Bellevue, Washington – From Thursday, November 7th to Sunday, November 10th, over 70 Harker students attended DECA’s Western Region Leadership Conference. Starting off the 2024-2025 season, this event was the first conference for many, designed to provide students with competitive feedback and hands-on experience through participating in workshops with keynote speakers. 

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On Thursday, November 7th, Harker DECA arrived in Seattle, Washington in the afternoon, and chartered a bus to the Hyatt Regency Bellevue on Seattle’s Eastside. Shortly after settling into the hotel, the chapter took a field trip to Snoqualmie Falls where students hiked to see the breathtaking waterfall, Washington’s second most popular tourist attraction. Returning to the hotel after a leisurely afternoon, students were given free time to get dinner in the local area. 

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Later that evening, everyone attended the opening session where students were given more information on what to expect for the coming days of the conference. After the introduction from Washington DECA Officers, students listened to keynote speaker, Nash Fung, as he performed close up magic while educating about empathetic communication. The next speakers were the Free Daps who are freestyle rappers based in Orlando, Florida. They put on a personalized show with energetic rhymes and audience interaction.

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Friday kicked off the competitive events. Students attended Learning Labs during the morning where they listened to lectures about a variety of topics including professionalism, career advice, and roleplay and written prep tips. Later in the afternoon, roleplays began with first-year DECA members participating in the Principles of Entrepreneurship competition (PEN) while returning members participated in the Marketing Communication Series competition (MCS). 

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“The roleplays were really fun! Definitely required a lot of thinking beforehand, but when I was performing, it was fun to interact with the judge and do the event. It was both exciting and a little nerve-racking,” said Alexis Santosa (9). 

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After the competitive events concluded for the day, students had the chance to have fun at the Northwest Experience, a high-energy social event with games and networking opportunities, immersing attendees in local Seattle culture. 

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“I loved all of the activities at the event. I feel like I bonded with a lot of my friends through collaborating in the escape room. Also, the mascots that represented Washington were cool to see. It was so great to connect with and get in touch with all the freshmen,” said Eden Kelly (11), Director of Technology. 

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The next morning, students got breakfast and continued to attend more Learning Labs. In the afternoon, Closing Ceremony began with keynote speaker, Hoan Do, giving a motivational speech, empowering students to seize opportunities and overcome hardship. Next was the awards presentation. Harker DECA represented a substantial number of finalists from California, with 11 of our members receiving awards. 

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Top performers recognized during the Closing Session are as follows: 

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Marketing Communications Series (MCS)

Sanaa Bhorkar (12) 

Lauren Lin (12) 

Eden Kelly (11) 

Nicole Dean (10)

Nathaniel Idicula (10) 

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Principles of Entrepreneurship (PEN) 

Sophie Han (9)

Will Hou (9)

Isaac Liu (9)

Arushi Mallick (9)

Amber Wee (9)

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Marketing Exam

Jonny Tang (9)

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After the conference concluded, the chapter took another trip, this time to Pike’s Place in the heart of Seattle. Students were able to go on a cruise in the bay around the city, accompanied with live narration about historic landmarks and buildings. Concluding the Seattle experience, students had free time to explore the Pike’s Place market and get dinner at local Seattle restaurants. The chapter got ice cream together and returned to the hotel after an exciting afternoon. 

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“My favorite part was the mac and cheese at Beecher’s, a legendary Seattle restaurant. It tasted so authentic and delicious. Definitely a highlight from the trip,” said Amishi Gupta (11), VP of Competitions. 

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The chapter flew back to SJC the next day leaving with professional development and conference experience to aid them in becoming future leaders. Overall, the chapter was able to bond closer with each other, network with peers across the western region, and familiarize themselves with Washington state. 

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“Conferences like WRLC are absolutely integral for freshmen and first-year DECA members. It gives them a chance to experience what a real conference is like and prepares them for the upcoming DECA season. We’ve seen a lot of improvement since launch, and are very proud of their hard work and dedication attendees have put in this weekend. Can’t wait for SVCDC!” said Sanaa Bhorkar (12), Chief Executive Officer. 

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About The Harker School DECA 

Harker DECA is an International Competitive Business Organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in four fields of business: marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. Our DECA chapter integrates classroom instruction, applies learning, connects to business, and promotes competition in order to prepare the next generation to be academically prepared, community oriented, professionally responsible, and experienced leaders.

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Contact Information

To learn more about this story, please contact:

Kai Nishimura, Director of Communications

27KainN@students.harker.org

deca.harker.org

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