“DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.” This month of November is the time to say your thanks. As I am thankful for family, friends, shelter, and food I am most thankful for DECA. DECA’s mission means being given the opportunity to be in a life changing business club that will give you experiences and friends that will last a lifetime. As a 4-year DECA member from Ponca City Senior High School and a current Oklahoma DECA State Vice President I can state that DECA has impacted my life dramatically. It helped me capture the most memorable and life-changing experiences that taught me who I am. DECA gave me the opportunity to meet many wondrous people, it helped me realize  that those people were right in front of me and all I had to do was put myself out there. Without DECA, I would have still been that reluctant little teenage girl who gets stage fright when there’s only 5 people in the audience. If it wasn’t for my DECA chapter advisor, Mrs. Monks, I wouldn’t have been in this amazing state officer group. Thank you, Mrs. Monks, for pushing me to do what I thought I couldn’t. I’m thankful for the life-long leadership skills that I’ve learned through DECA, and from those skills I will learn to become an even better leader in the future.