On April 30, sophomore Jack McClure placed fourth in the world at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Anaheim, California, amongst over 24,000 competitors. DECA is a non-profit organization with the goal of preparing students for careers in entrepreneurial and leadership roles.
“DECA is like the equivalent of a UIL competition for business classes,” real estate teacher Michael Lemonds said. “Students can compete against other students around the state, in the country, and then eventually the world, in events ranging from finance, to marketing, to hospitality and tourism, to entrepreneurship, and things like that. [Jack] was principles of hospitality and tourism.”
Despite McClure’s unquestionable success, the event was new to him, and he didn’t always envision himself participating in DECA competitions.
“This was actually my first year in the competition,” McClure said. “Last year, I knew nothing about DECA until they came and told my business class about it, and I was like ‘that kind of sounds stupid, but I really want to go somewhere fun.’ I also had marketing this year with Ms. Riddlebarger and I had Mr. Lemonds, so I met both of them, and they were so amazing, and I was like, ‘this seems like so much fun, let’s do it!’ I went into it thinking I wouldn’t get far at all, I put barely any effort into the tests or anything, and I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just glad to be here.’ And then, somehow, it just sparked from there.”
While it may seem to be an impossible task to compete at such a high level as a newcomer, McClure emphasized how a strategic and consistent method can help to guarantee success.
“I’ve talked to a lot of people, and, especially at internationals, everyone there put so much effort into everything they did,” McClure said. “They would just eat, sleep, and DECA. I would do my practice tests, but I didn’t go crazy. I just stuck with what I knew and kept on building with the things that I learned from every competition. Honing in on what worked best for me was really what got me that far. Anything that I felt made the judges smile or made them laugh, I was like, ‘I’m gonna do this next time.’ I really think it was just because I believed in myself and the whole time I told myself ‘I have this,’ and ‘I’m going to do this.’ Even if I doubted myself, I convinced myself that I didn’t, and I think that’s really what got me that far.”
Participating in such a significant competition is a major experience and can seem intimidating, but it’s also a great opportunity to meet and connect with peers who have similar interests in business.
“Honestly, ICDC was definitely one of the most fun competitions,” McClure said. “[It was great] getting to see people from all around the world. There were people from Brazil; I talked to all the Canada people; Ontario people were the best. It was really scary and I was not expecting to make it that far, so when I got there, I was like ‘oh my god, this is a big thing,’ but I ended up having so much fun and learning a ton in California.”
Adding to their list of new experiences, the students who advanced to the international competition in California got a well-deserved break, spending a day at Disneyland to enjoy some extra excitement and fun on their trip.
“Disney was so fun,” McClure said. “Just the four of us, in the big old Disneyland. We got to go on a lot of rides, and it was just all DECA people. There were about 24,000 students there from all across the world, and a lot of people went to Disneyland the day we did, so it was quite busy, but it was really fun.”
While Disneyland provided a fun break from the stress of the international competition, the most memorable moments happened during the event itself.
“Every single time, right before I would go compete, I would practice with something random online,” McClure said. “Like, I would just choose a random DECA business scenario to use for practice. And 3 out of the 4 times at internationals, the [scenario] that I practiced with right before was the exact same as what I was competing with. I felt like I just had really good luck with that. So that was really memorable, because I was like ‘someone is looking over me right now, giving me these prompts.’ But, the very last one, I had never done before, and that was my final competition. I was like, ‘This is it for me.’ But, somehow, I still made it that far.”
Even with a bit of luck, securing fourth place on a global stage is an incredible accomplishment that results from a lot of hard work and is sure to be an overwhelming feeling for any student.
“I was so shocked and overjoyed,” McClure said. “Like I said, I was not even expecting to get to state, and every single time you win an award, it is just the best feeling in the world… Being on that stage in the first place was crazy, [and] just being a finalist in the first round, and knowing that I was among the top 20 people was insane. And then, when they called me up again for the finals, and I was one of the top ten people, I was like, ‘This is crazy.’ A week after, I got home and I found out that I was fourth, and I was shocked.”
Reflecting on his journey and the competition, despite narrowly missing out on the top three, McClure remains grateful and amazed at his achievement.
“First, second, and third place get DECA glass, which means you’re the best of everyone in the category, and it’s a huge accomplishment,” McClure said. “They call those people on stage, and they get a huge glass award. I had no idea what my ranking was, so I wasn’t sure [where I had placed]. I was literally one step away from getting DECA glass, which is insane. But I’m still so happy I got fourth. I cannot believe I did that.”
Returning home with such a remarkable achievement brought recognition from throughout the school community.
“I feel very supported,” McClure said. “I feel like I’ve really gotten recognized for the work that I put into this. I know I don’t say I put that much work in, but when I really think about it, I did, and it was a lot. So I really do feel appreciated. And I feel very recognized by the school. They’ve done more than enough to recognize me. I do really appreciate that, and I think it’s really cool that other people care about how far these accomplishments go.”
The recognition of McClure’s achievement shines a positive light upon our entire community, acknowledging the collective effort of all the people who supported his journey along the way.
“I think it reflects a lot on all of the instructors and teachers that helped me out through everything,” McClure said. “I wouldn’t be here without all the people in DECA. Just having that teamwork and being friends with all those people, especially at state, I was so close to everyone. And they helped me improve upon myself. Even when only three of us advanced, they cheered us on and they helped us through everything. The advisors were so nice and I had so much fun. I really couldn’t have done it without them.”
This victory serves as more than just a reminder of the collective efforts within the school community; it’s a testament to McClure’s individual dedication and perseverance.
“It speaks highly to [Jack’s] personal drive,” marketing and personal financial literacy teacher Jennifer Riddlebarger said. “He’s very driven, and he works really, really hard.”
McClure’s unwavering drive for success is sure to lead him toward great achievements as he plans to continue in his business endeavors in the future.
“I really want to be a realtor in the future,” McClure said. “DECA was super important for me, because I knew I wanted to go into the business field. It was really eye-opening to learn all these things about business, like how to talk to people in a business setting, and different business principles. You had to know so much about all these different business procedures and how businesses work. That was super informative, and it really taught me about this career path. I was able to learn a lot more about what I’m going to be able to do in the future and how things work in the real world.”
While his long-term plans are ambitious, McClure remains grounded in the present, putting his focus into gaining valuable experience. He plans to continue with his DECA competitions and business classes to further his skills as he continues in high school.
“I’m going for glass next year,” McClure said. “I will get that DECA glass next year. I’m believing in myself. I’m sticking with DECA; It is so fun. I’m now a DECA officer, as of last week. So next year I’ll really be honing in on that, helping the marketing side of DECA, and I’m super excited.”
Going into his junior year as an officer for the club, McClure encourages students interested in DECA competitions to take the leap and have self-confidence.
“Go for it,” McClure said. “Don’t be scared. I was terrified, but I did it anyway, and obviously, it paid off. Put in the work, and you’ll get it out. I promise. If you actually study, and you really try and go into things confidently, it will work out for you. Don’t doubt yourself. I had no idea I would get that far, but I told myself that I would, and every single time it happened. So just stick with it and believe in yourself.”
