Thousands of Wake County Students Compete in DECA Event at Raleigh Convention Center

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Thousands of Wake County high school students stepped out of the classroom and into the Raleigh Convention Center on Thursday for a major DECA competition.

The Distributive Education Clubs of America, or DECA, prepares high school and college students to become leaders and entrepreneurs in business. More than 2,600 students from 21 Wake County high schools competed in 18 events during the District 3 competition.

Participants showcased marketing, finance, hospitality, and management skills by pitching solutions to real-world scenarios before judges.

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"DECA is such a great opportunity for all students. I joined DECA during my freshman year. It's been a wild ride. I always make a joke about how in my earlier grades I could barely talk in front of people, but now I don't even mind talking in front of hundreds of chapter members. And I attribute a lot of that to DECA and the impact it's had on me to improve," said Jean-Luis Gracia, a senior at Panther Creek High School in Apex.

Students who advance from the district competition in Raleigh will move on to DECA's state competition at the end of February in Greensboro.