U.S. Army Supports 2011 DECA Conference

Jun 7, 2011

The U.S. Army was a sponsor at DECA’s International Career Development Conference that took place from 30 APR-3 MAY at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. This conference provided a great opportunity for the Army to further its partnership with DECA and its education mission to help position young people to reach their goals.

The Army supported the DECA conference in a number of ways, including sponsoring the first annual 5K run where Army-branded backpacks and water bottles were distributed to participants. Army officers participated in the executive mentor program where they spoke with DECA students, sharing their Army story, as well as highlighting life lessons and strategies for making the transition from high school to college and the workforce.

The Army booth included a pull-up bar where the Drill Sergeants challenged students and teachers to see how many pull-ups they could do and Army representatives shared information about the various Army opportunities including ROTC and West Point. Several Army representatives also participated as judges of the competitive events portion of the conference.

The event concluded with a presentation by Major General Mark McDonald, commanding general, U.S. Army Cadet Command at the DECA Leadership Luncheon where he highlighted the congruencies between DECA and the Army in supporting today’s young people. Harmony High School’s JROTC Color Guard presented the colors prior to lunch and had an opportunity to meet Major General McDonald.

Photos from the conference are available on Flickr and a video of the pull-up challenge can be viewed on SchoolTube.com.