The Ultimate DECA Power Trip experience is one of the best trips you take when you become a Louisiana Association officer. Power Trip is a place where you can network with other state officers, go to leadership workshops, meet with colleges across the nation, and connect with the international officers. A place to truly "Maximize your Momentum," as they say.
The Ultimate DECA Power Trip 2021 was held in one of my favorite cities in America - Boston, Massachusetts. Over the summer of 2021, I actually traveled up there to do volunteer construction work for a nonprofit coffee shop, so I was pretty excited to be back. Boston is home to some of the greatest art, literature, and historical sites in our nation. The Museum of Fine Arts. Walden Pond. The Liberty Trail. The Boston Public Library. If you can name it - you can probably find it in Boston.
Here are some of the best stories, shenanigans, and experiences that came out of the 2021 DECA Power Trip.
Workshops
DECA conferences are always jam-packed with educational opportunities! Conference attendees were able to attend "learning labs," network with colleges across America, and shop at the Shop DECA booth. The sessions equipped every member with information to return to their respective chapter with great leadership skills and competition strategies. As an added bonus, whoever went to all six learning labs got added to a drawing for a door prize given at the end of the conference!
The Great Arkansas Table Marker Heist
In order to promote some friendly competition between the states, the Arkansas association officers took our "Louisiana" table marker from the luncheon. In a ransom-style video they tagged us in on Instagram, they promised the safe return of our table marker if we were to find the officer who took it and complete a "challenge." Alas, the search began. We asked every single Arkansas officer if they had ours, but no luck. Finally, at one of the last workshops (the "What Competitor Are You" workshop, hosted by our very own 2020 SR Vice President Ramki Annachi), we spotted an Arkansas officer. We cornered him following the workshop, and sure enough, he had our table marker!
Of course, finding him wasn't a challenge enough. We had to play a game of rock paper scissors. If we lost, we would never see the table marker again. The pressure was on. I stepped up to the plate. What happened? I'll let you watch it below.
Credits to @arkansas.deca
That's right - we won it back! In possibly one of the most stressful school games I have ever put myself through, we came out victorious. It was a moment to remember.
Competition Roleplays
Of course, it wouldn't be a DECA conference without some sort of competition. We performed practice marketing roleplays Saturday morning. The performers with a perfect score would be honored in the closing session on Sunday. Our own State President - Lauryn Shavers - won this award! We were very proud of her! She proudly made her way up to the stage and gracefully accepted her award.
DECA After Dark
DECA is a lot of things, but nobody in their right mind can say it is boring. World-class entertainment and motivational speakers were brought in for our very own pleasure. One of the most interesting choices of entertainment was a hypnotist, who randomly chose 15 people out of the audience to hypnotize on stage. The most epic speaker, however, was DECA alumnus Hoan Do, who was a finalist on NBC's American Ninja Warrior. He delivered an exciting keynote that motivated everybody in the audience.
Free Time
Of course, our fun did not stop when Power Trip ended. After PowerTrip, we were free to explore the beautiful city that Boston is. On Sunday, promptly after the closing session, we meandered around the Museum of Fine Arts, looking at African artifacts, Dutch Baroque paintings, Ancient Egyptian statues, Japanese prints, and musical instruments. It was a wonderful way to spend our afternoon.
The next day, we hit up the New England Aquarium and the Tea Party Museum. The Tea Party Museum was an immersive experience that took us back in time to the night when the colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor.
The Ultimate DECA Power Trip was an unforgettable experience that I had the pleasure of experiencing with the rest of the Louisiana State Officer team. And remember, if you ever want to have the same amazing experience that I had, do NOT hesitate to run for state office! For more information, visit https://www.louisianadeca.com/officers.