If lemonade stands and selling girl scout cookies was an important part of your childhood and the entrepreneurial spirit runs in your blood, DECA is for you.

“DECA is an organization for high school and college students who compete in events related to entrepreneurship, merchandising and accounting,” said Miguel Carmo, DECA advisor.

Now in his second year teaching Business at Franklin High, Carmo believes joining DECA augments the participants’ public speaking skills and offers real world experience in the financial sector.

In addition to competitive events with other DECA teams from all over the state, DECA will also soon open a school store that will sell school supplies and FHS apparel.

If DECA intrigues you, and school apparel is your forte, the DECA store is expected to be fully functional “hopefully towards the end of the year and full steam ahead at the beginning of next year,” said Carmo.

Allie Either, a 2-year veteran of the program and a senior at FHS, believes it has strengthened her public speaking skills and says she would recommend the program to “anybody who’s interested in business.”

In the constantly shifting market of the 21st century global economy, substantive business experience is essential. Where better to develop these skills than your very own high school?