitement was paralleled only by our utter exhaustion. The plane took off, silently, into the night. Next stop: Atlanta.
That day, and the next several after it, were jam-packed with competitions and fun. Over the span of two days, almost everyone competed, presenting the projects we’d worked on since August to judges. We faced off against top achievers from all different states and several countries. In between these contests, we networked, made friends, and traded our signature Illinois pins with those belonging to peers from other states (see attached slideshow).
However, it was the non-competitive programming that is perhaps most memorable. Throughout our trip, we had the privilege of visiting the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola; making our way through escape rooms to avoid getting slimed; facing off against each other in hours of pickleball; and attending a Braves-Phillies game. More importantly, we spent hours getting to know each other on a deeper level and having loads of fun.
Personally, one of the things I appreciated most about the trip was the opportunity to meet people, and learn about cultures, from all different parts of the country. I talked with peers from New York and Ohio and Georgia. I tried Southern Sweet Tea and Waffle House for the first time. And, on a more personal level, I got to know people living in my own town with whom I’d never really talked much before.
If you are an underclassman considering joining DECA next year, I would strongly encourage you to do so. It’s a lot of work, sure, (I can’t say I exactly loved getting in weekly arguments with my partner over this or that part of our project!) but nonetheless, if you put your all into it, it is very rewarding in the end. I’m wholly grateful to the school and my advisors for an excellent 2026 Nationals trip, and want to shout-out everybody that went this year. What a great time it was!
